With the calendar about to turn to 2026 and nonconference play making way for the full swing of conference schedules, we’ll start to see more separation in the national pecking order of college basketball.
Teams that have built gaudy records against softer schedules will have to answer questions quickly with more difficult games coming twice a week. There are six unbeatens still remaining: Arizona, Michigan, Iowa State, Vanderbilt, Nebraska and Miami (Ohio).
Which will be the next to lose? Which will be the last remaining unbeaten? Which teams have staying power?
Let’s take a look at how each got here and the biggest upcoming tests.
Record: 12-0
AP Top 25 ranking: 1
How they got here: Behind an exceptional debut from freshman Koa Peat (30 points), Arizona opened the season with a win over reigning champion Florida in Las Vegas and has racked up more quality wins since then. The Wildcats hold victories over UConn, Alabama, UCLA, Auburn and San Diego State, with only one of those coming on their home floor in Tucson. Their defeat of UConn in Storrs was one of the most impressive wins we’ll see from any team this season.
Why they’re unbeaten: Coach Tommy Lloyd has a tougher, more physical team than usual that could deliver the program its first Final Four since 2001. The roster is extremely well-balanced. Peat was sensational early, but his classmate Brayden Burries has been the offensive focal point of late. Jaden Bradley looks like one of the best point guards in the country as a senior, and the center duo of Motiejus Krivas and Tobe Awaka has few peers. Arizona is incredibly dominant inside but shoots nearly 38% from 3. The Wildcats are also ranked in the top five nationally in defensive efficiency.
Biggest upcoming test: Jan. 26 at BYU.
Arizona’s Big 12 schedule is backloaded; the Wildcats won’t face Kansas, Texas Tech, Houston, Baylor or Iowa State until February. A Jan. 17 trip to UCF could be tricky, but Arizona should win that one, too. So we’ll circle the Wildcats’ trip to Provo for a date with potential No. 1 NBA draft pick AJ Dybantsa and coach Kevin Young’s top-10 Cougars.
Record: 11-0
AP Top 25 ranking: 2
How they got here: After closer-than-expected wins over Wake Forest and TCU, Michigan went to Las Vegas for the Players Era Festival and came back as one of the most dominant teams in recent memory. The Wolverines ambushed San Diego State, Auburn and Gonzaga by a combined 110 points then kept the dominance rolling with a 41-point win over Rutgers, a 28-point win over Villanova, an 18-point win at Maryland and a 52-point win over La Salle.
Why they’re unbeaten: Dusty May’s team is experienced, deep, fast and big. Michigan leads the country in both 2-point percentage and 2-point percentage defense, while ranking just outside the top 10 in block percentage. And yet, the Wolverines play one of the fastest tempos and have the best defense in college basketball. UAB transfer Yaxel Lendeborg has emerged as an early Player of the Year candidate, teaming up with Morez Johnson Jr. and Aday Mara in an oversized and dominant frontcourt. Elliot Cadeau has run the offense effectively while taking care of the ball; Michigan has surrounded him with plenty of shooters.
Biggest upcoming test: Jan. 30 at Michigan State.
KenPom doesn’t project the Wolverines to win by fewer than 13 points for more than a month, when they travel to East Lansing to face their in-state rivals. Michigan State swept Michigan last season, and the Wolverines haven’t won the head-to-head matchup since Feb. 18, 2023.
Record: 12-0
AP Top 25 ranking: 3
How they got here: After losing scorers Keshon Gilbert and Curtis Jones from last season’s roster, there were questions about whether coach TJ Otzelberger could keep the momentum rolling for another campaign. Like Michigan, it was Iowa State’s trip to Las Vegas that opened some eyes. The Cyclones beat St. John’s in their Players Era Festival opener, then blew out Creighton and Syracuse. And if there were any remaining doubts, those were answered with a stunning 81-58 win over then-No. 1 Purdue — in West Lafayette. They backed that up with a victory over rival Iowa less than a week later.
Why they’re unbeaten: As is typically the case with an Otzelberger-coached team, the key revolves around the defensive end. Iowa State is again one of the country’s elite defenses, forcing turnovers at a higher rate than all but one other team. Tamin Lipsey is known as a top-notch defender, but freshman Killyan Toure has provided another high-level on-ball defensive player. Joshua Jefferson has taken the next step in his development and become an All-American-caliber player, and Milan Momcilovic has been the best shooter in the country so far this season. As a team, Iowa State shoots nearly 42% from 3, ranking No. 3 nationally.
Biggest upcoming test: Jan. 13 at Kansas.
It’s a toss-up between that and a Jan. 7 trip to Baylor; we’ll go with Kansas in case star freshman Darryn Peterson is back for Bill Self’s team. Iowa State’s Big 12 schedule is also backloaded, with a six-game stretch in February and March including matchups against Kansas, Houston, BYU, Texas Tech and Arizona.
Record: 12-0
AP Top 25 ranking: 11
How they got here: Vanderbilt still lacks a marquee win, but the Commodores have dominated a slew of very solid opponents with a 12-point win over UCF, a 15-point win over VCU, a 25-point win over Saint Mary’s, a 19-point win over SMU, an overtime road win at Memphis and a 31-point blowout of Wake Forest in Winston-Salem. As a result of those margins and opponents, Vandy ranks in the top 10 across nearly every metric, both from a résumé and efficiency standpoint.
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Vanderbilt Commodores vs. Wake Forest Demon Deacons: Game Highlights
Vanderbilt Commodores vs. Wake Forest Demon Deacons: Game Highlights
Why they’re unbeaten: Coach Mark Byington has an experienced, explosive unit. The Commodores are one of only six teams to rank in the top 15 in both offensive and defensive rating at KenPom, and both ends of the court are headlined by the backcourt of Tyler Tanner and Duke Miles. Tanner is arguably the most underrated point guard in the country, while Miles has rediscovered his high-level scoring ability from two seasons ago at High Point. Both are also exceptionally disruptive defensively, ranking in the top 20 nationally in steals rate. Tyler Nickel has already made 8 3-pointers in a game twice this season. And Devin McGlockton is the ultimate glue guy.
Biggest upcoming test: Jan. 7 vs. Alabama.
This is shaping up to be a “first to 100 wins” game. Both teams get up and down the court, stay in attack mode and shoot plenty of 3-pointers. The battle between sophomore guards Tanner and Alabama’s Labaron Philon Jr. will be as good as it gets — on paper, at least — in the SEC this season.
Record: 12-0
AP Top 25 ranking: 13
How they got here: Nebraska actually holds the nation’s longest active winning streak, dating to last season’s four-game run to win the College Basketball Crown. The Cornhuskers had some early notable wins over Oklahoma, New Mexico and Kansas State on neutral courts but really began to make waves when they ran off a 21-point win over Creighton, a 30-point win over Wisconsin and a road win at Illinois in a one-week span.
Why they’re unbeaten: The Cornhuskers take care of the ball, make 3s and are experienced — it’s a recipe that works. Even back in his days at the helm of Iowa State, Fred Hoiberg typically had one of the more prolific 3-point shooting teams in the country. That has been taken to a new level this season, with Nebraska attempting more than 50% of its shots from beyond the arc. Four players are making 1.5 or more 3s per game; four are shooting 38% or better from 3. The return of all-conference forward Rienk Mast, who sat out last season because of a knee injury, has been huge. And Pryce Sandfort is enjoying a breakout season after transferring from Iowa last spring.
Biggest upcoming test: Friday vs. Michigan State.
Nebraska doesn’t have the easiest start to 2026, with a home game against top-10 Michigan State before trips to NCAA tournament hopefuls Ohio State and Indiana. The last time Hoiberg’s team hosted the Spartans, in December 2023, Nebraska came away with a 77-70 win.
Record: 13-0
AP Top 25 ranking: Unranked (34th in votes)
How they got here: It helps that the RedHawks have the No. 363 strength of schedule in the country, according to KenPom and the BPI — and the No. 365 average opponent NET rank. Of their 13 wins, 12 are against teams ranked in the 200s or 300s at KenPom. But winning at Wright State by seven is a legitimately solid victory. It’s also worth noting that coach Travis Steele’s team has been handling most of its opponents with relative ease, ranking in the top 45 nationally in scoring margin.
Why they’re unbeaten: Even considering the caliber of opposition, Miami has been performing on the offensive end at an extremely high level. The RedHawks have scored at least 1.13 points per possession in every game this season and rank No. 2 in the country in offensive rating, according to CBB Analytics. They’re averaging better than 95 points, rank first nationally in field goal percentage and are top 10 in 3-point percentage. Steele has them humming at that end of the court — nine different players have already scored at least 15 points in a game this season, with six making at least nine 3s total this season.
Biggest upcoming test: Tuesday at Bowling Green.
The RedHawks could be the first on this list to suffer a loss, with a trip to face the Falcons awaiting ahead. Bowling Green is 10-3 this season, including a 16-point road win at Kansas State. A game against MAC favorite Akron on Saturday offers a statement opportunity for Miami either way.
