Earlier this week, ESPN updated its bracketology for the 2023-’24 college basketball season and seven Big Ten teams were fortunate enough to make the cut. Although the conference might not have as many bubble drama as in years past, it’s set for an absolutely dynamic group to enter the field.

Here is how the Big Ten was projected.

Big Ten In 8/8 ESPN Bracketology By Seed:

• No. 1 - Michigan State
• No. 1 - Purdue
• No. 5 - Illinois
• No. 7 - Wisconsin
• No. 8 - Maryland
• No. 8 - Northwestern
• No. 10 - Indiana
• First Four Out: Ohio State, Rutgers
• Next Four Out: Iowa

That’s an impressive performance for the league. To start, having two of the four top seeds is a remarkable projection and something the Big Ten hasn’t achieved in a few seasons. Pulling it off next March would go a long way toward ending the conference’s national title drought.

However, it doesn’t stop there either. Illinois and Wisconsin were both projected with decent seeds and two more teams landed in the field. Add in three teams in consideration and there’s not much to criticize. If even one or two of those teams outperforms expectations, the Big Ten could be on the verge of sending 10 teams into the field.

It’s also worth mentioning some of the teams that weren’t much have some potential as well. Penn State made the field last year, Michigan has an intriguing roster, and Nebraska played really well down the stretch last season. If those teams are even modestly better than expectations, watch out.

Additionally, the league’s newcomers also looked good. USC was projected as a six seed, UCLA was a seven seed, and Oregon was a 10 seed. While none of those were in the elite range, potentially adding three more bids would be a huge addition for the Big Ten. We’ll have to see how that sorts out in the years ahead.

You can see the full field here.