Could the Illinois Fighting Illini be a top-10 team? 

Bob Asmussen at IlliniHQ.com thinks so. Granted things would have break heavily in their favor but if the team can keep winning, at the least the veteran college football writer foresees Illinois making strides in the rankings.

Runningback Chase Brown has is starting to gain some national attention as the nation's leading rusher at the near halfway point of the season. If he keeps it up, Asmussen says there's no reason he shouldn't be in New York as a part of the Heisman Trophy festivities.

Illinois takes the week off before return from the bye to visit Nebraska next Saturday. The Cornhuskers program is in turmoil again after firing coach Scott Frost after a disappointing tenure with his alma mater. They will have the advantage of also coming out of a bye next Saturday.