An early August look at the Big Ten in Bart Torvik’s projections for the 2026-27 season

Photos from IU's exhibition win at Assembly Hall.

Bart Torvik’s T-Rank, along with KenPom, are two of the most referenced computer rankings in college basketball.

The NCAA tournament selection committee uses both metrics when putting together the bracket each spring.

KenPom’s projections for the 2026-27 season will be published closer to the official start of practice, but Torvik has published his 2026-27 projections, which are updated continuously as rosters take shape this offseason.

Torvik’s current preseason top-five teams for next season are Duke, Arizona, Virginia, Florida and Houston.

In his latest bracketology, which was published in mid-July, Joe Lunardi projects 12 Big Ten programs to make the NCAA tournament next spring.

Here’s an updated look at where each Big Ten team in the “T-Rank” projections for the 2026-27 season, along with each team’s current roster:

No. 6 Illinois

Returning: Andrej Stojakovic, David Mirkovic, Tomislav Ivisic, Jake Davis, Zvonimir Ivisic, Jason Jakstys
NBA Draft/professional route/out of eligibility: Keaton Wagler (selected in NBA draft), Ben Humrichous, Kylan Boswell (two-way NBA contract)
Transfer portal: Brandon Lee (to James Madison), Mihailo Petrovic (to Seton Hall), Toni Bilic, Ty Rodgers (to Boise State)
Arriving: Stefan Vaaks (from Providence), Quentin Coleman, Lucas Morillo, Ethan Brown, Landon Davis, Zavier Zens, Lincoln Williams

Illinois in our previous update: No. 4

No. 8 Michigan State

Returning: Jeremy Fears Jr., Kur Teng, Coen Carr, Jordan Scott, Jesse McCulloch, Cam Ward, Kaleb Glenn
Could have a 5th year due to preliminary injunction: Jaxon Kohler
NBA Draft/professional route/out of eligibility: Trey Fort, Carson Cooper (two-way NBA contract), Denham Wojcik
Transfer portal: Divine Ugochukwu (to LSU)
Arriving: Anton Bonke (from Charlotte), Ethan Taylor, Jasiah Jervis, Carlos Medlock Jr., Julius Avent

Michigan State in our previous update: No. 7

No. 12 Michigan

Returning: Elliot Cadeau, Trey McKenney, Oscar Goodman, Ricky Liburd
Could have a 5th year due to preliminary injunction: Roddy Gayle Jr.
NBA Draft/professional route/out of eligibility: Aday Mara (selected in NBA draft), Nimari Burnett, Yaxel Lendeborg (selected in NBA draft), Will Tschetter, Morez Johnson Jr. (selected in NBA draft)
Transfer portal: Winters Grady (to Minnesota), Malick Kordel (to Minnesota), LJ Cason (to Miami FL)
Arriving: J.P. Estrella (from Tennessee), Moustapha Thiam (from Cincinnati), Jalen Reed (from LSU), Brandon McCoy, Quinn Costello, Lincoln Crosby, Joseph Hartman, Malachi Brown, Marcus Moller

Michigan in our previous update: No. 9

No. 14 Nebraska

Returning: Braden Frager, Pryce Sandfort, Connor Essegian, Cale Jacobsen, Leo Curtis, Will Cooper
Could have a 5th year due to preliminary injunction: Jamarques Lawrence, Kendall Blue
NBA Draft/professional route/out of eligibility: Jared Garcia, Sam Hoiberg, Rienk Mast
Transfer portal: Berke Buyuktuncel (to Vanderbilt), Quentin Rhymes (to Fresno State), Ugnius Jarusevicius (to Arizona)
Arriving: Sam Orme (from Belmont), Trevan Leonhardt (from Utah Valley), Kadyn Betts (from Montana), Boden Kapke (from Boston College), Taj DeGourville (from San Diego State), Damon Wilkinson (from South Dakota State), Colin Rice, Jacob Lanier

Nebraska in our previous update: No. 15

No. 16 Ohio State

Returning: John Mobley Jr., A’mare Bynum, Josh Ojianwuna, Ivan Njegovan
Could have a 5th year due to preliminary injunction: Christoph Tilly
NBA Draft/professional route/out of eligibility: Bruce Thornton (selected in NBA draft), Puff Johnson, Brandon Noel
Transfer portal: Colin White (to Akron), Devin Royal (to Villanova), Gabe Cupps (to UIC), Mathieu Grujicic (to Radford), Taison Chatman (to Utah)
Arriving: Justin Pippen (from Cal), Andrija Jelavic (from Kentucky), Jimmie Williams (Duquesne), Curtis Givens III (from Memphis), Anthony Thompson, Alex Smith, Vuk Lazarevic, LJ Smith

Ohio State in our previous update: No. 18

No. 22 UCLA

Returning: Trent Perry, Eric Freeny, Eric Dailey Jr., Xavier Booker, Brandon Williams
Could have a 5th year due to preliminary injunction: Skyy Clark (also in portal), Donovan Dent (also in portal), Steven Jamerson II
NBA Draft/professional route/out of eligibility: Jamar Brown, Tyler Bilodeau (selected in NBA draft)
Transfer portal: None
Arriving: Filip Jovic (from Auburn), Sergej Macura (from Mississippi State), Jaylen Petty (from Texas Tech), Azavier Robinson (from Butler), Joe Philon, Javonte Floyd, Gunars Grinvalds, Nikola Kusturica

UCLA in our previous update: No. 21

No. 27 Indiana

Returning: Trent Sisley, Sam Alexis (eligible if preliminary injunction is upheld)
Could have a 5th year due to preliminary injunction: Reed Bailey
NBA Draft/professional route/out of eligibility: Lamar Wilkerson, Tucker DeVries, Conor Enright, Tayton Conerway
Transfer portal: Andrej Acimovic (to Missouri State), Aleksa Ristic (to Belmont), Jasai Miles (to Loyola Marymount), Jason Drake (to Temple), Josh Harris (to FAU), Nick Dorn (to Miami FL)
Arriving: Bryce Lindsay (from Villanova), Aiden Sherrell (from Alabama), Darren Harris (from Duke), Markus Burton (from Notre Dame), Samet Yigitoglu (from SMU), Jaeden Mustaf (from Georgia Tech), Justin Monden (from Maryland Eastern Shore), Prince-Alexander Moody, Vaughn Karvala, Trevor Manhertz, Clemens Sokolov

Indiana in our previous update: No. 27

No. 29 Purdue

Returning: Omer Mayer, C.J. Cox, Gicarri Harris, Daniel Jacobsen, Jack Benter, Antione West Jr., Raleigh Burgess
Could have a 5th year due to preliminary injunction: Fletcher Loyer
NBA Draft/professional route/out of eligibility: Braden Smith (selected in NBA draft), Trey Kaufman-Renn, Oscar Cluff, Liam Murphy
Transfer portal: None
Arriving: Caden Pierce (from Princeton), Luke Ertel, Jacob Webber, Sinan Huan, Jamyn Sondrup, Rivers Knight

Purdue in our previous update: No. 28

No. 31 USC

Returning: Rodney Rice, Jacob Cofie, Alijah Arenas
Could have a 5th year due to preliminary injunction: Ezra Ausar
NBA Draft/professional route/out of eligibility: Ryan Cornish, Chad Baker-Mazara, Terrance Williams II, Jaden Brownell
Transfer portal: Amarion Dickerson (to Grand Canyon), EJ Neal, Gabe Dynes (to Louisville), Jerry Easter II (to Oregon), Jordan Marsh (to Temple)
Arriving: KJ Lewis (from Georgetown), Eric Reibe (from UConn), Jalen Cox (from Colgate), Aaron Hunkin-Claytor (from Hawaii), Joshua Hughes (from Evansville), Jadis Jones (from Lindenwood), Isaac Bruns (from South Dakota), Adonis Ratliff, Darius Ratliff, Christian Collins, Onyeka Joe Agu

USC in our previous update: No. 31

No. 32 Oregon

Returning: Sean Stewart
NBA Draft/professional route/out of eligibility: Nate Bittle, TK Simpkins, Oleksandr Kobzystyi
Transfer portal: Devon Pryor (to Texas-Rio Grande Valley), Dezdrick Lindsay (to Kansas State), Efe Vatan (to Stony Brook), Ege Demir (to Duquesne), Jackson Shelstad (to Louisville), Jamari Phillips (to Washington State), JJ Frakes (to Buffalo), Kwame Evans Jr. (to Villanova), Wei Lin
Arriving: Tyrone Riley IV (from San Francisco), Andrew Meadow (from Boise State), Pharaoh Compton (from San Diego State), Jasper Johnson (from Kentucky), Taylor Bol Bowen (from Alabama), Jerry Easter II (from USC), Fred Payne (from Boston College), Dwayne Aristode (from Arizona), Malique Ewin (from Arkansas, eligible if preliminary injunction is upheld), Tajh Ariza, Kendre Harrison, Seven Spurlock

Oregon in our previous update: No. 43

No. 35 Maryland

Returning: Andre Mills, Pharrel Payne, Rakease Passmore, George Turkson Jr., Guillermo Del Pino
Could have a 5th year due to preliminary injunction: Solomon Washington, Elijah Saunders
NBA Draft/professional route/out of eligibility: David Coit, Collin Metcalf
Transfer portal: Aleks Alston (to UAB), Darius Adams (to NC State), Isaiah Watts (to UTSA), Jaziah Harper (to North Dakota State), Myles Rice
Arriving: Tomislav Buljan (from New Mexico), Robert Jennings II (from Oklahoma State), Bishop Boswell (from Tennessee), Maban Jabriel (from Queens), DJ Wagner (from Arkansas), Michael McNair (from Boston University), Baba Oladotun, Kaden House, Adama Tambedou, Austin Brown

Maryland in our previous update: No. 34

No. 43 Iowa

Returning: Kael Combs, Cooper Koch, Cam Manyawu, Isaia Howard, Trey Thompson, Tate Sage, Trevin Jirak, Joey Matteoni
Could have a 5th year due to preliminary injunction: Tavion Banks
NBA Draft/professional route/out of eligibility: Bennett Stirtz (selected in NBA draft), Brendan Hausen
Transfer portal: Alvaro Folgueiras (to Louisville)
Arriving: Ty’Reek Coleman (from Illinois State), Andrew McKeever (from Saint Mary’s), Ethan Harris, Jaidyn Coon

Iowa in our previous update: No. 41

No. 46 Wisconsin

Returning: Austin Rapp, Nolan Winter, Jack Janicki, Hayden Jones, Zach Kinziger, Will Garlock
Could have a 5th year due to preliminary injunction: Andrew Rohde, Braeden Carrington
NBA Draft/professional route/out of eligibility: Nick Boyd
Transfer portal: Aleksas Bieliauskas (to South Carolina), Jack Robison (to North Dakota State), John Blackwell (to Duke), Riccardo Greppi (to Sam Houston State)
Arriving: Trey Autry (from George Washington), Victory Onuetu (from Hofstra), Eian Elmer (from Miami OH), LaTrevion Fenderson, Jackson Ball, Isaac Riddle, Owen Foxwell

Wisconsin in our previous update: No. 45

No. 63 Washington

Returning: Wesley Yates III, Lathan Sommerville, Mady Traore, Jasir Rencher, Nikola Dzepina
Could have a 5th year due to preliminary injunction: Desmond Claude
NBA Draft/professional route/out of eligibility: Bryson Tucker (declared for NBA draft), Hannes Steinbach (selected in NBA draft), Quimari Peterson, Jacob Ognacevic
Transfer portal: Chrstian Nitu (to McNeese), Courtland Muldrew (to Georgia Tech), Franck Kepnang (to Kentucky), JJ Mandaquit (to Arizona), Zoom Diallo (to Kentucky)
Arriving: Parker Friedrichsen (from Davidson), Steele Venters (from Gonzaga), Ryan Beasley (from San Francisco), LeJuan Watts (from Texas Tech), Harun Zrno (from Rutgers), Lattimore Ford, Wini Braga, Tristan Devers, Boris Tisma

Washington in our previous update: No. 64

No. 72 Rutgers

Returning: Tariq Francis, Jamichael Davis, Kaden Powers, Darren Buchanan Jr., Gevonte Ware, Angelino Mark
NBA Draft/professional route/out of eligibility: None
Transfer portal: Baye Fall (to Fresno State), Bryce Dortch (to Notre Dame), Chris Nwuli (to Seton Hall), Denis Badalau (to Towson), Dorian Jones (to Kent State), Dylan Grant (to Charlotte), Emmanuel Ogbole, Harun Zrno (to Washington)
Arriving: Lewis Duarte (from New Mexico State), Darin Smith Jr. (from Central Connecticut State), Christian Gurdak (from Virginia Tech), Will Sydnor (from Manhattan), Dorin Buca (from Kansas State), Rasheed Jones (from Coastal Carolina), Imahri Wooten, Diego Garavaglia, Mervedi Miteo

Rutgers in our previous update: No. 78

No. 77 Northwestern

Returning: Jake West, Angelo Ciaravino
Could have a 5th year due to preliminary injunction: Justin Mullins, Gus Hurlburt
NBA Draft/professional route/out of eligibility: Nick Martinelli (two-way NBA contract)
Transfer portal: Arrinten Page (to Providence), Cade Bennerman (to North Carolina), Jayden Reid (to Memphis), Jordan Clayton (to UMass), KJ Windham (to James Madison), Max Green (to Charleston), Tre Singleton (to Iowa State), Tyler Kropp (to Washington State)
Arriving: Jack Karasinski (from Bellarmine), Luke McEldon (from Mount St. Mary’s), Colin Smith (from UC Santa Barbara), LA Pratt (from Northeastern), Okku Federiko (from Drake), Aleksej Kostic (from BYU), Ryan Soulis (from Columbia), Dylan Williams (from Penn), Jayden Hodge, Symon Ghai

Northwestern in our previous update: No. 76

No. 79 Minnesota

Returning: Isaac Asuma, Bobby Durkin, Jaylen Crocker-Johnson, Grayson Grove, Kai Shinholster
Could have a 5th year due to preliminary injunction: Cade Tyson, Langston Reynolds
NBA Draft/professional route/out of eligibility: Maximus Gizzi
Transfer portal: B.J. Omot (to Cal State Northridge), Chance Stephens, Chansey Willis Jr. (to Kent State), Nehemiah Turner (to Jacksonville), Robert Vaihola (to San Jose State)
Arriving: Winters Grady (from Michigan), Malick Kordel (from Michigan), Nolan Groves (from Texas Tech), Kyan Evans (from North Carolina), Malachi Palmer (from Villanova), Nolen Anderson, Chadrack Mpoyi, Cedric Tomes

Minnesota in our previous update: No. 79

No. 106 Penn State

Returning: Ivan Juric, Reggie Grodin, Jamison White
Could have a 5th year due to preliminary injunction: Josh Reed
NBA Draft/professional route/out of eligibility: None
Transfer portal: Dominick Stewart (to Richmond), Eli Rice (to Middle Tennessee), Freddie Dilione V (to Georgia), Justin Houser (to Florida Gulf Coast), Kayden Mingo (to Baylor), Mason Blackwood (to St. Bonaventure), Melih Tunca, Sasa Ciani, Tibor Mirtic
Arriving: Jay Rodgers (from Central Connecticut), Brant Byers (from Miami OH), Roberts Blums (from Davidson), Tim Oboh (from Buffalo), Thomas Allard (Alabama Huntsville), Dasonte Bowen (from St. Bonaventure), Roko Pkracin, Francois Wibaut, Andy Gemao

Penn State in our previous update: No. 104

See More: Media, 2026-27 Big Ten preview