The Sporting News' top 25 college football coaches rankings are officially out, which shows seven Big Ten coaches represented.
This includes Bret Bielema, who took a 21-spot jump from this past season to land at No. 25. While it seems like a respectable placement, it could also be viewed as a snub. Bielema finished this past season 10-3, which was Illinois' best year since 2001 and was capped off by a nail-biting bowl win against South Carolina.
Unfortunately for the Prophetstown, Ill. native, it wasn't enough to surpass his ex-colleague, Bill Belichick, who landed at No. 18. Belichick begins his first season as a college coach at North Carolina this fall. Still, both men were colleagues at one time as they were on the New England Patriots' coaching staff during the 2018-19 season. Bielema served as a consultant to Belichick before transferring to the defensive line the following season.
Bielema won a Super Bowl under Belichick's guidance after stints with the Wisconsin Badgers and Arkansas Razorbacks between 2006-2017. Now back in the Big Ten, Bielema is amid a stunning resurgence in Champaign after ending 10 years of futility and failed coaching projects, which included Tim Beckman and Lovie Smith.
TSN's Bill Bender praised Bielema, noting that he has been undergoing a "revived" college career since leaving the NFL.
"Illinois also is a trendy playoff pick for 2025," Bender wrote. "Between Wisconsin and Illinois, Bielema is 86-46 as a Big Ten coach – a .651 winning percentage that is a reflection of his teams that are built from the inside out. The Illini were 3-2 against ranked teams last season."
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Those three wins saw Illinois knock off Nebraska, Kansas and Michigan. Its losses were nothing to sweat at either, as it came at the expense of the two teams in the Big Ten title game: Oregon and Penn State.
The Illini return 18 of 22 starters, with their biggest losses coming at the running back position with Josh McCray opting to transfer to Georgia, while receivers Zakhari Franklin and Pat Bryant turned pro.
With quarterback Luke Altmyer back for his final season and a stingy defense led by linebacker Gabe Jacas, the Illini could set themselves up for a big season this fall. The game to circle is Oct. 11, when the defending national champion Ohio State Buckeyes travel to Champaign in what might be a Big Ten title game preview.
The Illini open their season 94 days from now, hosting Western Illinois Friday, Aug. 29.