The Illinois Fighting Illini may have watched their Final Four run end in heartbreaking fashion against UConn, but the latest preseason rankings suggest Brad Underwood's team is positioned for another major season. Illinois enters the 2026-27 campaign ranked No. 3 in the AP Preseason Top 25, one spot ahead of the Huskies after UConn ended the Illini's season last spring.

Last year's Final Four delivered plenty of drama, with UConn ultimately sending Illinois home. Now, the Fighting Illini have an opportunity to turn that disappointment into motivation, and their returning talent gives them a legitimate chance to compete for a Big Ten championship.

Andrej Stojakovic, David Mirkovic, and the Ivisic twins are all back for another season under Underwood. As On3 noted, retaining high-level talent has become increasingly important in college basketball, and Illinois has managed to keep several key pieces from a team that proved it could make a deep tournament run. That continuity could be a major advantage as the Illini look to build on last season's success.

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Illinois will face plenty of competition in the Big Ten, but the conference race could be wide open. Michigan State (6) deserves attention again, while Purdue remains a program that cannot be overlooked despite missing the preseason AP Top 25. Michigan (16) also remains a factor, even if the Wolverines are not expected to dominate the conference as they did last season.

The Illini open the season at home against Fairleigh Dickinson before returning to action against Penn later that week. Those early games will give Illinois a chance to establish its rhythm before the schedule gets more demanding.