In the ever-shifting landscape of men's college basketball, the first Associated Press Top 25 poll of the 2025-26 season has shaken things up, with the Houston Cougars claiming the No. 1 spot after a strong opening week. Despite receiving fewer first-place votes than Purdue, Houston edged out the Boilermakers for the top ranking, marking a notable shift from the preseason poll where Purdue held the lead over Houston and Florida. The reigning champion Florida Gators, meanwhile, tumbled seven spots to No. 10 following a surprising season-opening loss.
The poll, released after a full week of games, highlights several teams that made significant moves. Arizona jumped eight spots to No. 5, buoyed by a stunning upset over then-No. 3 Florida in the opener. Alabama climbed seven places to No. 8, and North Carolina rose seven to No. 18. On the flip side, St. John's dropped eight spots to No. 13, Arkansas fell seven to No. 21, and Kansas slipped six to No. 25. According to ESPN's breakdown, these shifts reflect early-season performances that have already begun to redefine expectations for the year.
Houston's ascent to the top is underscored by impressive freshman contributions in their win over Towson. Freshman Kingston Flemings scored 20 points on 80% or better shooting from the field, becoming the first Houston freshman to achieve that in at least 30 seasons. Teammate Chris Cenac Jr. grabbed 10-plus rebounds in the first two games, another program first in that span. The Cougars' next test comes Wednesday against Oakland at 8 p.m. Eastern on ESPN+.
Purdue, now at No. 2, remains a powerhouse with a strong nonconference home record, not having lost such a game since November 2019 against Texas. Guard Braden Smith has tallied 26 points and 20 assists through two games, making him the only Purdue player in the past 20 years to average at least 10 points and 10 assists per game over that stretch—a feat he also accomplished last season. The Boilermakers face a tough road game Thursday at Alabama, tipping off at 7 p.m. on ESPN2.
UConn holds steady at No. 3 after a dominant 63-point victory over UMass Lowell, their largest margin since December 2005 against Morehead State. The Huskies led by 47 at halftime, the biggest such lead against a Division I opponent since Pepperdine's 56-9 halftime edge over Pacific in the 2024 WCC tournament. They'll host Columbia on Monday at 6:30 p.m. on FS1.
Duke's No. 4 ranking features standout freshman Cameron Boozer, who debuted with a double-double, joining an elite group of Duke freshmen over the past 30 seasons including Kyle Filipowski in 2022 and Zion Williamson. Boozer also notched 25 points and five assists, a rare combination shared with Williamson as the only Duke players in three decades to add five offensive rebounds to that stat line. The Blue Devils travel to Army on Tuesday at 7 p.m. on CBSSN.
Arizona's rise to No. 5 is perhaps the most dramatic, having beaten an AP top-3 opponent in the season opener for the first time since 2019, when Kentucky and Duke pulled off similar feats. This echoes Arizona's 2001 upset of No. 2 Maryland, followed by a win over Florida. The Wildcats host Northern Arizona Tuesday at 9 p.m. on ESPN+.
Michigan checks in at No. 6 after a high-scoring opener with 121 points against their opponent, the most since a 127-96 win over Iowa in March 1990 and a program record for a season debut. Their bench contributed 55 points, the highest since March 2002 against Ohio State. Wake Forest visits Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. on FS1.
At No. 7, BYU's AJ Dybantsa impressed with 21 points in his debut against Villanova, ranking fifth among No. 1 recruits in the SC Next 100 over the past 15 years for debut scoring, behind names like RJ Barrett and Anthony Davis. Delaware comes to town Tuesday at 9 p.m. on CBSSN.
Alabama's climb to No. 8 came via a 103-96 win over St. John's at Madison Square Garden, marking the first 100-plus point performance in regulation against a top-5 team since Kansas in December 2001. It's tied for Alabama's most points against a top-10 foe ever. They host Purdue Thursday at 7 p.m. on ESPN2.
Kentucky sits at No. 9, maintaining a perfect 10-0 nonconference record at Rupp Arena under coach Mark Pope. They'll face rival Louisville on the road Tuesday at 8 p.m. on ESPN.
Florida's drop to No. 10 follows their loss to Arizona, making them the first reigning champion to start 0-1 since Syracuse in 2003-04. Historically, only one of the previous three such teams returned to the Final Four—Kentucky in 1996-97. The Gators host Florida State Tuesday at 7 p.m. on SEC Network.
Texas Tech at No. 11 features JT Toppin's four career 30-point double-doubles, more than all other Red Raiders combined in the past 20 seasons. They visit Illinois Tuesday at 8:30 p.m. on FS1.
Louisville, No. 12, is 2-0 for the first time since 2020-21 and hosts Kentucky Tuesday at 8 p.m. on ESPN. St. John's, down to No. 13, ended a 12-game win streak at Madison Square Garden with their loss to Alabama, their second-longest such streak ever. They play William & Mary Saturday at 6 p.m. on truTV.
Illinois at No. 14 scored 110-plus in back-to-back games, a feat last achieved in November 2019. They host Texas Tech Tuesday at 8:30 p.m. on FS1. UCLA, No. 15, saw Donovan Dent debut with 21 points and nine assists. West Georgia visits Monday at 10 p.m. on B1G+.
Iowa State holds No. 16 with a fifth straight 2-0 start, having made the NCAA tournament each of the past four times. They host Mississippi State Monday at 8 p.m. on ESPNU. Michigan State at No. 17 has won five straight against top-15 teams and is 15-1 in recent ranked home games. San José State comes Thursday at 6:30 p.m. on BTN.
North Carolina's No. 18 spot follows snapping a five-game skid against Kansas. Radford visits Tuesday at 7 p.m. on ACC Network. Gonzaga at No. 19 has 12 straight wins over unranked SEC teams after beating Oklahoma. They host Creighton Tuesday at 10 p.m. on ESPN.
Tennessee, No. 20, saw freshman Nate Ament score 20 points, the first Vol rookie to do so since 2022. North Florida visits Wednesday at 7 p.m. on SECN+. Arkansas at No. 21 features Darius Acuff Jr.'s strong start. Central Arkansas comes Tuesday at 8 p.m. on SECN+.
Auburn holds No. 22 with a 62-game nonconference home win streak. Wofford visits Tuesday at 8 p.m. on SECN+. Creighton at No. 23 marked coach Greg McDermott's 500th win. They travel to Gonzaga Tuesday at 10 p.m. on ESPN.
Wisconsin, No. 24, scored 95-plus in consecutive games for the first time since 1993. Ball State visits Tuesday at 8:30 p.m. on BTN. Kansas rounds out at No. 25, with freshman Darryn Peterson's back-to-back 20-point games. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi comes Tuesday at 8 p.m. on ESPN+.
As the season progresses, these early rankings set the stage for intense matchups, with several top teams facing off soon. Analysts note that while preseason expectations can shift quickly, consistent performances will determine who climbs or falls in the coming weeks.