The Illini are coming off their best NCAA Tournament finish since 2005, reaching the Final Four as a No. 3 seed. Expectations for the 2026-27 season are even higher with five of the team’s top eight scorers returning for another year.
Illinois was unable to capture either the Big Ten regular-season title or the conference tournament championship last season before earning a No. 3 seed on Selection Sunday. However, those accomplishments should be the primary goals entering next season. The Illini have
just one share of a Big Ten regular-season championship during the Brad Underwood era and have yet to claim an outright conference title.
Ohio State, Wisconsin, Michigan State, Indiana, Purdue, and Michigan have all won outright Big Ten championships since Illinois last accomplished the feat in 2005.
Underwood’s tenure has included a Final Four appearance, two Elite Eight appearances, two Big Ten Tournament championships, and a share of a regular-season conference title. Still, two major milestones remain: winning an outright Big Ten championship and capturing a national title.
Illinois enters the season as one of the highest-ranked teams in the country and will have an opportunity to achieve both. The Athletic recently ranked the Illini as the No. 1 team in the nation, while Bart Torvik’s preseason projections have Illinois ranked No. 4 overall. The Illini moved up to No. 4 following Andrej Stojakovic’s announcement that he would withdraw from the NBA Draft and return to Champaign. Only Duke, Florida, and Houston are ranked ahead of Illinois in Torvik’s projections.
Michigan and Michigan State check in at No. 6 and No. 7, respectively, making Illinois the early favorite to win the Big Ten. The Illini are projected to have the No. 2 offense in the country and will look to build upon last season’s historic offensive performance with the additions of transfer Stefan Vaaks and freshman Quentin Coleman.
Can Illinois Finally Win an Outright Big Ten Championship?
Consistency is often the deciding factor in a regular-season conference race, and it will be critical if Illinois hopes to cut down the nets next March. Every championship team faces trap games and nights when it doesn’t play its best. The difference is finding ways to win those games anyway.
Losses such as the road defeat at Penn State in 2024, the home loss to USC in 2025, and last season’s home loss to Nebraska will need to be avoided if Illinois wants to secure the conference title and earn a No. 1 or No. 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament.
Illinois enters the season with the highest preseason expectations of the Brad Underwood era. The talent, experience, and depth are all in place. Now, the challenge is turning potential into championships.
This is the year the Illini need to win an outright Big Ten Championship and make another deep run in the NCAA Tournament.
