| Copyright © 2008 Ed Bagley | | | | ratings are the gold standard. |
| Coach Ron Zook's Illinois team took the Big Ten by | | | | Part of Illinois' No. 66 rating at the moment is because |
| storm last year, tying with Michigan for the runner-up | | | | the Fighting Illini have played a weak schedule of |
| spot at 6-2, and going 9-3 in the regular season. The | | | | opponents, the 106th weakest schedule rank in the |
| Fighting Illini from Champaign got ahead by sneaking up | | | | country to be exact. Sure, the Illini opened with Missouri |
| on some opponents. | | | | (not exactly a walk in the park) but they also have |
| Then they arrived at the Rose Bowl to face Southern | | | | squared off against Eastern Illinois (rated 157th) and |
| California and took about 49 shots to the head with a | | | | Louisiana-Lafayette (rated 128th), not exactly college |
| ball-peen hammer as the Trojans won going away, | | | | football powerhouses. |
| 49-17. Last year Illinois finished at No. 20 in the final AP | | | | Here is also a news flash for the Fighting Illini, who |
| Poll. All of last year's fight and hype moved Illinois into | | | | gave up an average of 30 points to their first 3 |
| this year's AP Top 25 Poll. | | | | opponents: You cannot give up 30 points a game and |
| The Illini, currently ranked No. 22, have no business | | | | win a lot of games against good teams. Last year |
| being in AP's Top 25, and will probably figure that out | | | | Illinois gave up 21 points per game and still won 9 |
| after visiting No. 16 Penn State at Happy Valley next | | | | games. This year the Illini defense gave up 52 points in |
| weekend (9-27-08). They have a bye this weekend | | | | losing to Missouri in their opener. Missouri is currently |
| and will need all of the extra time to get ready to face | | | | ranked No. 5 in the AP Poll. |
| Jo Pa's (Joe Paterno's) Nittany Lions. | | | | The road ahead for Ron Zook's Illini is interesting as |
| Teams that did well last year generally get a free | | | | they must face Penn State (currently 3-0), Michigan |
| pass into the AP Top 25 the following year. Whether | | | | (1-2), Minnesota (3-0), Indiana (2-0), Wisconsin (3-0), |
| they maintain the ranking is another question. In Illinois' | | | | Iowa (3-0), Ohio State (2-1) and Northwestern (3-0). |
| case, while they are currently No. 22 in the AP Poll, the | | | | The combined record of these opponents is 20-3 at |
| Sagarin football ratings puts them at No. 66, where | | | | the moment. |
| they belong. | | | | Zook just might get snookered before he sneaks up |
| The AP Top 25 Poll is determined each week by 64 | | | | on anyone this year. |
| influential sportswriters around the country. It can be | | | | If you are wondering, the next 5 most overrated |
| argued that it is a popularity poll. Jeff Sagarin's NCAA | | | | teams currently in the AP Poll are Fresno State, South |
| Football Ratings uses a scientific, statistical analysis to | | | | Florida, Clemson, Kansas and Missouri (yes, Missouri). |
| determine the pecking order for the 245 teams in | | | | The two most underrated teams are Penn State and |
| Division I-A (119 teams) and I-AA (the rest). Sagarin's | | | | Brigham Young (BYU). |