Illinois Rated Big Ten Team to Beat

Illinois is identified as the Big Ten team to beat ahead of Michigan State and Michigan, which is described as the defending national champion.

The comparison puts Illinois at the front of the conference conversation while naming the Spartans and Wolverines as teams behind it in the discussion. It is a ranking or assessment of the teams’ position in the Big Ten conversation, not a report of a completed game, final score or championship result.

Michigan State and Michigan remain the two teams specifically identified alongside Illinois. Michigan carries the added distinction of being the defending national champion, while Michigan State is named as another team behind Illinois in the comparison.

The next meaningful developments will come through the teams’ schedules and games. Those results will provide the on-field record for judging how Illinois, Michigan State and Michigan compare during the season.