Are the Stars Aligning For an Illinois National Championship Run?

Five games into the season, No. 8 Illinois hasn’t been perfect – but it has been every bit as impressive as advertised. Now 4-1 after a hard-fought, down-to-the-wire battle with No. 11 Alabama, the Illini have shown that the preseason hype was justified. A close loss to a top-tier opponent doesn’t destroy their resume, nor does it derail their long-term goals. If anything, it confirmed that Illinois belongs on the floor with the nation’s elite. This roster has the experience, guard play and skill that typically separates early exits from true Final Four contenders, and it still feels like the stars could be aligning for a historic March run.

What's that? You want to know the Illini's potential path in March with a protected seed?

First & Second Round: St. Louis
Sweet 16: Chicago
Final Four: Indianapolis
— Robert Rosenthal (@ALionEye) November 12, 2025

A major reason for that optimism is the Illini's potential road to the Final Four. If they keep winning and position themselves for a No. 1 seed – still very much in play – the Illini could land in the Midwest Regional. On paper, that would be the most favorable route in the bracket for Brad Underwood's outfit. St. Louis would host the first two rounds, Chicago would take the Sweet 16 and Elite Eight, and Indianapolis would host the Final Four. For Illinois, that’s essentially a bus-ride tournament. Every site is located within roughly a three-hour drive of Champaign, giving the Illini a home-away-from-home atmosphere in the most important games of the season.

There’s also a bit of poetic symmetry in that path. The last time Illinois reached the national title game, in 2005, their route went Indianapolis to Chicago to St. Louis. This year’s potential route would reverse that trip. It’s the kind of cosmic detail that fans – rightfully or not – take as a sign that something special may be building.

Illinois transfer Andrej Stojakovic against No. 11 Alabama:

26 PTS | 11-16 FG | 2-3 3PT | 3 REB pic.twitter.com/ZOihobvoo2
— B/R Hoops (@brhoops) November 20, 2025

Of course, nothing is guaranteed. Purdue (which on Friday obliterated a Texas Tech team that gave Illinois all it could handle) stands as the biggest threat to that No. 1 seed in the Midwest. And the rest of the Big Ten schedule will be, as always, a grind. But Illinois is equipped for the fight. There is enough experience, firepower and differentiating skills sets across the roster to meet nearly any matchup, and the entire group should continue to grow healthier as the season progresses. Most importantly, Underwood has multiple scorers who can take over late – something past Illini teams have sometimes lacked.

Underwood will be the first to remind everyone that championships aren’t won in November. But the ingredients remain: a veteran roster, competitive performances against elite opponents, favorable geography and plenty of headliner opponents and Quad 1 opportunities ahead.