The 2025-26 college basketball season is finally underway, and the top programs around the country are starting to separate themselves from the pack. So who are the best of the best in the sport right now? We look to answer that question with our updated men's college basketball rankings, showcasing the top 25 teams heading into Thanksgiving week.
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Kansas has a lot of potential this season because of highly-touted freshman, and future NBA lottery pick Darryn Peterson. The teenager is off to a fast start and proving why there is so much hype around him. While the Jayhawks have started the year 3-2, one of those losses came against Duke. Legendary coach Bill Self is sure to get this group on a roll in the weeks ahead.
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In year one for new head coach Darian DeVries, Indiana has looked good and warrants a spot in our latest top 25. While they haven't beaten any world beaters, senior Lamar Wilkerson is leading a balanced group that is off to an unbeaten start to the new season.
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Senior Keyshawn Hall is making a statement early in the new season for Auburn . He is averaging a double-double (23 points and 11 boards) and has spearheaded a 4-1 Tigers team. While they came up short against Houston this season, it was a close game that showed Auburn is likely to move up our college basketball rankings in the weeks ahead.
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Arkansas is going with a pair of freshman in the backcourt in 2025-26, and so far the duo of Meleek Thomas and Darius Acuff Jr. have been very good with the combining for just under 40 points per game. In year two with legendary head coach John Calipari, the Razorbacks are a team to keep an eye on this season.
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The backcourt duo of Nick Boyd and John Blackwell have been impressive to start the 2025-26 season and are major reason why Wisconsin began their campaign 4-0. After winning 27 games last season the Badgers are expected to be a top team in the Big Ten this year and are showing why early.
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While UCLA struggles on the gridiron, Mick Cronin's has had good teams for all but one of his seven seasons overseeign the program. That is again the case in 2025-26 as the Bruins roster is deep, experienced and showed their potential in a competitive clash with a talented Arizona team.
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After a big leap forward last season, big things are expected from St. Johns and iconic head coach Nick Pitino in 2025-26. While they suffered an early season loss to Alabama, the senior front court duo of Zuby Ejiofor and Bryce Hopkins are formidable and is why the Johnnies will be a problem for opponents in the Big East this season.
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Texas Tech has progressed yearly over Grant McCasland's first two seasons overseeing the Red Raiders program. Meaning 2025-26 has a lot of potential and could see the team win 30 games for the first time in 30 years. If the impressive duo of JT Toppin and Christian Anderson can continue to play like they already have this season Texas Tech can be a threat to Houston in the Big 12.
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In his final season at Iowa State , Tamin Lipsey is off to a strong start. The home state great leads the team in points (19), assists (5), and steals (3). Furthermore, the Cyclones have gotten good play from the front-court duo of Joshua Jefferson and Milan Momcilovic. It's why they started the year 4-0 and are in striking distance of a top 10 ranking.
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Mark Pope has a deep and talented Kentucky roster, but they are still missing a key part of it with Jayden Quaintance expected to miss a lot of the 2025-26 season. Against lower-tier teams, they have looked impressive. However, a pair of clear losses to top 25 teams may be evidence that this group has a clear ceiling this season.
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Tennessee freshman Nate Ament is proving why he is a top prospect for the 2026 NBA Draft this year for the Volunteers. He leads the team in both points (19) and rebounds (9) per game. The combo of him and senior guard Gillespie is why the Vols sit atop the SEC heading into the weekend.
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Hubert Davis' North Carolina team is off to a red-hot start in large part due to the strong play of freshman Caleb Wilson. The Atlanta native leads the Tar Heels in points (20), rebounds (10), and steals (2) after the first few weeks of the season. However, he is also getting big support from veterans Henri Veesaar and Seth Trimble. It is why UNC sits atop the ACC early in the season.
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Mark Few's Gonzaga squad is off to a very nice start to the season due to high-level play from their veteran front court of Braden Huff and Graham Ike . The Bulldogs have a lot more experience than most teams, and it has shown in their 5-0 start. Some big matchups against Alabama and Kentucky soon will prove if this is a top 10 group in 2025-26.
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Legendary coach Tom Izzo unsurprisingly looks to have another good Michigan State team on his hands in 2025-26. They have a deep squad that has proven to be a handful for opponents this season. There is no better proof of their potential than scoring a pair of big wins over ranked teams already this season, including over Kentucky.
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Following a tough loss to Arizona to open the year, defending champions Florida has rebounded and started to get on a roll in recent games. Juniors Alex Condon and Thomas Haugh have been asked to carry a bigger load from the start in 2025-26, and the pair of veteran forwards have shown they are up to the task by putting up career-best numbers to begin their campaign.
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Alabama set up a tough schedule for itself to begin the season, and they have navigated facing three top 10 teams in its first five games by winning two of the three. Their one loss came against an elite Purdue team, so there is no shame in that. They are a talented team led by NBA lottery prospect Labaron Philon Jr., who has looked very good to begin the season.
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To begin the new season, Michigan is showing they are again a team to keep an eye on in the Big Ten for year two under head coach Dusty May. A major reason is the addition of Yaxel Lendeborg in the transfer portal. He will get a lot of attention, but the Wolverines' front line in general is, arguably, the best in the nation and a major reason why they land in our top 10.
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BYU is seen as a real title contender this season because of projected NBA lottery pick AJ Dybantsa. However, the Cougars also have a very good backcourt combo in Richie Saunders and Robert Wright III, who are putting up nearly 40 points per night. The Cougars should be a top 10 stalwart because of the trio of stars.
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Brad Underwood has turned Illinois into a top program every season in the Big Ten, and nothing is changing in 2025-26. In his second year with the Fighting Illini, Kylan Boswell has taken another key leap forward in his game. But the player that makes this Illinois team more dangerous than recent seasons is talented freshman David Mirkovic. The big man is averaging an impressive 16 points and 12 boards a night.
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Louisville has gotten off to an unbeaten start this season due to the strong play of its trio of talented guards. Mikel Brown Jr. is getting a lot of buzz about being a top 10 pick in next year's NBA Draft. However, senior Ryan Conwell has been just as good, and fellow Cardinals veteran Isaac McKneely is as reliable as ever. These three make them tough to match up with every night.
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Duke is off to another classic Blue Devils start in 2025-26 because of the outstanding play of super prospect Cameron Boozer . The freshman, who had to take over for another super prospect in Cooper Flagg , leads the team in points (21), rebounds (10), assists (4), and blocks (1). Duke will go as far as Boozer takes them, and he already has them in the top five of our college basketball rankings.
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What a surprise. It's another season in college basketball, and UConn is among the elite teams in the nation. While they took a bit of a step back last season, they are primed for another deep run in March.
Senior big man Taris Reed Jr. has been great, as well as front-court partner Alex Karaban . What is so fascinating about the Huskies is that they have been this good already and haven't even gotten star freshman Braylon Mullins on the court yet this year.
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Kelvin Sampson and his Houston team are again one of the very best teams in the nation to begin the new season. Senior Emmanuel Sharp has been as important as ever. However, they have serious potential to get back to the championship game in March if freshman Kingston Flemings and Chris Cenac Jr. can continue to develop into the elite talents many believe they are.
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Purdue is ranked among the top teams in the nation to begin the 2025-26 season because they have something most top 25 teams lack: Top players with a boatload of experience. Seniors Fletcher Loyer and Trey Kaufman-Renn are off to very nice starts, and their ability to use their veteran savvy to outwit opponents will make them a problem all season long.
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Arizona looks set to have a serious run at a championship next March. Led by star senior and Jaden Bradley and big-time NBA prospect and freshman Koat Peat, the Wildcats have already posted wins over three top 15 teams to begin the year, including UConn. Arizona is showing why there is so much hype around them this season.
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