Bielema: Illinois Would Be Top-15 if in SEC — SkimNews
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- Illinois beat Nebraska 24-13 on Friday night, improving to 6-3 and becoming bowl-eligible.
- Bret Bielema said Illinois would “probably be a top-15 team” if it were in the SEC and urged the program to keep succeeding.
- Bielema said Illinois will have postseason play for a third straight season, calling the run “absolutely awesome” and “really hard for anybody,” and said a 9-3 team can reach the playoffs.
- College Football Playoff initial rankings, released Tuesday, put five SEC teams in the top 12, compared with three Big Ten teams and two Big 12 teams.
- Alabama drew added attention at No. 5 after consecutive October losses to No. 2 Georgia and No. 13 Tennessee, despite being a two-loss team; two-loss Texas was No. 7.
- Ohio State ranked No. 12, Iowa No. 19 and USC No. 20, leaving all three two-loss Big Ten teams outside the CFP top 10.
- Curt Cignatti, whose No. 4 Indiana team drew discussion over its nonconference schedule, said CFP decision-makers “march out of the tent,” follow instructions and “follow the company line” while advocating for the Big Ten.
Why it matters: The SEC holds the initial ranking advantage: five top-12 teams, versus three for the Big Ten and two for the Big 12. For the Big Ten, Bielema’s 9-3 benchmark adds a 6-3 Illinois case to its coaches’ push for more top-12 representation, while two-loss Ohio State, Iowa and USC at No. 12, 19 and 20 show the gap in practice.
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