Joel Klatt Names the Most Likely College Football Team to Make First Playoff Appearance originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
The 2024 college football season witnessed significant progress for some programs under new coaching staff.
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One notable example is the Illinois Fighting Illini, who are in Year 4 under head coach Bret Bielema. The Fighting Illini achieved a remarkable turnaround, finishing last season with a record of 10-3 after struggling to a 5-7 record the previous year. This marked their first 10-win season since 2001 and only the fifth in the program’s history.
As a result, there is considerable excitement heading into the 2025 season. In fact, Joel Klatt from Fox Sports mentioned on his podcast, “The Joel Klatt Show,” that he believes Illinois has the best chance of making the College Football Playoff for the first time.
Illinois Fighting Illini head coach Bret Bielema during the second half against the Kansas JayhawksRon Johnson-Imagn Images
“Bret Bielema has built this team into what he wants,” Klatt said. “Physical, tough, they win against South Carolina in the bowl game. They showed the level they can get to and that team that won that day is essentially all back.”
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Klatt noted that the Fighting Illini are bringing back 16 starters for this season—nine on offense and seven on defense. He believes the most significant returnee is quarterback Luke Altmeyer, who is entering his third season as the starting quarterback.
Last year, he threw for 2,717 yards, 22 touchdowns, and only six interceptions. Klatt mentioned that historically, teams with a lot of returning production, especially at the quarterback position, tend to perform well in the following season.
In addition to Altmeyer, the entire offensive line is also returning. However, Klatt highlighted that the biggest question mark is at wide receiver, as Illinois lost its top two wide receivers from last year’s team.
ESPN’s Football Power Index (FPI) does not have as high of a projection for Illinois as Klatt does. The FPI ranks Illinois as the No. 44 team overall and No. 12 in the Big Ten. It gives them only a 0.6% chance of winning the Big Ten and a 3.8% chance of making the College Football Playoff.
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Despite these low projections, Klatt believes Illinois is the most likely team in college football to make the playoff for the first time in the program’s history.
Related: David Pollack Names College Football Playoff Team That Won’t Return in 2025
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 10, 2025, where it first appeared.
