Illinois is positioned to break out of decades of average play with a loaded return roster and a veteran quarterback steering the attack. Luke Altmyer proved highly efficient last season, throwing 22 TDs against six interceptions, and he re-enters 2025 with 18 returning starters around him. The Illini’s weapons are expanding: Hudson Clement and Hank Beatty are primed to become reliable targets, while the backfield duo of Kaden Feagin and Aidan Laughery aims to balance the offense and keep defenses honest.

Defensively, Illinois brings back a sturdy secondary led by Xavier Scott and Matthew Bailey, with a special-teams unit anchored by Lane Hansen and Keelan Crimmins, plus a dependable kicker in David Olano. The schedule pits the Illini against high-caliber opponents in Indiana, Ohio State, USC, Washington, and Wisconsin, testing their ability to translate last season’s 10-win momentum into sustained success. The mood around Champaign is bold but focused, as coach Bret Bielema and his players insist they’re not chasing hype so much as inching toward consistent, championship-level performance.

If Illinois can maintain discipline and leverage its depth, the path to a College Football Playoff conversation becomes tangible. Altmyer’s accuracy and decision-making, paired with Clement’s explosiveness and Beatty’s sure hands, could push the offense to new heights, while Feagin and Laughery give them a credible ground game to complement aerial attack. The Illini’s cohesion and resilience, emphasized in preseason quotes, may determine whether the peer pressure of expectations becomes fuel or friction as the season unfolds.

The Big Ten’s latest playoff idea would push the College Football Playoff toward as many as 28 teams, with seven automatic bids each for the Big Ten and SEC and additional bids for other leagues. The proposal even hints at unranked teams entering the mix, a move critics say would devalue the regular season and undermine credibility. Tony Petitti’s offseason appetite for bold formats has drawn sharp scrutiny, including past attempts at a 16-team plan. The SEC and ACC coaches currently favor a more measured expansion, with discussions centered on a 5+11 model and a continued reliance on at-large bids. Even if a compromise emerges, alignment among major conferences remains elusive, leaving the current 12-team format as a reference point. The debate spotlights not just postseason structure, but which teams and programs benefit most when the playoff field grows—and how much momentum a top program should lose to a broader invitation.

Tory Horton’s leadership helped CSU’s passing attack take shape, and Jordan Ross absorbed every bit of it as a true freshman who’s now a sophomore aiming for a 1,000-yard receiving season. Horton pushed Ross to study coverages, work precise routes, and stay in sync with the quarterback—a blueprint CSU hopes to replicate as it reloads its perimeter game this fall. Fowler-Nicolosi, a battle-tested junior, carries the veteran mantle and eyes a bigger pulse through the air while Ross pushes to become CSU’s next breakout playmaker. Horton’s impact extends beyond CSU—he’s turning heads in Seattle’s camp as a 6-2 rookie with vertical-threat upside, while the Rams lean on Ross to elevate the unit in the opener at Washington.

With Washington looming in the opener on Aug. 30, CSU must establish a reliable pass game and give Fowler-Nicolosi clean windows to target Ross and other receivers. The Rams compare Ross to a compact, explosive slot threat who can stress defenses in space, while Horton’s NFL arc adds a layer of intrigue for fantasy observers tracking rookie-wideout ceilings and Seattle’s plan to deploy him as a vertical option. The question now is whether Ross can match Horton’s spark and whether CSU can translate the mentorship into real-season numbers.

Dylan Lonergan will start for Boston College in 2025 after transferring from Alabama, joining Eli Holstein at Pitt as former Alabama quarterbacks now slated to lead ACC offenses. Lonergan’s move follows a broader Alabama QB pipeline into new homes, underscored by BC’s offensive setup under Bill O’Brien, who previously called plays for Alabama. The piece also ties in coaching shifts around Alabama, including Nick Saban’s retirement and Kalen DeBoer’s noted entry as a future coach, framing the transfer dynamics as part of a shifting college football landscape. Brookwood, Georgia roots anchor Lonergan’s narrative as he eyes immediate fantasy relevance in a BC offense with (potential) upside. The story is labeled as ongoing update.

Lonergan’s arrival complements Holstein’s tenure at Pitt, creating parallel ACC storylines where Alabama pedigrees influence early-season expectations and system-fit. The article keeps the focus on quarterback development through transfers and how coaching ties to recruiting pipelines can tilt fantasy value for 2025, even as the college game evolves with new leadership and strategic pivots. This is a developing thread professionals will want to monitor for shifts in starting roles, offense philosophy, and fantasy upside through the season.

Kansas State aims to keep rolling under Chris Klieman in 2025, leaning on a smothering run game and a standout middle defense. The Wildcats’ best chance to climb higher hinges on Avery Johnson progressing as a passer, while Dylan Edwards takes the baton as the primary back behind a physical offensive line. A retooled defense, led by a top-tier linebacker corps, should keep the team in every Big 12 test, with play-action sparks and time in the pocket shaping the ceiling.

The roster gains through the portal bolster secondary depth and playmaking at receiver, addressing a prior weakness while preserving the program’s identity of toughness and scheme discipline. If Johnson sharpens his accuracy outside play-action and the new receivers connect, Kansas State can push for another Big 12 title and a potential CFP push. The X-factor remains Johnson’s passing progression, which could elevate the offense from a solid unit to a higher-ceiling threat in a reshuffled conference.