Projected Big Ten Standings and Awards for 2026-27

The college basketball season officially begins Monday night, and the Big Ten should once again rank among the best conferences in the sport. Last season was arguably the league’s best in years, as Michigan won the national championship and Illinois reached the Final Four.

The Big Ten had multiple lottery picks in the 2026 NBA Draft, and the conference could take a slight step back this season. However, it should still be a top-three conference in college basketball at a minimum.

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Below are my projected Big Ten standings and conference awards for the 2026-27 season.

Big Ten Champion — Illinois

This might be a homer pick, but I have Illinois winning the Big Ten regular-season championship. It would be Brad Underwood’s second conference title and further strengthen his case as one of the best coaches in school history.

In my eyes, the race could go either way between Illinois and Michigan State. However, I am siding with the Illini because they will host the Spartans on Feb. 5 in their only meeting of the season. Illinois should also have one of the best offenses in the country, giving it a slight edge in my projections.

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Next Up — Michigan State

Michigan State and Illinois are in the same tier for me, and either team could come away with the regular-season championship. Tom Izzo is one of the best coaches of all time, and this team has the potential to be among his best. Jeremy Fears Jr. is my favorite to win National Player of the Year and could lead the Spartans to multiple championships this season.

I am leaning toward Illinois because of its lethal offense, but Michigan State should have a top-five defense in the country. The Spartans are right there with Illinois as the clear top two teams in the conference.

Triple-Bye Teams

3. Nebraska

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I am higher on Nebraska than most and expect the Cornhuskers to build on their Sweet 16 run last season. Rienk Mast and Sam Hoiberg are no longer in Lincoln, but Nebraska returns Pryce Sandfort and Braden…

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Publish date : 2026-10-28 10:00:00

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