Looking ahead to the 2025 season, the Illinois Fighting Illini return many key starters on both sides of the ball. While one ESPN college football writer predicted a top-15 preseason ranking in 2025, Illinois’ head coach heavily opposed the take in a clever reply.
Bret Bielema Crafts Hilarious Response for Illinois’ Ranking Heading Into 2025
Illinois head coach Bret Bielema ended 2024 on a feisty note, taunting South Carolina head coach Shane Beamer during the Citrus Bowl sparking a near altercation between the two coaches.
As 2025 has begun, Bielema is still riding high on emotions — and not afraid to speak his mind.
A social media post by ESPN’s Adam Rittenberg that explained the return of third-team All-Big Ten linebacker Gabe Jacas among other impact players should have the Fighting Illini slotted in “the preseason top 15/20.”
Bielema took that as a slight. He shared on his X (formerly known as Twitter) account a response to Rittenberg’s perceived knock:
“Come on @ESPNRittenberg if #20 team beat a top 15 team and returns 18/22 starters and they get ranked outside the top ten next season…. I have some ocean front property in Champaign I would like to sell you #famILLy #ILL.”
The first part of his tweet is correct; the Fighting Illini took down the No. 15-ranked Gamecocks, 21-17, in the Citrus Bowl to finish the 2024 season. And, according to the man with more information on the subject than any expert, 18 of 22 starters are expected to return.
Among those will be quarterback Luke Altmyer, who’s steadily improved across two seasons as Illinois’ starter. He posted a 22-to-6 touchdown-to-interception ratio, one of the best in the Big 10. Protecting his blind side and also returning for 2025, will be third-team All-Big Ten left tackle J.C. Davis.
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The offense will miss the presence of top pass-catcher Pat Bryant who caught 10 touchdowns — six more than the next closest receiver. Running back Josh McCray, who won the Citrus Bowl MVP, is expected back next season. He ran for 114 yards and two touchdowns in the bowl game.
Top defender, defensive back Xavier Scott will be back in 2025 leading the defensive side of the ball. He earned first-team All-Big Ten honors as a junior and garnered NFL Draft attention before announcing his return via social media. Jacas will headline the linebacking core as a pass-rush specialist. He totaled 74 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, and eight sacks in 2024. They’ll also welcome the return of leading tackler, sophomore safety Matthew Bailey.
Based on those facts, Bielema seems to have the right to defend his team’s position as a top football team in the country.
The main problem? More than likely, brand bias.
Each year, the blue-blood programs fill the top of the preseason AP Poll. The next in line are the programs with the highest recruiting classes. Illinois will likely fall in that No. 15-20 range next season, but that won’t even matter.
It’s the end product that truly matters. And while coach Bielema may have the right to crack a wise joke in response, the Preseason AP Poll Top 25 is often filled with incorrect predictions that will get weeded out through months of evaluation as the actual product on the field comes at the end of the season.
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