It’s time for the second AP Top 25 poll of the 2025-26 men’s college basketball season!
Houston, the surprise Week 1 No. 1 team, drops back to No. 2. Instead, after beating ranked Alabama, preseason No. 1 Purdue is back in the top spot. UConn retains the No. 3 spot, while Duke and Arizona switch rankings to round out the top five.
Editor’s Picks
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The biggest risers from Week 1 were Louisville, Illinois and Gonzaga, which each improved six spots to Nos. 6, 8 and 13, respectively. Texas Tech and UCLA each dropped four spots to Nos. 15 and 19, respectively. The newest entrant to the Top 25 this week is NC State after Creighton dropped out.
Let’s take a look at the top 25 teams, how they got there and what’s coming up next for each team this week.
All times Eastern. Unless otherwise noted, all stats courtesy of ESPN Research.
Previous polls: Preseason | Week 1
Purdue has another AP top-10 win under its belt, after defeating Alabama last week. Justin Casterline/Getty Images
Previous ranking: 2
2025-26 record: 4-0
Stat to know: In defeating Alabama last week, the Boilermakers recorded just their third road win against a non-conference AP Top-10 team in program history — their first since Dec. 4, 1982 at No. 7 Louisville. The other win? Dec. 19, 1970 at No. 3 Kentucky.
What’s next: Thursday vs. Memphis (Baha Mar Championship), 6 p.m., CBSSN
Previous ranking: 1
2025-26 record: 4-0
Stat to know: Houston’s win against Auburn over the weekend was its 16th win against an AP-ranked opponent since moving to the Big 12 in 2023-24. Only UConn (17), Tennessee (17) and Alabama (17) have more.
What’s next: Thursday vs. Rider, 9 p.m., TNT/truTV
1:17
Houston Cougars vs. Auburn Tigers: Game Highlights
Houston Cougars vs. Auburn Tigers: Game Highlights
Previous ranking: 3
2025-26 record: 4-0
Stat to know: Three Huskies had more than 20 against BYU over the weekend: Alex Karaban, Tarris Reed Jr. and Silas Demary (all had 21). They’re the third UConn trio to do this against an AP Top 25 opponent — and the first against an AP Top-10 opponent — over the past 30 seasons. Additionally, Karaban now has 1,426 career points, tied with Emeka Okafor for 23rd on UConn’s all-time scoring list.
What’s next: Wednesday vs. Arizona, 7 p.m., FS1
Previous ranking: 5
2025-26 record: 4-0
Stat to know: Arizona is now 23-13 (.639) against AP-ranked opponents under Tommy Lloyd, the third-highest win percentage in D-I (minimum three such games played). Five of those have come against ranked UCLA teams — no other school has more than two wins against ranked UCLA teams in this time. Lloyd now ties Fred Hoiberg (2010-15) for the second-most ranked wins by a head coach in their first five career seasons in AP Poll history (Tom Izzo had 31 from 1995-00).
What’s next: Wednesday at UConn, 7 p.m., FS1
Previous ranking: 4
2025-26 record: 4-0
Stat to know: Cameron Boozer is continuing to make history. He is the third Duke player in the last 45 years (after Zion Williamson in 2019 and Christian Laettner in 1990) to have 35 points and 10 rebounds in a game. His 35 points also take him past his father Carlos Boozer’s career-high (33) at Duke.
What’s next: Tuesday vs. Kansas (Champions Classic), 9 p.m., ESPN
1:20
Indiana State Sycamores vs. Duke Blue Devils: Game Highlights
Indiana State Sycamores vs. Duke Blue Devils: Game Highlights
Previous ranking: 12
2025-26 record: 4-0
Stat to know: Through four games this season against SC State, Jackson State, Kentucky and Ohio, the Cards are averaging 103.0 PPG — their highest-scoring four-game span since Dec. 1971, when they averaged 105.2 points against SMU, Syracuse, Saint Peter’s and Fordham.
What’s next: Friday vs. Cincinnati, 6:30 p.m., ESPNU
1:15
Highlight: No. 9 Kentucky falls just short at No. 12 Louisville
The Wildcats come close to pulling off a furious comeback from being down 20 in the second half as Denzel Aberdeen leads UK with 26 points in the 96-88 loss.
Previous ranking: 6
2025-26 record: 3-0
Stat to know: Yaxel Lendeborg had a 14-point, 10-rebound double-double against TCU on Friday, his 27th since the start of last season and the most in DI. In the win against the Horned Frogs, he also became the fifth active D-I player to reach 800 career rebounds, joining Carson Towt (Notre Dame), Graham Ike (Gonzaga), Rienk Mast (Nebraska) and Brandon Noel (Ohio State).
What’s next: Wednesday vs. Middle Tennessee, 6:30 p.m., BTN
Previous ranking: 14
2025-26 record: 4-0
Stat to know: The Fighting Illini now have three straight wins against AP-ranked opponents dating back to last season, tied for their second longest win streak under Brad Underwood (since 2017-18) behind a seven-game streak in 2021.
What’s next: Wednesday vs. Alabama in Chicago, 9 p.m., FS1
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Previous ranking: 7
2025-26 record: 3-1
Stat to know: AJ Dybantsa may have become the first BYU freshman since TJ Haws in 2017 to score 25 points against an AP Top-5 team, but the Cougars still lost to UConn. They now have eight straight losses against AP Top-5 teams, and haven’t beaten an AP Top-5 non-conference opponent since Nov. 1981. They’re now 2-6 all-time in AP top-10 matchups.
What’s next: Friday vs. Wisconsin (Bad Boy Mowers Series – Salt Lake City), 4 p.m., Peacock
Previous ranking: 10
2025-26 record: 3-1
Stat to know: Florida has bounced back from its season-opening loss to Arizona on Nov. 4, winning three straight. Sunday against Miami was the reigning national champions’ third consecutive win against the Hurricanes, the longest win streak by either team in the series since the Gators won 11 straight (1965-88).
What’s next: Friday vs. Merrimack, 7 p.m., SECN+
Previous ranking: 8
2025-26 record: 2-1
Stat to know: The Tide have now suffered five consecutive losses at home to AP Top-5 teams. In Thursday’s defeat at the hands of Purdue, they were outrebounded by 24, their second-worst rebound margin in a game under Nate Oats (they were -29 against North Carolina on Nov. 27, 2019)
What’s next: Wednesday vs. Illinois in Chicago, 9 p.m., FS1
1:18
Purdue Boilermakers vs. Alabama Crimson Tide: Game Highlights
Purdue Boilermakers vs. Alabama Crimson Tide: Game Highlights
Previous ranking: 9
2025-26 record: 3-1
Stat to know: Mouhamed Dioubate had 20 points on 8-of-9 shooting from the field, and 11 rebounds against Eastern Illinois on Friday, becoming the fourth different Wildcat with 20 points and 10 rebounds on 85% FG% in the past 15 seasons, joining Nick Richards (twice), Julius Randle (twice) and Anthony Davis.
What’s next: Tuesday vs. Michigan State (Champions Classic), 6:30 p.m., ESPN
1:26
Mouhamed Dioubate on No. 9 UK’s mindset: ‘Us versus ourselves’
Dioubate details how the Wildcats aim to bounce back with their best effort against Eastern Illinois, adding that he leans on past success to bring leadership into the locker room.
Previous ranking: 19
2025-26 record: 4-0
Stat to know: The Zags are 482-47 (.976) as a ranked team facing unranked opponents. That’s the best record in AP poll history (since 1948-49) with a minimum of 100 games played.
What’s next: Monday vs. Southern Utah, 9 p.m., ESPN+
Previous ranking: 13
2025-26 record: 2-1
Stat to know: The Johnnies only led William & Mary by five points at halftime on Saturdy, then started the second half by outscoring the Tribe 27-2, including a 19-0 run. That was St. John’s longest scoring run since Feb. 6, 2021, when it had a 19-0 run against Providence.
What’s next: Thursday vs. Bucknell, 7 p.m., TNT/truTV
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Previous ranking: 11
2025-26 record: 3-1
Stat to know: In Tech’s first ever meeting against Illinois, JT Toppin had 35 points and 11 rebounds. It was his fifth career 30-point game with the Red Raiders, the most by any Texas Tech player in the past 20 seasons, tied for sixth most in program history. It was also his fifth career 30-point double-double, the fourth-most in Big 12 history behind Michael Beasley (13), Kevin Durant (7) and Blake Griffin (6).
What’s next: Thursday vs. Wake Forest (Baha Mar Championship), 8:30 p.m., CBSSN
Previous ranking: 16
2025-26 record: 3-0
Stat to know: The Cyclones have been ranked in the AP Top-25 for 33 consecutive weeks, the seventh-longest streak in the nation. — The Associated Press
What’s next: Monday vs. Stonehill, 8 p.m., ESPN+
Previous ranking: 17
2025-26 record: 3-0
Stat to know: Jaxon Kohler’s career-high 18 rebounds against San José State on Thursday are also the most boards by a Michigan State player since Miles Bridges had 21 on Dec. 31, 2017 vs Savannah State.
What’s next: Tuesday vs. Kentucky (Champions Classic), 6:30 p.m., ESPN
Previous ranking: 18
2025-26 record: 4-0
Stat to know: In Friday’s win against NC Central, Caleb Wilson became the third ACC freshman in the past 30 seasons with a 20-point double-double on 85% FG%, joining Duke’s Zion Williamson (2019) and NC State’s J.J. Hickson (2007).
What’s next: Tuesday vs. Navy, 7 p.m., ACCN
1:17
North Carolina Central Eagles vs. North Carolina Tar Heels: Game Highlights
North Carolina Central Eagles vs. North Carolina Tar Heels: Game Highlights
Previous ranking: 15
2025-26 record: 3-1
Stat to know: In the 115th meeting between UCLA and Arizona (the Bruins lead the series 64-51), Donovan Dent had just 11 points, his fewest scoring output since Dec. 2024, when he was at New Mexico.
What’s next: Tuesday vs. Sacramento State, 10:30 p.m., BTN
Previous ranking: 20
2025-26 record: 3-0
Stat to know: J.P. Estrella had 23 points and 10 rebounds off the bench in the Vols’ win over North Florida on Wednesay, becoming the second Tennessee player in the past 25 seasons to have a 20-point double-double off the bench, joining Brian Williams against UT Martin in Nov. 2008 (21 points, 12 rebounds).
What’s next: Monday vs. Rice, 8:30 p.m., SECN+
Previous ranking: 21
2025-26 record: 3-1
Stat to know: Arkansas has won its three nonconference games at home (Southern, Central Arkansas and Samford) by a combined margin of 73 points. — The Associated Press
What’s next: Tuesday vs. Winthrop, 8 p.m., SECN+
Previous ranking: 22
2025-26 record: 3-1
Stat to know: Auburn is 1-15 all-time against AP No. 1 opponents after its eighth straight such loss against Houston on Sunday — the lone win happened Jan. 1988 against Kentucky.
What’s next: Wednesday vs. Jackson State, 9 p.m., SEC Network
1:18
Samford Bulldogs vs. Arkansas Razorbacks: Game Highlights
Samford Bulldogs vs. Arkansas Razorbacks: Game Highlights
Previous ranking: 24
2025-26 record: 3-0
Stat to know: Despite committing 15 turnovers, the Badgers led by as many as 35 points against Ball State last Monday, helped along by a 19-point, 10-rebound double-double from Nolan Winter.
What’s next: Monday vs. SIU Edwardsville, 8 p.m., BTN
Previous ranking: 25
2025-26 record: 3-1
Stat to know: With Darryn Peterson out, Flory Bidunga led the way in the Jayhawks’ win Saturday against Princeton, with a career-high 25 points on 10-of-11 shooting from the field.
What’s next: Tuesday vs. Duke (Champions Classic), 9 p.m., ESPN
Previous ranking: Unranked
2025-26 record: 3-0
Stat to know: Darrion Williams had a career-high 32 points, including six 3s, 10 rebounds and four steals against UNC Greensboro on Thursday. He’s the first NC State player with a 30-point double-double since Dereron Seabron against Nebraska in Dec. 2021. He’s the first NC State player to do it with at least five made 3-pointers since Julius Hodge against North Carolina in Jan. 2003. And, he made all of his 3s in the second half — that ties for the most made treys in a half without a miss by an ACC player in the past five seasons. It was also done by: Louisville’s Chucky Hepburn (March 2025 vs Pitt), Stanford’s Benny Gealer (Nov. 2024 vs Cal State Fullerton) and Virginia Tech’s Hunter Cattoor (Jan. 2022 vs Florida State).
What’s next: Monday vs. VCU, 7 p.m., ACCN
