The fifth AP Top 25 poll of the 2025-2026 season was released on Monday, and for the third time this season a new No. 1 team emerged. After Iowa State upset Purdue, it opened the door for one of the remaining undefeated players (Duke, Arizona and Michigan) to jump to No. 1.
Arizona jumped to No. 1 in the latest poll, receiving 33 first-place votes. Michigan (19), Duke (seven) and Iowa State (one) also received the top spot in the poll. The Wildcats own wins over UCLA, UConn, Auburn and Florida.
Michigan received the second-most first-place votes last week (15) and moved up one spot to No. 2 in the poll this week. The Wolverines are off to an 8-0 start and have wins on their resume over San Diego State, Auburn and Gonzaga. The Wolverines opened Big Ten play with a 101-60 victory over Rutgers. The Wolverines have won five straight games by at least 30 points after surviving a scare against TCU last month.
Duke jumped one spot at number 3 after recording victories over reigning national champion Florida and Michigan State on the road. Duke will take on Michigan on Feb. 21 in one of the biggest non-conference games of the season.
After falling to 5-4 with losses to North Carolina and Gonzaga, Kentucky fell out of the poll for the first time during the Mark Pope era. Kentucky is off to its worst start since the shortened 2020-21 season, when former coach John Calipari had his team 1-6 before SEC play started. For that, the last time Kentucky lost at least four games before SEC play started, we have to go back to the 2007-08 season, when the program started 6-7.
AP Top 25
1. Arizona (33)
2. Michigan (19)
3. Duke (7)
4. Iowa State (1)
5. UConn
6.Purdue
7. Houston
8. Gonzaga
9. Michigan State
10. BYU
11.Louisville
12. Alabama
13.Illinois
14. North Carolina
15.Vanderbilt
16. Texas Technology
17.Arkansas
18. Florida
19. Kansas
20.Tennessee
21. Chestnut brown
22. St. John
23.Nebraska
24.Virginia
25.UCLA
Others receiving votes: Iowa 60, Oklahoma State 54, USC 50, Georgia 49, Saint Mary’s 38, Seton Hall 31, Kentucky 29, Wisconsin 24, Indiana 18, Clemson 14, LSU 14, Villanova 9, California 6, Notre Dame 4, Miami 4, SMU 3, TCU 2, Arizona State 2, Miami (Ohio) 2, St. Bonaventure 1.
Let the debate about number 1 begin
Four different teams received at least one first-place vote after Purdue lost to Iowa State. Voters couldn’t go wrong with Arizona, Michigan or Duke. Arizona has one of the best resumes in the country. Duke just came off two big wins over Florida and Michigan State. And you can’t forget Michigan, a team that has won five straight games by at least 30 points. The results will become visible in the coming weeks.
Kentucky is in the midst of a free fall
There hasn’t been a more disappointing team than Kentucky. The Wildcats came into this season with a ton of hype under Pope, and the early results weren’t exactly positive. Kentucky is 0-4 against ranked opponents this season, with its best win coming against Valparaiso, a team ranked in the 200s of the NET Rankings. Kentucky, frankly, has a very expensive problem. This is the first time during Pope’s tenure that his team fell out of the rankings. The good news for him and his team is that there is plenty of time to get back on track. Kentucky has two big non-conference games coming up against Indiana and St. John’s.
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