Illinois should not lack offense during the 2026-27 college basketball season.
The Fighting Illini finished last season ranked second nationally in offensive efficiency and return enough experienced talent to produce at a similar level. Brad Underwood has built a roster featuring skill, size, shooting and valuable continuity.
At least one coach believes Illinois will be the best team in the country.
Most are not prepared to go that far.
Illinois received 5% of the vote in CBS Sports’ survey of nearly 100 Division I coaches, tying UConn for fourth behind Florida, Duke and Tennessee.
Next up in our Candid Coaches series is another we ask every year.
— Matt Norlander (@MattNorlander) August 21, 2026
Who's going to be the best team this season?@CBSSports surveyed nearly 100 coaches. Nine schools got at least one vote. Here are the results:https://t.co/hYBjSjzcPX
That is a respectable position, especially in an exceptionally crowded championship race. It also reveals the specific concern keeping Illinois from joining the top tier of preseason favorites.
Who will run the offense when the season becomes difficult?
Quentin Coleman faces an enormous assignment
Freshman Quentin Coleman could be asked to handle significant point guard responsibilities immediately.
Coleman is talented enough to earn that opportunity, but entrusting a championship-caliber offense to a first-year guard carries obvious risk. The demands of the position extend far beyond scoring or making impressive passes.
Illinois needs someone who can organize the offense, recognize defensive coverages, limit live-ball turnovers and make the correct decision in late-game situations.
Those responsibilities become even more challenging against veteran backcourts in the Big Ten and NCAA Tournament.
One coach told CBS Sports that Illinois would be the choice for the nation’s best team if it had dependable point guard play. That coach was not yet convinced Coleman could provide it as a freshman.
It is the kind of concern that might not become obvious until March.
Illinois can overwhelm lesser opponents with offensive talent. Its margin for error will shrink against teams capable of disrupting the initial action and forcing the Illini to create late in the shot clock.
David Mirkovic’s early-August foot surgery has added another complication to the preseason. The injury reportedly occurred while CBS Sports was conducting its survey and might have cost Illinois a few additional votes.
Still, the ceiling remains extraordinarily high.
Another anonymous coach selected Illinois as the best team in the country, citing its skill, toughness and chemistry. In an era when rosters are often constructed quickly, the suggestion that Illinois’ players genuinely enjoy playing together matters.
Underwood has most of the necessary ingredients to reach the Final Four.
If Coleman or another option stabilizes the point guard position, Illinois could quickly make its modest share of preseason votes look foolishly low.
Add us as a preferred source on Google