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Greetings from "Can't Wait For Saturday," your morning morsel of college football, courtesy of longtime Illini beat writer, AP Top 25 voter and Heisman state rep Bob Asmussen. He'll give you his views each day on the game he loves

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In this week's AFCA Coaches Poll, 41 teams received votes. Including eight schools from the Big Ten. Illinois was not among them,

In the Associated Press Top 25, 36 teams received votes. Three points, cast by one voter went to Bret Bielema's team. Koki Riley of the Baton Rouge (La.) Advocate ranked Illinois No. 23. On the Web site College Poll Tracker, Riley's ranking is labeled "extreme," a designation assigned to any vote five or more spots away from the team's actual place in the rankings.

Riley has five other extreme picks on his ballot. No judgment. The ballot is personal and I am the last one who would criticize what another reporter thinks.

The News-Gazette ballot has two extreme picks this week, with Texas too high at No. 15 and Missouri too low at No. 24.

The good news is that the votes will be shuffled again next week.

Is Illinois out of the poll for the rest of the season? Depends on what happens next. But 65 of the 66 voters said no on Sunday, so it will take some work.

Illinois will be on my list of teams to consider for the next poll. But a win against a two-touchdown underdog Rutgers to improve to 6-3 won't be enough for most voters.

At the moment, there are too many one- and two-loss teams that are ahead of Illinois. As that number dwindles, Illinois' chances will improve. As long as it keeps winning.