Ballot breakdown: Five voters leave Illini off their AP Top 25 ballot

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Sports Editor Matt Daniels offer up three items that caught his eye Monday with the Associated Press Top 25 college football poll out for the first time ahead of the 2025 season:

An eye on the Illini

The opinion on Illinois is high in Champaign. Our own Bob Asmussen was one of two voters who had the Illini at No. 9 on their ballot, the highest ranking Bret Bielema's team received on the 65 ballots. Jon Wilner of the San Jose (Calif.) Mercury-News is the other voter who had Illinois at No. 9. Illinois appeared on 60 of the 65 ballots, but Sam McKewon of the Omaha (Neb.) World-Herald, Damien Sordelett of The News & Advance in Lynchburg, Va., Trevor Hass of Boston.com, Pete Yanity of WSPA in Spartanburg, S.C., and Jamal St. Cyr of WJXT in Jacksonville, Fla., did not have Illinois among its Top 25 teams. After No. 9, Illinois appeared on at least two ballots from No. 10 through No. 20 and then again at No. 25 on the ballot of Josh Furlong from KSL in Salt Lake City.

Deep in the heart of Texas

Texas is No. 1 in the preseason poll for the first time. Call it the Arch Manning factor. But it wasn't a runaway victory by Steve Sarkisian's Longhorns. Texas received 25 first-place votes, while No. 2 Penn State had 23 first-place votes. The Nittany Lions were only six points away from overtaking Texas for the top spot. Ohio State, Clemson, Georgia and Oregon also received at least one first-place vote.

Scouring the Illini schedule

Ohio State at No. 3 is the highest-ranked team right now that Illinois will play in 2025. And only one of two teams on the initial AP Top 25 ballot who the Illini will face. The other one? Indiana, with the Hoosiers checking in at No. 20. Southern Cal and Duke both received votes.