Illinois is stepping into the season with real national respect attached to its name.
The AP preseason poll put Brad Underwood’s team at No. 3, slotting the Illini behind only Florida at No. 1 and Duke at No. 2.
For Illinois, that number carries extra weight: it’s the highest preseason ranking the program has seen in more than 25 years. The last time the Illini opened at No. 3 was before the 2001-2002 season, and the only preseason ranking higher came before the 1984-1985 season, when Illinois started at No.
The poll also shows just how high the Big Ten ceiling is this year. Illinois stands as the conference’s top-ranked team, three spots ahead of Michigan State at No. 6 and 13 spots ahead of reigning national champion Michigan at No. 16.
That kind of placement didn’t come out of nowhere. Illinois brought back nearly half of last season’s Final Four team and added a wave of talent through the freshman class and the transfer portal, including Stefan Vaaks. The preseason buzz had been building for a while, and the AP ranking simply put a number on it.
The first exhibition only added to the optimism. Illinois opened preseason play Saturday against a Cincinnati team Underwood called very good, and the Illini came away with a 105-96 win in a game that looked more like an offensive showcase than a tune-up.
There are still questions on the defensive end, and exhibitions are exactly where those issues get exposed. But on offense, Illinois gave plenty of reasons to believe the attack can carry it early if needed.
Andrej Stojakovic led the way with 24 points, continuing the momentum he showed in the NCAA Tournament. Vaaks made his Illinois debut with 19 points, Quentin Coleman scored 14 in his first game for the Illini, and Ethan Brown also impressed in his debut with 15.
Tomislav Ivisic added 13 points, while Jake Davis chipped in 10 despite being a game-time decision because of an ankle injury.
One more important note: Illinois did all of that without David Mirkovic, who has been out since suffering a foot injury in late July. The hope is that he’s back by the start of the season.
For now, the combination of the ranking and the performance against Cincinnati tells the same story: Illinois looks every bit like a team that belongs near the top, and the schedule will waste no time proving whether that level holds up against the ranked opponents coming its way.
In Other News...
Illinois Faces A Brutal Oregon Test After A Costly QB Change
Katin Housers hand injury leaves Illinois with a tough adjustment at the worst possible time, and the timing could hardly be more demanding. After surgery, Houser is expected to miss four to six weeks, which pushes the Illini into a major roadblock in the middle of the schedule and hands Michael Clayton II the start against Oregon.
Clayton now gets thrown into a matchup that already looked difficult on paper, with the betting odds leaning toward the Ducks. For Illinois, the challenge is not just surviving one week without its starting quarterback, but finding a way to keep the offense steady while facing one of the seasons more daunting tests. [Read more 🡒]
Illinois Has A Real Shot To Make Oregon Sweat Saturday
Oregon comes into Saturdays trip to Champaign with a familiar kind of problem: the Ducks keep winning, but they have not always made it easy on bettors or anyone expecting a comfortable afternoon. Their last outing was a narrow escape against Nebraska, and now they face an Illinois team that has had extra time to prepare after a bye week. DraftKings has Oregon as a 12.5-point favorite, but the number says more about reputation than comfort.
Illinois may not be getting the same national attention, but the matchup sets up as the kind that can test Oregons patience. The Fighting Illini have shown enough on defense in recent weeks to make opponents work for every clean look, and a road favorite that has already had trouble separating from people should know better than to assume this one will unfold cleanly. The Ducks are still expected to win, but Illinois has enough going for it to make Saturday feel a lot tighter than the spread suggests. [Read more 🡒]
Illinois Suddenly Has A Real Backcourt Decision To Make
Illinois exhibition win over Cincinnati offered an early glimpse at a backcourt battle that looks a lot more interesting than most preseason lineups do. Freshman Ethan Brown got the start over transfer Stefan Vaaks, and Brad Underwood said the choice came down to practice effort metrics, not just how the rotation might look on paper. Brown made a strong case in his 25 minutes, putting up 15 points along with rebounds and assists, while Vaaks was hardly quiet in his own reserve role.
The larger question now is whether that first lineup card was a one-night look or the beginning of a real discussion. Vaaks brings the kind of experience and playmaking that usually earns trust quickly, and the expectation remains that he will be in the starting group. Still, Browns showing gives Illinois a reason to pause, because this is no longer just about filling a spot. It is about deciding which guard best balances production, feel and stability when the games start to count. [Read more 🡒]