Tomorrow's Top 25 Today: Duke falls while UNC, Texas Tech rise in projected college basketball rankings
Projecting the AP Top 25 after a chaotic weekend of college basketball action
By
Kyle Boone
•
5 min read
There's a shakeup coming to the top five of the men's college basketball AP Top 25 poll Monday after Saturday's loss by No. 3 Duke to No. 19 Texas Tech. That one result should move Iowa State to its highest ranking of the season, push UConn higher in the top five after a four-week stint at No. 5 and potentially make Texas Tech the biggest riser come Monday.
How far voters drop Duke, whose loss to Texas Tech was its first of the season, could also play a big role in how the top 10 and beyond looks. Purdue is poised to potentially push its way back into the top five if Duke falls outside the top five, and both Gonzaga and Houston are hot right now and positioned to climb in the event of a precipitous Blue Devils drop.
There's also some imminent movement coming in the rankings after a noisy CBS Sports Classic on Saturday in which North Carolina held off Ohio State and Kentucky downed St. John's in dominant fashion. Kentucky entering the rankings and St. John's falling out is very much in play, and UNC is on the cusp of pushing into the top 10, too.
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My projection for how voters will cast their ballots is below. There are plenty of moving pieces this week, but the top 10 should largely be the same cast of characters, albeit mostly in shuffling positions.
| 1 |  |
| Arizona did nothing to lose the No. 1 ranking this week, and no other team's accomplishments merit the Wildcats being supplanted. They are 11-0 on the season and tied for the lead nationally with four Quad 1 wins. Last week: 1 | |
| 2 |  |
| The top two of Arizona and Michigan are in their own tier, and voters have acknowledged as much of late. The Wolverines earned 15 first-place votes last week and should again be in that range -- but again behind Arizona in the pecking order for now. Last week: 2 | |
| 3 |  |
| Iowa State will move up to No. 3 this week after spending two weeks at No. 4. The bump comes after No. 3 Duke's loss Saturday to Texas Tech. Last week: 4 | |
| 4 |  |
| UConn will move up to its highest ranking in more than a month Monday after spending five weeks at No. 5. It is 12-1 on the season and riding an eight-game winning streak after its four-point home loss last month to Arizona. Last week: 5 | |
| 5 |  |
| Despite controlling most of the game, Duke struggled to close vs. Texas Tech and paid the price with an 82-81 loss inside MSG. It's the first loss of the season for Duke, which is idle until conference play begins Dec. 31. Last week: 3 | |
| 6 |  |
| Purdue dominated Auburn in an impressive weekend win, 88-60, marking its third consecutive win of 20 or more points. Last week: 6 | |
| 7 |  |
| Gonzaga passed its final nonconference test Sunday vs. Oregon and is 12-1 entering WCC play next week. The Bulldogs are top-10 in both offensive and defensive efficiency, which only Arizona and Michigan can also claim. Last week: 7 | |
| 8 |  |
| Saturday's 94-85 win over Arkansas was a statement that showed the Cougars, for all the early season inconsistency, are worthy title contenders because of their defense. They are 11-1 -- the fifth time under Kelvin Sampson they've started 11-1 or better. Last week: 8 | |
| 9 |  |
| Michigan State won twice this week vs. Toledo and Oakland by 23 and nine points, respectively. It has won three consecutive games since falling Dec. 6 to Duke in what remains its only loss on the year. Last week: 9 | |
| 10 |  |
| AJ Dybantsa led BYU to two wins this week averaging 29 points and eight rebounds in those two contests. The Cougars (10-1) face Eastern Washington on Monday in their nonconference finale. Last week: 10 | |
| 11 |  |
| A near-perfect start to the season continued for UNC with a 71-70 win Saturday over Ohio State in the CBS Sports Classic. Coach Hubert Davis has his Tar Heels primed to potentially push for a top-10 spot in the rankings. Last week: 12 | |
| 12 |  |
| Monday will mark the fifth consecutive week Vandy moves up in the rankings after first appearing in the poll Nov. 24 at No. 24. It is one of only six undefeated teams in the sport at 12-0. Last week: 13 | |
| 13 |  |
| Alabama's won six of seven -- including two-straight -- entering Monday. The Tide are 9-3 despite a taxing nonconference schedule in which they faced five ranked opponents. Last week: 16 | |
| 14 |  |
| One of only six unbeaten teams still remaining in college basketball, Nebraska improved its record Saturday to 11-0 with an 83-80 road win over Illinois. Last week: 15 | |
| 15 |  |
| Texas Tech should be among the biggest risers Monday after dealing Duke its first loss of the season over the weekend. It's been an up and down start for the Red Raiders, but they are finding a groove right now with Big 12 play around the corner. Last week: 19 | |
| 16 |  |
| Tennessee snapped its three-game losing streak with an 83-62 win Tuesday over Louisville. That top-15 win could give the Vols a bounce up in the polls. Last week: 20 | |
| 17 |  |
| After a 7-0 start to the season, Louisville has lost two of its last five. The absence of star guard Mikel Brown Jr. loomed large Tuesday in the 83-62 defeat at Tennessee. Last week: 11 | |
| 18 |  |
| Tennessee and Texas Tech moving up in the poll this week could push Kansas, which has won three straight and was 1-0 this week, down in this week's poll. KU (9-3) faces Davidson on Monday for its final game of the 2025 calendar year. Last week: 17 | |
| 19 |  |
| Arkansas suffered its first loss of the month Saturday to Houston, 94-85. John Calipari's team has had a terrific month otherwise with wins over Texas Tech and Louisville, among others. Last week: 14 | |
| 20 |  |
| Illinois lost for a third time in its last seven outings Saturday in a home defeat to unbeaten Nebraska. Last week: 18 | |
| 21 |  |
| The defending national champion Florida Gators nearly fell out of the rankings last week but should comfortably be in the 20-25 range Monday. They have won three-straight after losses to Duke and UConn to open the month. Last week: 23 | |
| 22 |  |
| A weekend win over Maryland could get UVA moving up in the polls this week after climbing one spot each of the last two weeks. Last week: 23 | |
| 23 |  |
| The highest-scoring team in college basketball, the Georgia Bulldogs, appeared at No. 25 in the poll last week for the first time. They responded with a 30-point home win over Western Carolina and should remain inside the ranks Monday. Last week: 25 | |
| 24 |  |
| USC was the first time OUT of the AP poll last week but could jump back into the mix this week with St. John's dropping another one. It is 12-1 on the season. Last week: NR | |
| 25 |  |
| I don't think Auburn drops out of the rankings but it could be in play after a 28-point loss Saturday to Purdue. All four of the Tigers' losses this season are to teams likely to be in the top-10 on Monday. Last week: 21 | |
