The Big Ten Basketball Race Is Wide Open – And These Preseason Rankings Prove It!
The 2025-26 college basketball season is nearly here, and the excitement is palpable. Preseason magazines are flying off shelves, advanced analytics gurus like KenPom have dropped their projections, and the unofficial-yet-highly-anticipated Big Ten media poll has sparked heated debates.
But here's where it gets controversial... While some teams like Purdue and Michigan are clear frontrunners, the middle of the pack is a free-for-all, with experts wildly disagreeing on where teams like Iowa, Washington, and Ohio State truly stand.
To cut through the noise, we’ve compiled predictions from nine major sources – from traditional magazines to cutting-edge analytics sites – to give you the most comprehensive Big Ten preview available.
Michigan: A Consensus Contender (But Not Without Skeptics)
The Wolverines are riding high, landing at #2 in the media poll and most aggregated rankings. However, this is the part most people miss: advanced metrics aren’t entirely sold. KenPom slots them at #4, questioning whether their unorthodox roster construction (more on that later) can outplay more conventional lineups. Bart Torvik’s model, though, boldly predicts a #1 finish – proving even algorithms can’t agree!
The All-Big Ten Debate: Who Really Deserves First Team?
Most outlets agree on a core group for First Team All-Conference: Purdue’s Braden Smith (a near-unanimous favorite for Player of the Year), Trey Kaufman-Renn, Yaxel Lendeborg (Michigan’s defensive anchor), Donovan Dent (UCLA’s explosive guard), and Iowa’s Bennett Stirtz. But could this overlook underrated stars? Lindy’s ranks Lendeborg as the #2 player nationally, while The Athletic hints his two-way versatility might be the X-factor for Michigan’s title hopes.
Mid-Table Chaos: Why Your Favorite Team’s Ranking Might Be Wrong
The real drama lies in the middle of the standings. Eight teams – Oregon, Wisconsin, Ohio State, Iowa, Indiana, USC, and Washington – have massive prediction swings, with ranges spanning 5th to 9th place. Iowa’s projections are especially wild: The Athletic optimistically has them at 4th, while KenPom’s cold, hard numbers dump them at 13th. Washington’s rollercoaster (5th to 14th) suggests even experts can’t decide if their transfers will gel or flop.
Hot Takes and Bold Predictions
- Blue Ribbon crowns Purdue’s Smith as not just Big Ten POY, but national POY, while stacking their All-American team with Big Ten talent (Lendeborg, Pettiford, Condon, Toppin).
- KenPom’s metrics controversially love USC (6th) despite human polls ranking them 12th. Is their algorithm seeing something voters aren’t?
- The Athletic puts Michigan in a “title contender” tier with Purdue, praising coach May’s willingness to experiment: “Can a 6’9” + 6’9” + 7’3” frontcourt work? May’s defensive schemes might make the impossible possible.”
The Bottom Line: No One Really Knows
Only five teams (Purdue, Michigan, Illinois, UCLA, Michigan State) are universally top-10 locks. For everyone else? It’s pure guesswork. Will Iowa’s offense carry them to the top half, or will their defense sink them? Is Washington’s high-variance ranking justified, or are analysts underestimating them?
Now we turn it over to you: Which preseason take do you agree with – and which one is completely off-base? Is Michigan’s #2 ranking deserved, or are they being overhyped? Drop your hottest takes in the comments!
