Illinois football had a turnaround season in 2024, winning 10 games and getting a victory over South Carolina in the Citrus Bowl.

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (WAND) — The Fighting Illini finished strong at number 16 in the Final AP Top 25 released Tuesday. The win over #14 South Carolina in the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl secured the team's best Top 25 finish since 2001, when they hit #12.

Buckeyes rule Ohio State is the national champion. That means the Buckeyes own the top spot in the final AP Top 25 college football poll. Now that the obvious is out of the way who followed Ohio State in the final rankings?

Illinois won 10 games in 2024 including the Citrus Bowl. Here is how the Illini and coach Bret Bielema ranked in the final coaches and AP polls.

UNLV finished No. 23 in The Associated Press’ Top 25 football poll released Tuesday. The poll was the final one of the season after Ohio State’s win over Notre Dame on Monday in the College Football Playoff championship game.

The final AP rankings came out after the 2024-2025 college fotoball season and the Georgia Bulldogs ranked outside of the top five for the first time since the end of the 2020 season. No. 6 Georgia (11-3) earned the ranking after a Sugar Bowl loss to the No.