We know basketball season is still a few months away until tipoff, but here’s what one of the college basketball scene’s top insiders says about Illinois.

In the preseason edition of his ROTHSTEIN 45 rankings, CBS’s Jon Rothstein ranked Illinois as the no. 33 team in the country.

It’s a bit of a dip from last preseason’s 20th ranking, but perhaps the lower ranking could add fuel to the fire for Brad Underwood’s team.

Rothstein projects Underwood’s starting five to be Kylan Boswell, Kasparas Jakucionis, Ty Rodgers, Tre White and Tomislav Ivisic. That leaves the bench to be rounded out by Morez Johnson, Carey Booth, Jason Jakstys, Jake Davis, Dra Gibbs-Lawhorn, Will Riley and Ben Humrichous.

Plenty of Illinois’ opponents in the upcoming season also made the list. Non-conference opponents Alabama (1), Arkansas (9), Duke (10) and Tennessee (22) all made the top-45, while Big Ten foes Purdue (11), Indiana (15), UCLA (16), Ohio State (19), Oregon (23), Maryland (28), Michigan State (34), Michigan (35) and Rutgers (38) made the list from inside the Big Ten.

It’s shaping out to be a tough schedule for the Illini, one that Rothstein suggests might see the defending Big Ten champions slip to the sixth best position in the conference.

What do you think about Rothstein’s ranking for Illinois? Let us know in the comments!