ESPN Bracketologist Joe Lunardi released his latest projections, and Illinois is slated to be a No. 1 seed in the 2027 NCAA Tournament. The 2025 national champion Florida Gators are the No. 1 overall seed, while the Fighting Illini are projected as the third No. 1 seed in the South Region.

Lunardi has Illinois traveling to Louisville for the first and second rounds before heading to San Antonio for the Sweet 16 and Elite Eight. The Illini would open the tournament against either No. 16 seed Merrimack or Arkansas State before a potential second-round matchup with Auburn or Ohio State. A victory in those two games would send Illinois to its second straight Sweet 16. The Illini have reached back-to-back Sweet 16s only twice in program history since the NCAA Tournament expanded to 64 teams in 1985.

To earn another trip to the Final Four, Illinois would likely need to get past No. 4 seed Kansas or No. 5 seed Tennessee in the regional semifinal before facing either No. 2 seed Texas or No. 3 seed Virginia in the regional final.

Securing a No. 1 seed next March would mark just the fifth time in program history that Illinois has earned a top seed in the NCAA Tournament. The Illini's most recent No. 1 seed came during the 2020-21 season, when they won the Big Ten Tournament before falling to Loyola Chicago in the second round. Illinois also earned No. 1 seeds in 2004-05, 2000-01, and 1988-89. Three of the four teams reached at least the Elite Eight, while the 1988-89 Flyin' Illini advanced to the Final Four and the 2004-05 squad reached the national championship game.

This year's Illinois team is projected to be one of the best in school history and a legitimate national championship contender. The Illini rank in the top five of Bart Torvik's preseason rankings and have a realistic chance to reach a second consecutive Final Four.

A No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament would likely coincide with Brad Underwood winning his second Big Ten regular-season championship and potentially his first outright conference title as Illinois' head coach. The Illini shared the Big Ten title in 2022 but have yet to capture an outright championship under Underwood.

It would also likely require a 30-win season, a feat only two teams in program history have accomplished. The 2023-24 Elite Eight team won 29 games, while last season's Final Four squad finished with 28 victories. Illinois has not reached the 30-win mark since the 2004-05 season, and only the 2004-05 and 1988-89 Final Four teams have surpassed 30 wins.

Winning an outright Big Ten championship and earning a No. 1 seed should be the expectations for this team entering the season. The Illini appear to have the most talented roster in the conference and one of the nation's top coaches in Brad Underwood.

We'll find out just how good this team is early in the season when Illinois travels to face Texas Tech and Duke in November. Duke is expected to be one of the nation's top teams once again, making those matchups an early measuring stick for the Illini.

If Illinois can earn a No. 1 seed, it will put itself in prime position to compete for the first national championship in program history.