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Lovie Smith and the Fighting Illini didn’t play a game on Saturday, but that didn’t prevent the program from falling in Football Outsiders’ latest S&P+ rankings. The Orange and Blue fell 10 spots to No. 71 overall, placing them behind Syracuse and ahead of Cincinnati.
S&P+ ratings have been updated, and they look … relatively normal (Florida-Tenn aside)!https://t.co/KTBe8QQh21 pic.twitter.com/PjbLDDl3Lw
— Bill Connelly (@SBN_BillC) September 25, 2016
While Illinois’ offense experienced a very minor improvement to No. 81 overall (+1), the defense decreased to No. 60 (-13). Special teams checked in at No. 31 (+6).
It could be worse, all things considered. At least Illinois isn’t Georgia, who plummeted 34 spots to No. 61 following a blowout loss to Ole Miss. The Fighting Illini also remain in front of several Power 5 teams, too, including Northwestern, South Carolina, and Oregon State.
Week 5 College Football Rankings
| AP | Coaches | S&P+ | Massey | |
| 1 | Alabama | Alabama | Ohio State | Ohio State |
| 2 | Ohio State | Ohio State | Michigan | Alabama |
| 3 | Louisville | Clemson | Alabama | Michigan |
| 4 | Michigan | Louisville | Louisville | Louisville |
| 5 | Clemson | Michigan | Clemson | Clemson |
| 6 | Houston | Stanford | Miami | Stanford |
| 7 | Stanford | Houston | Florida | Houston |
| 8 | Wisconsin (11) | Wisconsin (10) | Ole Miss | Texas A&M |
| 9 | Texas A&M (10) | Washington | Stanford | Tennessee |
| 10 | Washington (9) | Texas A&M (13) | Texas A&M | Florida State |
| 11 | Tennessee (14) | Tennessee (12) | Washington | Wisconsin |
| 12 | Florida State (13) | Florida State (14) | Baylor | Washington |
| 13 | Baylor (16) | Baylor (15) | Florida State | Miami |
| 14 | Miami (15) | Miami (19) | Virginia Tech | Baylor |
| 15 | Nebraska (20) | Nebraska (20) | Tennessee | Oklahoma |
| 16 | Ole Miss (23) | Michigan State (8) | Wisconsin | Nebraska |
| 17 | Michigan State (8) | Ole Miss (21) | Houston | Ole Miss |
| 18 | Utah (24) | Utah (23) | Boise State | Boise State |
| 19 | SDSU (22) | TCU (21) | LSU | LSU |
| 20 | Arkansas (17) | Georgia (11) | Oregon | Arkansas |
| 21 | TCU (NR) | Florida (16) | Oklahoma | Florida |
| 22 | Texas (21) | Arkansas (18) | TCU | West Virginia |
| 23 | Florida (19) | North Carolina (27) | Nebraska | TCU |
| 24 | Boise State (NR) | SDSU (28) | Toledo | UCLA |
| 25 | Georgia (12) | Texas (24) | Memphis | Auburn |