UConn Already Predicted to Reach Final Four Again
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The banners in Storrs still hang heavy with pride, but the glow of back-to-back national championships dimmed last season when the Huskies had a 24-11 finish. The three-peat dream died in the second round of the NCAA Tournament against Florida by just two points, leaving the program to face its imperfections.
Now, with the 2025-26 season kickstarting with a 77-59 win over New Haven in the opener, UConn looks more composed, more self-aware, and, as Jay Bilas puts it, “legit” once again. The opener was not flawless, but then again, it is only November.
However, before the next match, the Bilas Index is out. And the Huskies sit at No. 4 in Bilas’ Index, just behind the Florida Gators they’ll face in December.
Jay Bilas Calls UConn “Legit”, and He’s Not Wrong
In his annual power index, ESPN analyst Jay Bilas wrote, “After back-to-back national championships, the UConn faithful and coach Dan Hurley expected nothing less in the 2024-25 season. Instead, the Huskies went 0-3 in the Maui Invitational, and Hurley set a modern record for highest blood pressure while wearing a Hawaiian shirt. Still, UConn was outstanding at the end of the season, giving Florida everything it had in the NCAA tournament's second round before losing to the eventual national champion 77-75.”
Behind Purdue, Houston and Florida, UConn’s placement on Bilas’ list feels almost poetic. Florida, the team that ended the Huskies’ last run, is now their measuring stick, a December date that could be about redemption as much as ranking. However, Bilas’ tone wasn’t pity; it was prediction.
“This season’s Huskies should keep Hurley’s blood pressure within reasonable limits,” Bilas added. “UConn is very talented and has another challenger for the Final Four. Alex Karaban, Solo Ball and Tarris Reed Jr. return better, and Silas Demary Jr. and 7-0 freshman Eric Reibe will be heavily relied upon. UConn is legit.”
Bilas’ “blood pressure” jab wasn’t random. Last season, test Hurley like no other. Between sideline tirades, a 0-3 Maui meltdown, and a locker room that never quite found its rhythm, Hurley admitted, “I had a sh*t year. I didn’t coach my best, I didn’t lead my best.”
This offseason, though, was his reset. “Yeah, I think I'm going to be a better leader for my team,” Hurley said in an earlier interview. “And if I can avoid the fan stuff at the end… that’s what I would like.” Hurley is still pacing the sidelines, but this season, he’s not letting his temper be the headline. And if Bilas is right, that change might be the secret to UConn’s revival.
KenPom rankings are HERE! 👀🔥
— The Field of 68 (@TheFieldOf68) October 12, 2025
Who’s too high? Who’s too low? 🤔⬇️ pic.twitter.com/NnHIGz1coA
Adding to the optimism, according to KenPom’s latest metrics, UConn ranks seventh nationally, just a few decimal points behind Florida. The Huskies have an adjusted net rating of +27.35, a 120.8 offensive rating, and a 93.5 defensive rating.
As December looms, that Florida matchup now carries weight beyond revenge. It’s the No. 3 vs. No. 4 teams on Bilas’ board, one looking to defend a crown, the other to reclaim one. And if Hurley’s promise to “lead better” holds, UConn’s climb back to the top might not be a matter of if, but when.
-fd44250df32912986cc6690f0b8bfa32.png "Shivani Menon")
Shivani Menon is a sports journalist with a background in Mass Communication and a passion for storytelling. She has written for EssentiallySports, College Sports Network, and PFSN, covering Olympic sports like track and field, gymnastics, and alpine skiing, as well as college football, basketball, March Madness, and the NBL Draft. When she's not reporting, she's either on the road chasing sunsets or getting lost in the rhythms of electronic soundscapes.