The Big Ten dropped its 2025-26 men's basketball opponents for each team on Tuesday, and the Illinois basketball team will have to grind it out to win the conference.
The 18-team league will stick with 20 games for the eighth straight year, with each team playing three opponents home and away, seven at home only, and seven away only. For the Illini, the slate is a mixed bag, with a favorable home schedule but a brutal road ahead.
After a 22-win season, a fifth straight NCAA Tournament appearance, and a final KenPom ranking of No. 17, Illinois has been a force under coach Brad Underwood. The Illini are tied for the most Big Ten wins since 2019, and Underwood is the first Illinois head coach since Lou Henson to achieve six consecutive 20-win regular seasons. But this year’s conference opponents, especially the away games, will test their mettle.
There's No Place Like Home
The home-only matchups at State Farm Center will be where Underwood's squad will need to stack wins.
Illinois will host Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Oregon, Rutgers, Washington, and Wisconsin, with no return trips to those arenas. This slate looks winnable, with teams like Washington, Minnesota, and Rutgers projected as middle-of-the-pack or lower. Indiana, Oregon, and Wisconsin bring talent, but playing them in Champaign gives Illinois an edge.
Michigan’s visit will be particularly interesting when former Illini forward Morez Johnson Jr. returns. After seeing the way fans responded last year when Skyy Clark returned to Champaign, fans can expect the Orange Krush to make this a must-watch game.
Protecting the home court is critical this season. Last year, Illinois went 13-4 at home, but three of those four losses occurred in Big Ten play. Illinois has the talent to win every home game next year, but should be no worse than at least 8-2 at home, provided they do not falter with another disappointing performance like they did against USC last year.
Road Warriors Needed
The away-only games are where things get a lot tougher. Illinois will travel to face Iowa, Michigan State, Ohio State, Penn State, Purdue, UCLA, and USC—many of whom are projected to be among the Big Ten’s best.
Purdue, UCLA, and Michigan State, in particular, are expected to be among the top five teams in the conference, making those road trips particularly difficult. It'll be difficult to compete with Purdue in the Big Ten race, not only due to their talent, but also due to their schedule, which looks to be one of the easiest in the conference.
Illinois' other Big Ten foes they will face on the road are also no slouches. Iowa should be improved with better coaching. Ohio State is returning three of its four best players from last year with an improved frontcourt. USC has assembled a top-five transfer portal class according to 247Sports. Finally, although Penn State has not been a good Big Ten team the past couple of years, they have beaten Illinois in four of their last five matchups.
This road slate is a gauntlet, and Illinois will need to stay well above .500 to be a contender in the conference next year. Dropping too many could mean the difference between a Big Ten title and a five or six seed in the NCAA tournament.
Home-and-Away Battles
The home-and-away opponents—Maryland, Nebraska, and Northwestern—feel manageable but come with caveats.
Nebraska and Northwestern are winnable, but Illinois cannot afford to lose at home vs Northwestern again this year. Maryland has been a thorn in Illinois’ side, as the Illini are 8-17 vs the Terrapins all-time. Illinois fell to Maryland both times last year and has only won three of its previous 15 meetings. The Terrapins have consistently troubled the Illini, and these two games could be swing moments in the season. Breaking the "Maryland curse" will be a must if Illinois wants to contend.
The Bottom Line
Illinois has the sustained consistency to compete for a Big Ten crown, but away games on the schedule won’t make it easy. Underwood will need to get his team to dominate at home, survive the road grind, and break the Maryland curse to have a shot. It’s going to be a fun season!