Can Illinois win the Big Ten in 2027? Conference opponents suggest a real chance

The Big Ten Conference announced each team’s opponents for next season on Tuesday afternoon. It will once again be a 20-game conference slate, marking the ninth straight season with that format. Every team will play each conference opponent once either at home or on the road, while three teams will be played twice in a home-and-home series.

Certain rivalries are protected by the Big Ten, including Michigan vs. Michigan State, Wisconsin vs. Minnesota, Illinois vs. Northwestern, Iowa vs. Nebraska, Indiana vs. Purdue, and more. The four West Coast schools will also play each other twice in order to preserve former Pac-12 rivalries and reduce travel demands.

Who is Illinois’ “rival?”

Illinois will once again play Northwestern twice this season, continuing the basketball version of the Land of Lincoln rivalry. The Illini already face Northwestern and Purdue annually in football, and the same will now be true on the hardwood this season.

Illinois did not play Purdue twice last season, but the teams did meet twice two years ago and will do so again this year. With the two schools located less than 100 miles apart, it is great to see the rivalry renewed with another home-and-home series. Similarly, Illinois will also face Wisconsin twice next season, with games in both Madison and Champaign.

The Big Ten did a much better job this time around of keeping traditional conference rivals together rather than matching Illinois up twice with teams like Nebraska and Maryland, as it did last season. It feels more natural for the Illini to consistently play schools such as Purdue, Wisconsin, Iowa, and Indiana in meaningful conference matchups. Geography and history should matter in scheduling, and it appears conference officials took that into consideration this year.

The rest of Illinois’ conference opponents were released on X, while the official game dates are expected to be announced in September. The schedule is as follows:

• Home: Iowa, Michigan State, Nebraska, Ohio State, Penn State, UCLA, USC
• Away: Indiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Oregon, Rutgers, Washington
• Home/Away: Northwestern, Purdue, Wisconsin

Conference Record Prediction?

The schedule appears favorable for an Illinois team expected to once again contend near the top of the conference. The Illini will only face projected title contenders Michigan State and Michigan once, while playing Purdue and Wisconsin twice — two teams that could take a slight step back compared to the 2025-26 season.