Good morning, Illini fans. We're officially in the final two-week stretch before Illinois football returns, and Monday brought plenty of news from Champaign. Here are the things that matter this morning.
The Illini were left out of the AP Top 25 preseason poll Monday, receiving nine votes and unofficially landing at No. 33.
That's a little lower than some Illinois fans probably hoped for after last year's 9-4 season.
Ranked teams are all over the schedule. Illinois faces No. 1 Ohio State, No. 2 Oregon and No. 22 Iowa.
Illinois offensive coordinator Barry Lunney Jr. met with the media Monday and offered perhaps his strongest endorsement yet of new starting quarterback Katin Houser.

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