The Big Ten conference is fresh off its first College Basketball National Championship in over 26 years. The Michigan Wolverines ran the table and captured the elusive crown. Now, with the 2026-27 season just days away, some of the Big Ten’s favorites are gearing up to make a run at another National Championship.
The favorites in the Big Ten for this season are Tom Izzo’s Michigan State Spartans, Brad Underwood’s Illinois Fighting Illini, and Michigan under new head coach Mike Boynton Jr. However, even before the regular season begins, each team has some concerns to sort out.
Top Big Ten Teams Enter Season with Some Concerns
Illinois Success Will Be Determined By Health
The Fighting Illini had their most successful season in decades in 2025-26, reaching the Final Four. Their run was led by Keaton Wagler, along with Tomislav Ivisic and David Mirkovic. Wagler is now in the NBA, while the other two are back. That bodes well for the Illini, who have won many Big Ten games over the last five years.
The only issue right now is health. Ivisic got banged up during the Illini’s exhibition game against the Baylor Bears. Andrej Stojakovic also suffered an injury in that same game. The biggest concern is Mirkovic’s long-term health. He fractured his left foot back in July and has been on the shelf since.
Other than the injuries, Illinois has plenty of depth for the 2026-27 campaign. They have a chance not only to win the Big Ten but also to make a run at the National Title. Health will certainly determine the outcome of the season for Illinois.
Struggles with Post-Play Could Plague Spartans
Izzo is certainly set in his ways after adding yet another highly rated freshman class. He even added 7-foot-2 center Anton Bonke to the portal. But after watching the bigs’ performance in the Spartans ‘ exhibition games, including losses to both UConn and Marquette. The post sure looks like a glaring issue. The departure of Jaxon Kohler and Carson Cooper is certainly being felt early on.
Freshman Ethan Taylor has been flashing moments, but he’s still very young. If the Spartans can’t get Bonke going, not to mention Cam Ward getting out of his early funk, it’s going to be a long season for Michigan State’s frontcourt. And also the Spartans fans’ hopes and expectations for Izzo’s second Natty will be spent.
Bonke has to improve his ball-screen defense, or he’s pretty much unplayable. Izzo’s going to get it figured out, but it’s obviously a work in progress.
Why Not Back-To-Back for Michigan?
What’s to stop the Wolverines from continuing the culture Dusty May built? Well, let’s see: Boynton isn’t May, and, not to mention, the Wolverines don’t have three lottery players in their frontcourt. They might have one of the best guard duos in the country with Elliott Cadeau and Trey McKenney. However, this group hasn’t been able to vibe together as a team, especially when guys were in and out of the lineup during their summer trip to Europe.
It was a great experience, obviously, but Michigan lost Five-Star guard Brandon McCoy Jr. to a knee injury. Who’s to say he doesn’t leave for the NBA now without ever suiting up for real in Ann Arbor? That certainly shook up Michigan’s potential lineup. The Wolverines are the defending National Champions, yes, but now they are the hunted and seem pretty vulnerable, especially after their poor performance in their final Exhibition game against Houston.
The Last Word on Big Ten Contenders
Illinois, Michigan State, and Michigan seem like the top contenders in the Big Ten. They will likely be in dogfights when they face each other. Not to mention, it will be interesting to see if one can rise above the rest, much like Michigan State and Michigan have done the last two seasons.
Sometimes it’s better to get injuries out of the way early, and perhaps that’s why Illinois will be tested. In the Spartans’ case, don’t look too far into losses in October. These three teams are no doubt the top three in the Big Ten, and each will have a chance to get to Detroit come April.
Mandatory Credit: Dale Young-Imagn Images
More Basketball News:
Hot Seat Coaches In The Big Ten For 2026-27
New Look Creighton Looks to Be Much Improved This Season
<
p class=”entry-title text-3xl md:text-4xl font-bold text-gray-900 leading-tight”>2027 NBA Draft Prospect Preview: BYU Cougars’ Bruce Branch III