{
  "id": 5300064,
  "title": "Why Illinois will make the College Football Playoff in 2026",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/03/why-illinois-will-make-the-college-football-playoff-in-2026",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-09-03T10:00:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Yahoo Sports",
    "slug": "yahoo-sports",
    "url": "https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/why-illinois-college-football-playoff-100000956.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "In 2026, Illinois is almost certain to make the College Football Playoff. The team finished the regular season with an impressive 11-1 record, falling just one game short of perfection at the hands of Ohio State. The path to the CFP is clear for Illinois. The Illini begin the season with three home games against UAB, Duke, and Southern Illinois. The early wins, particularly against UAB, are likely to secure their place in the postseason. After a possible loss to Ohio State, Illinois should walk away with a 5-1 record heading into their matchup against the Oregon Ducks. This game, played on October 24, would be a significant challenge for Illinois, but a victory here would cement their place in the playoffs. Following the Oregon game, Illinois would face Maryland, Nebraska, UCLA, Iowa, and Northwestern. Although Nebraska and Iowa pose the toughest challenges, Illinois is predicted to win both, finishing the season with an impressive 11-1 record. The selection committee considers various factors when determining the CFP teams, including strength of schedule, head-to-head results, and games against common opponents. Illinois' 11-1 record, with a win over a top-two team and only a road loss to a preseason No. 1 team, is a strong résumé that would likely keep them in the running. Considering the current format, Illinois could potentially host a College Football Playoff game in Champaign, a scenario that seemed far-fetched just a few years ago. With Bret Bielema at the helm, Illinois is experiencing remarkable growth in its football program. Winning seasons, bowl eligibility, and even nine wins are no longer considered sufficient. The goal now is to reach the College Football Playoff, and Illinois seems set to make that happen in 2026.",
  "summary": "It’s the year.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Yahoo Sports",
        "title": "College football games on TV today: Full schedule, times, channels, live streams to watch Week 1 NCAA games",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/03/college-football-games-on-tv-today-full-schedule-times-channels-live",
        "published": "2026-09-03T04:10:01.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}