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CFP chair Boo Corrigan details how Illinois was evaluated
By Andrew Olson
Published:
Bret Bielema’s Illinois squad is having an incredible season.
The Fighting Illini enter Week 10 with a 7-1. For the first time in program history, Illinois is ranked in the College Football Playoff Top 25, checking in at No. 16.
CFP selection committee chair Boo Corrigan spoke to media members after Tuesday night’s ranking reveal. While the questions mostly focused on top-10 teams, Corrigan did get a question about how Illinois’ “special season” had been being evaluated.
Corrigan is impressed with Bielema’s squad, but notes that Illinois is currently lacking a signature win:
I’m just curious how you evaluated a team like Illinois that’s having something of a surprise season.
BOO CORRIGAN: Well, I don’t know that it’s a surprise season. It’s a season. It’s based on the 2022 year.
Top-scoring defense in the country, really competitive, three wins against teams above .500.
That being said, we didn’t know if there was necessarily a signature win associated with them, but a really good football team, a really tough football team.
If Illinois gets that signature win, the Fighting Illini should climb in the rankings.
A former Florida beat reporter, Andrew writes for the Saturday Tradition News Desk.