Brad Underwood and Illinois are no longer sneaking up on anybody.
That much was made clear by ESPN college basketball writer Jim Borzello’s latest way-too-early rankings, which slotted the Illini at No. 3, behind only Florida at No. 1 and Duke at No. 2. In a landscape usually reserved for the sport’s biggest names, Illinois is suddenly right there at the front of the conversation - and, as the highest-ranked Big Ten team, it now carries a different kind of attention heading into next season.
That is a major shift for a program that just made its first Final Four since 2005. Last season’s run changed the conversation around Illinois, and this roster setup suggests that change is sticking.
Underwood brought back three of his five starters, added one of the top players in the transfer portal, and layered in a five-star freshman to complete the starting rotation. That mix is why the Illini are being treated like a team with real championship-level expectations.
It also means the dark-horse label is gone.
Illinois has long lived in a tier below the Big Ten names that usually dominate the discussion - Michigan State, Purdue, Indiana and Michigan. But after last season, there’s no hiding place left.
The Illini are being viewed as contenders now, and that comes with a target on their back in conference play. Even after Michigan won it all last season, Illinois sits atop the Big Ten in these early rankings, which says plenty about how the national perception has shifted.
The pieces are there for Underwood to lean into that status. Stefan Vaaks, who averaged 15.8 points per game at Providence last season, gives the group another explosive scoring option.
Andrej Stojakovic and Quentin Coleman bring speed in transition, while David Mirkovic and Tomislav Ivisic give Illinois size and force around the basket. Put that together, and this is a team that can pressure defenses in multiple ways before they ever settle in.
That depth and balance are a big reason the preseason buzz has followed Illinois. The Illini do not appear to have many obvious weak spots, and their non-conference schedule should tell them plenty about where they stand before Big Ten play begins. That early stretch should also leave them better prepared for the grind that follows and more polished for the NCAA Tournament.
Underwood was satisfied with the Final Four run a year ago. This time, that won’t be enough. He wants the next step, and he wants Illinois to be the last team standing when the season ends.
In Other News...
Illinois Takes An Unexpected Receiver Hit Before 2026 Even Begins
Illinois got an unwelcome roster note before the calendar even turns to 2026, with Bret Bielema saying wide receiver Davon Grant is dealing with medical issues that have kept him off the field. Grant will stay at Illinois to continue his education, but his football future with the program is now on pause, leaving the situation in limbo as the team moves forward without a clear timeline.
For Illinois, the immediate concern is depth rather than panic. The Illini have other wideout options in place to help absorb the loss, but Grants absence still takes away a player the staff had hoped to have available. For now, it is another reminder that roster planning can change quickly, even before a season has a chance to get started. [Read more 🡒]
Illinois Is Using Final Four Pain As Fuel For Something Bigger
The sting from the Final Four is still close enough for Illinois to use it as a lesson, and David Mirkovic was willing to say out loud what made the gap feel so large. In reflecting on the loss to UConn, he pointed to the Huskies advantage in handling those championship moments, the kind of know-how that can tilt a game when the pressure rises and every possession starts to feel heavier.
For Illinois, the takeaway is less about regret than about what comes next. Jake Davis also looked back on the way the game unfolded, and Mirkovic said he believes this group is better than the way it performed in that setting, with the expectation that future big games will be approached differently. The Final Four loss clearly still hurts, but it also has a chance to become part of the programs edge. [Read more 🡒]
Illinois Is Taking An Early Gamble To Fix Its Receiver Depth
Illinois summer reshuffle at receiver has already produced one of the more notable position switches of camp, with Bret Bielema saying Jershaun Newton has been working at wide receiver since early June. The move comes as Illinois tries to patch a depth chart hole on the outside, and Newton, a three-star recruit out of Clearwater Catholic High School, gives the staff another option as it sorts through the rotation.
The timing matters because the Illini have been looking for bodies at the position after Davon Grants departure left the room thinner than expected. Newton is expected to be part of the wide receiver mix this season, and while the transition is still early, Illinois is clearly betting it can accelerate the process before the pressure of the fall schedule arrives. [Read more 🡒]