Illinois basketball is entering the new season with rare preseason clout.
The Illini landed at No. 3 in the first Associated Press poll, the program’s highest preseason spot since opening the 2004-05 season at No. 5. That year, Illinois climbed to No. 1 in early December and stayed there the rest of the way before falling to North Carolina in the national championship game.
This is also the second-highest national ranking of the Brad Underwood era. The 2020-21 team, powered by All-American Ayo Dosunmu and Kofi Cockburn, finished No. 2 after beginning that season 8th in the AP poll.
Florida opens at No. 1 after winning the third NCAA championship in program history one year ago, earning 47 first-place votes. Duke follows at No. 2 with 10 first-place votes, while Illinois received the other two top votes.
UConn is ranked fourth, Arizona fifth, and Michigan State checks in at No. 6.
Texas, Tennessee, Virginia and Houston complete the top 10. Defending champion Michigan starts the season at No.
The ranking matches the momentum around a team that just reached the Final Four for the first time in more than two decades. Illinois finished 28-9 last season and brings back four starters from that group, including All-American candidate David Mirkovic and preseason All-Big Ten pick Andrej Stojakovic. The Illini have been viewed by many national observers as a Final Four contender since the season ended, and CBS Sports picked them to win the Big Ten earlier this month.
Before the games count, Illinois still has two home exhibitions left on the schedule against Baylor and Illinois-Chicago after beating Cincinnati in its first preseason game Saturday. The regular season begins November 3 when the Illini host Fairleigh Dickinson at State Farm Center, part of a non-conference slate that also includes Duke, UConn, 19th-ranked Texas Tech and Missouri.
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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 🡒]