Poll: USA Today and ESPN publish the weekly Men’s Top 25 Poll. The polls feature the AP and coaches’ rankings. The AP is based on votes from sportswriters, while the Coaches’ Poll includes votes from FCS coaches. The big mover of the week was Bruce Pearl’s Auburn Tigers, who surged six spots to No. 5 after beating Houston. Gonzaga also moved up a couple of spots.
1. Kansas: Poll
KU retains the top spot in this week’s USA Today Men’s Top 25 Poll after staving off North Carolina in one of the season’s marquee games. The Jayhawks received 21 of 31 first-place votes.
Situated on the American Great Plains, Kansas was first admitted to the Union on January 29, 1861 as a free state, after a long and bloody struggle over slavery in its former territory that became known as “Bleeding Kansas.” It is the fifth largest wheat producer in the world, and is famous for its barbecue.
The state also boasts some of the most historic and picturesque small towns in America, like Leavenworth and Marysville. It is also home to the National Museum of Wildlife Art and a variety of other arts and historical sites. Kansas is also well known for the pioneering spirit and legacy of westward expansion, as reflected in works like Truman Capote’s In Cold Blood and Laura Ingalls Wilder’s Little House on the Prairie novels. The state is also home to a wide array of local cuisine, including hearty dishes such as smoked meats and cornbread.
2. Connecticut
Defending champ UConn avoids the upset bug this week and gets the top spot, with 20 of 32 first-place votes. The Huskies could be a dangerous team if the likes of point guards Johnell Davis and Alijah Martin and postman Anton Watson are fully healthy at season’s end.
Big 12 co-champion Houston slips to No. 2, with a rematch against Iowa State on Monday looming. Elite Eight finisher North Carolina climbs four places to No. 3, and Tennessee is right behind at No. 4.
Michigan State returns most of its lineup from a tournament team that reached the final weekend last year. But the Spartans have some new faces, including power forward Xavier Booker and point guard Jeremy Fears. Coach Tom Izzo will have to find enough minutes for his veteran cast.
3. Washington
The Huskies aren’t getting much of a break in the new Big Ten. In the first poll of 2024-25, Washington lands in the No. 24 spot, behind No. 13 Purdue, No. 18 Indiana and No. 22 UCLA. That’s even with all the talent new coach Danny Sprinkle is bringing to his team.
The Bruins dropped out of the top 25 altogether, a little shocking considering their stellar start to the season. That was a result of a tough neutral floor loss to New Mexico, and the fact that they’re still awaiting their first conference game.
But they weren’t the only movers in the new rankings. Elite Eight runner-up Alabama vaults all the way up to No. 4, while Florida and Wisconsin fall out of the top 25 altogether following their first-round exits in the tournament. In addition, Illinois improved three spots to No. 6, while Iowa State and Duke also earned top-10 votes to give five conferences two teams in the rankings. Others receiving votes: Texas Tech (2-0) 75; Mississippi (1-1) 60; Xavier (2-0) 38; Oregon (2-3) 37; Michigan State (2-0) 29; Brigham Young (2-0) 29, Central Florida (2-1) 17; Saint Mary’s (2-1) 12; Wake Forest (2-0) 12; Clemson (2-0) 9; Kansas State (2-0) 9.
4. Texas
A pair of high-profile games at the top of the week’s schedule caused some shakeups in the USA Today Men’s Top 25 Poll. Kansas remains in first place with 21 of 31 first-place votes, but North Carolina slipped one spot to No. 2, and Alabama climbed into the third spot with three first-place nods. Houston dropped out of the top 10, with Auburn making a big move up to No. 4 after beating the Cougars on Saturday night. Ohio State and Tennessee join the rankings, while UCLA and Mississippi drop out of the top 25 altogether. NR indicates teams that were unranked to start the season.
5. Creighton
Creighton has been ranked in the USA Today Men’s Top 25 Poll for 20 straight seasons, and this is the 128th time that the Bluejays have been a ranked team under coach Greg McDermott. The Bluejays are 207-84 in the program’s history when ranked, and they’ll start this season ranked No. 14 in the preseason Coaches poll.
This year’s top 15 sees an interesting mix of conference and non-conference teams. Elite Eight runner-up North Carolina State jumps up three spots to No. 13, while ACC rival Virginia drops four to No. 16. Clemson, another ACC Elite Eight team, follows at No. 15, and Oklahoma and UCLA round out the top 10.
CU, which has yet to play this season, is scheduled to face each of those teams as well as No. 2 Kansas and No. 3 Connecticut. The Bluejays also have matchups with No. 13 Purdue and No. 18 Marquette on the schedule this season, and they’ll receive votes from St. John’s, Xavier and San Diego State. The rankings will be updated after each game.
Leave a comment