(WAND) - The Illini football team is ranked #11 in the nation in the first AP Top 25 poll of the regular season.
Illinois climbed one spot from their #12 preseason ranking following a 53-3 win over FCS opponent Western Illinois, where the team surpassed 200-yards in both passing and rushing.
The Illini prepare to go on the road to take on Duke in week 2 for their first road test of the 2025 campaign. Duke is led by QB Darian Mensah, who threw for 389 yards and 3 touchdowns in a win over Elon in his debut for the Blue Devils.
The largest shift inside the poll's Top 10 comes following Alabama's season-opening loss to previously unranked Florida State. The Crimson Tide slid 13 spots from the #8 slot, now to #21 (FSU now ranked #14).
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