Illinois is starting the season with the kind of label every program wants and every opponent notices: No. 1 in the Big Ten preseason poll.
That’s a big statement in a league that still includes Michigan State, Michigan, Purdue, Nebraska and others, but Illinois has earned the buzz. Brad Underwood brings back a strong core, adds a five-star freshman, and now gets to work with a roster that already has people talking about another deep run after last season’s Final Four trip.
The returnees matter here. Andrej Stojakovic, David Mirkovic and Tomislav Ivisic are all back, and Underwood also brings in five-star freshman Quentin Coleman along with lone transfer Stefan Vaaks. That mix of continuity and new firepower is a huge part of why the Illini were voted to the top spot.
The Big Ten preseason poll put Illinois ahead of Michigan State, Michigan, UCLA, USC, Nebraska, Ohio State, Purdue, Indiana and Iowa. It’s a strong vote of confidence, and not exactly a shocking one given what Underwood just built.
One obvious question hangs over the roster: how does Illinois replace Keaton Wagler? He was the team’s leading scorer last season and went No. 5 in the 2026 NBA Draft, so that production doesn’t just disappear without consequence. But Illinois isn’t short on answers.
Stojakovic found his groove during the NCAA Tournament, and Mirkovic is being viewed as one of the best players in the country at his position. Coleman and Vaaks are expected to help make up for Wagler’s scoring, while also giving Illinois more speed. That pace could be a problem for opponents, especially in transition, where the Illini should be able to push the tempo and make games uncomfortable.
Underwood already had Illinois in the Final Four. Now the belief is that this group can be even better. In a Big Ten full of teams that should test them along the way, the Illini have the look of a team built for March from the start.
For Illinois, the preseason praise is only the beginning. The real job now is turning the ranking into the kind of season that matches it.
In Other News...
Illinois Just Faced A Tough Reality In Brady Pettigrew's Visit
Brady Pettigrews official visit to Illinois gave the staff a chance to roll out the full pitch for one of the most coveted prospects in the 2028 class. The five-star from Illinois toured both the basketball and football facilities, a reminder that the Illini are trying to sell more than proximity and familiarity as they battle a national lineup of blue-blood programs for his attention.
The timing of the trip added an unavoidable dose of reality, since Pettigrew was on hand for a football game Illinois lost to Purdue. Still, the visit underscored how much the Illini want to stay in the mix for a player who is expected to be a basketball recruit and has not reclassified. With UNC, Kentucky, Duke, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio State and Arkansas also in the chase, Illinois knows the competition will stay fierce for a long time. [Read more 🡒]
Illinois Quietly Addressed A Big Offensive Line Need After Rough Weekend
After a rough weekend, Illinois found a little roster relief on the line with a commitment from Mt. San Antonio College offensive lineman Harry Maileoi for the 2027 season. Bret Bielema and his staff have been working to keep the offensive front stocked for both the present and the future, and Maileoi gives the Illini another big body to develop in a room that will need it.
At 6-foot-4 and 350 pounds, Maileoi arrives with the kind of size Illinois can build around, and he had drawn interest from programs such as Kansas State and California before settling on the Illini. For a team trying to stabilize its offensive line pipeline, his pledge matters as much for what it says about the programs recruiting pitch as it does for the depth chart, because Illinois clearly sees him as part of the next wave up front. [Read more 🡒]
Illinois Just Ran Into A Brutal Reality After Purdue Loss
Purdue left Gies Memorial Stadium with The Cannon, and Illinois was left staring at the sort of result that can reshape an early-season storyline. The Illini did not look sharp on either side of the ball in the Big Ten loss, with the defense surrendering 345 yards and the offense never finding much rhythm.
Katin Houser and the passing game never really settled in, which only added to the frustration for a team that came in trying to steady itself. After dropping three of its first five games, Illinois is now heading into a demanding stretch that includes multiple ranked opponents, leaving little margin for error if this season is going to get back on track. [Read more 🡒]