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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Meanwhile, 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.
2026 College Basketball Preseason AP Poll 🚨 https://t.co/xnXoqyDBgF
— 247Sports (@247Sports) October 19, 2026
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.
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
- Florida (47)
- Duke (10)
- Illinois (2)
- UConn
- Arizona
- Michigan State
- Texas
- Tennessee
- Virginia
- Houston
- Louisville
- Arkansas
- St. John’s
- Miami (FL)
- Gonzaga
- Michigan
- Kansas
- Iowa State
- Texas Tech
- Alabama
- USC
- UCLA
- Kentucky
- Vanderbilt
- BYU
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 now the longest-running poll of those that award national titles at the end of the season. The preseason poll was started in 1950.
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