Tomorrow's Top 25 Today: Iowa State moves up in projected AP Top 25 college basketball rankings
Iowa State and UConn stand to benefit from Michigan's first loss of the season in Monday's AP poll
By
Kyle Boone
•
6 min read
A week of chaos in college basketball -- during which we saw 11 ranked teams suffer at least one loss and three teams suffer two losses -- guarantees that Monday's AP Top 25 poll will bring with it plenty of upheaval. The only sure thing going into Monday: No. 1 Arizona will remain No. 1, and it also might have the strongest grip on the ranking for any No. 1 team all season, to boot.
Arizona's share of first-place votes has fallen each of the last three weeks -- from 42 to 38 to 32 last week -- as No. 2 Michigan made its case for No. 1 and ate into its hold on the spot. But Michigan's first loss of the season Saturday at home to Wisconsin as 19.5-point favorites means the runway is clear for the Wildcats to seize full control at No. 1.
The most first-place votes a team has gotten this season was Purdue's 46 in Week 4. Arizona could and likely will enter that territory Monday.
Michigan's loss also clears the way for undefeated Iowa State to move up one spot to No. 2 -- which would mark not just its highest ranking of the season but also tie its highest standing in the AP poll in program history. Only once has ISU ranked No. 2 in the poll -- and that came Week 11 of last season.
College basketball scores, winners, losers: Michigan loses first game, Nebraska tops Indiana, remains unbeaten
Kyle Boone
As you can tell, Michigan's loss is the precipitating event that will cause this inevitable commotion Monday, and how AP voters handle the Wolverines in the poll is a mystery. My guess, however, is that Michigan -- 14-1 overall and still leading the sport in scoring margin -- will settle in ballots and remain somewhere inside the top five.
In fact, that's hardly the toughest decision for voters this week as they prep their ballots. Ten teams ranked 13th or worse suffered at least one loss this week. There is going to be plenty of shuffling in that area, and also perhaps some new teams enter the rankings because of it. Let's get to my projections below.
| 1 |  |
| Monday will be the fifth consecutive week for Arizona at No. 1 in the AP poll. It won twice vs. Big 12 foes by double figures this week to improve to 16-0 on the season. Previous: 1 | |
| 2 |  |
| Iowa State will move to No. 2 Monday, tying for its highest ranking in the AP poll in program history. It defeated Oklahoma State at home on Saturday 83-71 and is 16-0 on the season. Previous: 3 | |
| 3 |  |
| Every AP Top 25 poll this season has included UConn in the top five -- and that won't change Monday. I have the Huskies moving up one spot to No. 3 this week, benefiting from Michigan's loss. Previous: 4 | |
| 4 |  |
| Wisconsin made 15 3s in Ann Arbor Saturday and buried Michigan in a dazzling shooting performance. But it's Michigan's first loss of the season and it still has arguably the best overall resume in college hoops. Voters won't move Michigan past No. 5, and I have them settling at No. 4. Previous: 2 | |
| 5 |  |
| Purdue could move up one spot if voters plunge Michigan an extra spot but I have the Boilermakers standing pat at No. 5 for a third-straight week. They beat Washington and Penn State at home to move to 15-1 this week. Previous: 5 | |
| 6 |  |
| Wins over Louisville and SMU this week kept Duke perfect (4-0) in ACC play as it improved to 15-1 on the season overall. It isn't likely to break into the top five this week, though. I have voters keeping Duke at No. 6. Previous: 6 | |
| 7 |  |
| Houston moved up one spot in last week's AP poll but is likely to stay put at No. 7 because of the gap between Duke, Purdue and others above it. It is knocking on the door to move up after another strong week with wins over Texas Tech and Baylor. Previous: 7 | |
| 8 |  |
| Now 17-1 on the season and riding a 10-game winning streak, Gonzaga -- top-10 in the poll for each of the last four updates -- will once again be in the top 10 Monday. Previous: 8 | |
| 9 |  |
| With only one top-10 team losing this week, BYU -- despite a 12-game winning streak -- is likely staying put at No. 9 for another week. It has been top-10 in every poll this season but never been higher than No. 7. Previous: 9 | |
| 10 |  |
| Nebraska erased a 16-point second-half deficit and beat Indiana on the road Saturday to keep its undefeated season (16-0) alive. Its top-10 status could be in jeopardy with Vanderbilt's strong week putting it in contention to leap the Cornhuskers. Previous: 10 | |
| 11 |  |
| I have Vanderbilt staying put at No. 11 but voters might flip it with Nebraska and put it at No. 10 after it beat No. 13 Alabama on Wednesday and then downed LSU by 11 on Saturday. The Commodores are 16-0 -- matching their best start to a season in program history. Previous: 11 | |
| 12 |  |
| I have Michigan State staying put at No. 12 this week. There should be a lot of shuffling in the teens this week but the Spartans are safe here. Previous: 12 | |
| 13 |  |
| There should be a nice bump in line for Illinois in the poll after its perfect week wrapped with a road win over No. 19 Iowa , 75-69, on Sunday. Previous: 16 | |
| 14 |  |
| North Carolina played just once this week and took care of business at home vs. Wake Forest . It is 14-2 overall and should jump back into the top-15. Previous: 17 | |
| 15 |  |
| A close home loss to a top-10 Houston team and a road win over Colorado might cost Texas Tech a spot or two -- but I don't expect it falls far. I have it dropping one spot this week. Previous: 14 | |
| 16 |  |
| Arkansas went 1-1 this week with a nice road win over Ole Miss and an ugly, lopsided road loss at Auburn . It is 12-4 with wins over Texas Tech and Tennessee , among others, in the last month, which should keep the Razorbacks comfortably in the top-20. Previous: 15 | |
| 17 |  |
| There's a real chance Alabama falls as much as any ranked team last week in this week's poll. It went 0-2 this week with losses to Vandy and Texas. Previous: 13 | |
| 18 |  |
| Because of losses by nearly every team ranked No. 18 or worse in last week's poll, Virginia is primed to make a big leap Monday. Now 14-2, the Cavaliers have won 9 of their last 10. Previous: 23 | |
| 19 |  |
| Seton Hall was receiving votes but unranked last week -- and that changes this week. Shaheen Holloway's club is 14-2 overall and 4-1 in Big East play with three-straight wins over Marquette , Creighton and Georgetown . UConn is up next Tuesday. Previous: NR | |
| 20 |  |
| The SEC schedule was unkind to Georgia this week with two road tests vs. Florida and South Carolina . The Bulldogs went 1-1 in that stretch -- headlined by a 92-77 loss at Florida on Tuesday. Previous: 18 | |
| 21 |  |
| Despite losing two of its last three, and despite Boston College giving Louisville a bit more of a scare than it should have, Louisville should remain in the rankings this week. It is 12-4 overall and 2-2 in ACC action. Previous: 20 | |
| 22 |  |
| Iowa's in jeopardy of dropping out of the rankings this week after consecutive Big Ten losses to Minnesota and Illinois. I have the Hawkeyes hanging just inside the top 25 at No. 22 -- which would be a three-spot drop from last week. Previous: 19 | |
| 23 |  |
| Road wins over Air Force and Boise State this week moved Utah State to 14-1 on the season and 5-0 in MWC play. The Aggies have not been ranked yet this season, but that should change. Previous: NR | |
| 24 |  |
| Miami (Ohio) is one of five undefeated teams remaining in college basketball and it has been receiving votes for four consecutive poll updates. This might be the week it cracks the rankings. It'd be the first time since 1998-99 the RedHawks are a top-25 team. Previous: NR | |
| 25 |  |
| Brad Brownell's Clemson club has won seven consecutive games and is 14-3 after a 15-point road win Saturday over Notre Dame . The Tigers are one of only three ACC teams still unbeaten in conference play. Previous: NR | |
