The Illinois basketball program is struggling to surpass the Michigan Wolverines in various Big Ten power rankings across the internet.
Coming off a run to the Final Four, the Illini have had a great offseason. They were fortunate enough to retain five of their key offensive weapons from a year ago, while also signing an elite recruiting class led by five-star guard Quentin Coleman.
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All signs for Illinois are pointing straight up, as Brad Underwood will look to take another shot at winning a national title come March. But according to analysts like the NCAA’s Andy Katz, it looks like the Wolverines will be the team to beat in the Big Ten this season.
Michigan, which won the national championship last season by defeating the UConn Huskies 69-63, was one of the most dominant teams in the country. They were a strong force in their trek through the NCAA tournament, defeating their opponents by an average of 19 points per game.
This season, Michigan will be without Yaxel Lendeborg, Morez Johnson Jr., and Aday Mara, as their three top scorers from a year ago have entered the NBA Draft. But to combat those major losses, the Wolverines brought in a top-5 recruiting class for 2026, led by five-star point guard Brandon McCoy Jr.
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The Big Ten is a two-horse race between Michigan and Illinois, with Michigan State looking to make some noise
As an Illinois fan, it’s hard not to say that the Illini should be No. 1 in every preseason power ranking that is published on the internet. They have an experienced group of Final Four participants returning, and their own five-star recruit in Coleman.
The Illini have a great, proven team on paper that was able to add complementary pieces in their recruits and transfer guard Stefan Vaaks. They may have lost guards Keaton Wagler and Kylan Boswell to the NBA Draft, but there is still plenty of veteran firepower from top to bottom.
If fans want to make the argument that Michigan and Illinois are interchangeable, I am willing to entertain that discussion. But on paper, until proven otherwise, Illinois has the most impressive roster.
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Take experience over a team that’s missing its top three scorers until proven otherwise
This article was originally published on www.writingillini.com as Illinois basketball’s Big Ten foe receiving champions treatment in recent basketball power rankings.
