The transfer portal closed last week and rosters for the 2026-27 college basketball season are coming more into focus.
After Michigan ended the Big Ten’s national championship drought earlier this month, the conference looks set up for another strong season next winter.
Here’s a look at where Big Ten teams – including IU basketball – currently stand in five different way-too-early rankings for the 2026-27 season:
CBSSports.com – Gary Parrish
Parrish authors the Top 25-and-1 for CBSSports.com and the Big Ten currently occupies nine spots in his latest update.
National champion Michigan is No. 2 behind Florida, with Illinois (No. 4) and Michigan State (No. 6) also in the top ten.
The league’s potential depth stands out as you continue through Parrish’s outlook, with five Big Ten teams falling between No. 14 and No. 26.
USC is No. 14, followed by Purdue (No. 19), Indiana (No. 20), Nebraska (No. 24), Ohio State (No. 25) and UCLA (No. 26).
Here’s what Parrish wrote about the Hoosiers: “This ranking is based on the Hoosiers returning one of the top eight scorers — specifically Trent Sisley — from a team that finished 18-14 and missed the 2026 NCAA Tournament. That core will be joined by a recruiting class highlighted by Notre Dame transfer Markus Burton, Villanova transfer Bryce Lindsay, Alabama transfer Aiden Sherrell, SMU transfer Samet Yigitoglu, Duke transfer Darren Harris, Georgia Tech transfer Jaeden Mustaf and four-star prospects Vaugn Karvala, Prince-Alexander Moody and Trevor Manhertz.”
Jon Rothstein – FanDuel
Rothstein, a longtime college basketball insider, extends his preseason rankings out to 45 teams and he frequently updates them as teams get transfer portal commitments.
There are 11 teams in Rothstein’s top 45, but all of them are in the top 34.
Here are the teams included in his latest update: Illinois (No. 2), Michigan (No. 4), Michigan State (No. 7), USC (No. 12), Indiana (No. 21), Purdue (No. 22), Ohio State (No. 23), UCLA (No. 24), Nebraska (No. 27), Wisconsin (No. 30) and Iowa (No. 34).
HoopsHQ.com – Seth Davis
Davis, a longtime college basketball voice, also maintains an early top 25, which he publishes on his site, HoopsHQ.com.
While Rothstein had Illinois as the top Big Ten team, Davis agrees with Parrish and has Michigan as his top team from the conference in his most recent outlook.
The Wolverines are No. 2 nationally, with Michigan State at No. 3 and Illinois at No. 4.
Ohio State checks in at No. 17, Purdue is No. 18, USC at No. 19, UCLA at No. 20 and Indiana at No. 21.
Here’s what Davis wrote about the Hoosiers: “It took a couple of weeks, but Darien DeVries pulled off a huge portal haul in mid-April to put the Hoosiers back into the top 25. Lindsay and Burton are high-scoring guards, and Harris would have had more impact at Duke if he weren’t playing with so much talent. Yigitoglu is an experienced big who can finish at the rim and protect it on defense. DeVries is also trying to land Junjie “Barry” Wang, a 6-foot-9 forward from China who averaged 8.5 points and 3.0 rebounds for San Francisco last season. Wang took an official visit to Bloomington last week.”
James Fletcher – On3.com
The bracketologist for On3.com, Fletcher also puts together preseason rankings for On3.com and is on version three for this offseason.
Michigan is the top Big Ten team at No. 2, followed by Michigan State (No. 5) and Illinois (No. 7).
Purdue is the next Big Ten team at No. 10, Indiana is No. 11, Nebraska is No. 20, Iowa is No. 21, UCLA is No. 24 and USC is No. 25 for a total of nine Big Ten programs represented.
Field of 68
Last but not least on the list of recently updated way-too-early top 25’s is the Field of 68.
The Big Ten is also well represented here, with Michigan leading the pack at No. 2.
Following the Wolverines are Michigan State at No. 5 and Illinois at No. 7 in the top 10.
Only seven Big Ten teams made the cut, with Indiana next at No. 20, Purdue at No. 21, USC at No. 23 and Nebraska at No. 24.
See More: Media, 2026-27 Big Ten preview