The 2026-27 college basketball season begins in less than a month, which means preseason predictions and accolades are starting to trickle out before the start of the season on Nov. 1. Illinois was tabbed to win the Big Ten and received 18 first-place votes in the annual media poll conducted by The Columbus Dispatch. Last season, only two teams (Purdue and Michigan) received a first-place vote to win the Big Ten.
That prediction ended up being the right one, as the teams met hours before Selection Sunday in the Big Ten title game. Purdue beat Michigan in the Big Ten championship, but Michigan went on to win six consecutive games after that en route to winning the national title. This year, three teams received a first-place vote: Illinois, Michigan State and Michigan.
Illinois and Michigan State are both expected to open as consensus preseason top 10 teams after bringing back a majority of their respective cores from last season. Michigan State is led by returning All-American guard Jeremy Fears Jr., while Illinois forward David Mirković is expected to be a preseason All-American. Here is the full Big Ten media poll, followed by the breakdown of overrated and underrated teams and players.
As conducted by the Columbus Dispatch with first-place votes in parenthesis. Last year, I predicted Michigan to win the Big Ten for a few reasons: the talent on the roster was undeniable and I thought the jumbo frontcourt of Yaxel Lendeborg, Morez Johnson Jr. and Aday Mara would provide serious mismatch problems for opponents. I was right in that assessment because last season's Michigan team finished as one of the most dominant national title teams this century.
Coming into this season, I'm lower on Michigan because it lost Dusty May late in the offseason to the Dallas Mavericks and Brandon McCoy Jr. — a five-star freshman who might've been a lottery pick in the 2027 NBA Draft — tore his ACL during the Wolverines' European Tour in Lithuania. The talent on Michigan's roster is still really good, but it's very possible Michigan takes a step back this season. The teams behind them in the polls — especially USC and UCLA — I could see finishing in front of Michigan in the final Big Ten standings.
If Trey McKenney takes a Year 2 jump as many expect, Michigan will remain in the mix. However, replacing three lottery talents, another veteran guard in Nimari Burnett and one of the best coaches in the sport will be challenging. I'm taking a one-way ticket on the Muss Bus and buying into the hype.
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