Updated 2025 SP+

You're excited about Nasir Rankin. You saw one of those preseason poll infographics that had Illinois 11th and you sent it to your cousin Brandon. Me? I can hardly contain my excitement about this latest SP+ update. What it shows for us is basically... impossible.

Let me just start by saying this: Two or three years ago, if you were a time traveler and you showed me a 2025 preseason poll that had Illinois 9th, I would have believed it. That would mean we had a team good enough in 2024 and enough players coming back that a few of the pundits would have said "Illinois could have a really good team next year." If you would have shown me that the 2025 SP+ had us 19th preseason... 0% chance I would have believed you. I would have given you 15 minutes on how it wasn't possible.

My brain is going a million miles a minute right now so I need to focus. Maybe some sub-heads can get me pointed in the right direction.