Illini on Brink of Big Ten Test | Illinois Fighting Illini Football News

The Illini sit just outside the AP Top 25 with nine votes, projected around No. 33, after a solid but unranked 2023 season. With key NFL-bound stars departing and a revamped offense led by senior QB Katin Houser, they’re facing a steep climb. New defensive coordinator Bobby Hauck brings a fiery, 3-3-5 scheme to shore up a leaky defense. The Big Ten is loaded — eight teams in the Top 25 — and Illinois must survive brutal early tests against No. 1 Ohio State, No. 2 Oregon, and No. 22 Iowa. Their first chance to prove they belong? A September 3 showdown against UAB. Can they break into the rankings this season? Listen in comfort:Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/9ff6cd88349b9e0d