College basketball rankings: Coaches Poll sees Illinois surge, Purdue maintain No. 1

Early-season upsets and statement wins are already reshaping the college basketball landscape

By Cody Nagel

Nov 17, 2025 at 12:29 pm ET • 1 min read

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After an electric second week of the 2025‑26 college basketball season, the latest Coaches Poll reflects several early shake‑ups. Most notably, Illinois climbed the charts after a marquee win over Texas Tech, vaulting into the top 10. The Fighting Illini faced questions coming into last week about how they'd handle a high-profile non-conference test, and they answered emphatically with an 81‑77 victory.

The Red Raiders subsequently fell several spots to No. 15 after the tough early non‑conference loss. But they weren't the only Big 12 contender to suffer. BYU moved down three spots following its 86-84 loss to UConn at the Hall of Fame Series in Boston. The Cougars nearly erased a sizable second-half deficit, but the Huskies' late composure helped secure the win -- another reminder of how dangerous Dan Hurley's group looks in November.

Kentucky also absorbed a setback, sliding five spots after a 96-88 loss at Louisville in one of the week's most charged atmospheres. Freshman guard Mikel Brown Jr. poured in 29 points, including 20 in the first half, to lead the Cardinals.

Meanwhile, Purdue further solidified their hold on the No. 1 ranking in the Coaches Poll with a commanding 87-80 road win at Alabama.

Here is the full Nov. 17 Coaches Poll after the second week of the 2025-26 college basketball season.

First-place votes in parenthesis

Coaches Poll

1. Purdue (20)
2. Houston (9)
3. UConn
4. Duke (2)
5. Arizona
6. Michigan
6. Louisville
8. Illinois
9. Florida
10. BYU
11. Alabama
12. Gonzaga
13. Kentucky
14. Iowa State
15. Texas Tech
16. St. John's
17. Tennessee
18. Michigan State
19. North Carolina
20. UCLA
21. Wisconsin
22. Arkansas
23. Kansas
24. Vanderbilt
25. Indiana