College basketball top 25 rankings 2026-27: Preseason AP Top 25 poll

The 2026-2027 college basketball season is close to bringing top programs back to the court, and the first AP Top 25 poll has been released.

Traditional powerhouses like the Duke Blue Devils and UConn Huskies are back in the fray with tremendous rosters for the upcoming season. Meanwhile, last season’s national championship winners Michigan find themselves with a bit of work to do after seeing several stars drafting to the NBA and former head coach Dusty May’s departure for the Dallas Mavericks.

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The Wolverines saw three of their top players drafted in the first 12 picks of the 2026 NBA Draft. That includes Morez Johnson Jr., Yaxel Lendeborg and Aday Mara.

MORE: 25 best men’s college basketball players of all time

Other schools to watch include recent title holders like the Florida Gators and Kansas Jayhawks. A major surprise left out of the top 25 is the North Carolina Tar Heels, who are a traditional ACC powerhouse and a regular in the AP poll.

Many top collegiate programs open their campaigns in early November. That includes an epic start to the season with Villanova and Notre Dame meeting in Rome, Italy.

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Where did your favorite team land in the first AP poll of the season? Below is a full look at the AP Top 25 poll entering the 2026 campaign.

MORE: No. 2-ranked international NBA prospect commits to Duke for the 2027-28 season

2026-27 AP Top 25 Poll, Preseason

Tennessee guard Jalen Haralson (10) moves the ball while guarded by Xavier forward Filip Borovicanin (4) during a college basketball exhibition game on Oct. 15, 2026, in Knoxville, Tennessee. Credit: USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect (Reuters)

Others Receiving Votes: Missouri 167, Nebraska 70, Purdue 53, Ohio State 39, North Carolina 20, TCU 17, Saint Louis 13, VCU 12, Iowa 12, Virginia Tech 10, Indiana 8, Texas A&M 6, Villanova 6, Auburn 4, Marquette 3, Nevada 2, Grand Canyon 2, Utah State 2, Santa Clara 1

The Associated Press began its men’s college basketball poll on Jan. 20, 1949, and it is…

Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/college-basketball-top-25-rankings-170259062.html

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Publish date : 2026-10-19 17:02:00

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