Men’s AP Top 25 poll reaction: Highlights, what’s next for every team
After a break in the last week of the 2025 calendar year, the men’s AP Top 25 poll has returned in 2026.
Nebraska rises from No. 13 to 10 while Michigan State falls from No. 9 to 12 — the top 10 otherwise remains in tact, with Houston and Gonzaga swapping spots, and BYU rising one.
Florida and USC fall out while SMU and UCF crack the rankings following big wins over North Carolina and Kansas, respectively.
Let’s run through statistical highlights and the next game for each of the Top 25 teams.
All times Eastern. All stats courtesy of ESPN Research unless otherwise noted.
Previous polls: Preseason | Week 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7
Previous ranking: 1
2025-26 record: 14-0
Stat to know: One of six unbeaten teams in Division I, the Wildcats’ 14-game win streak is tied for their third longest to start a season in program history. They had 21 straight wins in 2013-14, 16 straight in 1931-32 and 14 straight in 2012-13.
What’s next: Wednesday vs. Kansas State, 9 p.m., FS1
Previous ranking: 2
2025-26 record: 13-0
Stat to know: The Wolverines are 3-0 against AP-ranked teams this season, winning all of them by 30 or more points. That makes them the first team in AP Poll history with three straight 30-point wins against AP-ranked teams. They are the third team in AP Poll history with three 30-point wins against ranked teams in a season, joining 1993-94 Minnesota and 1996-97 Kentucky.
What’s next: Tuesday @ Penn State, 7 p.m., FS1
Previous ranking: 3
2025-26 record: 14-0
Stat to know: Another one of the six unbeatean teams in D-I this season, the Cyclones are tied with their 2013-14 selves for their best start in program history. The 14-game win streak is also tied for the second longest active win streak in D-I, with Miami (OH) — only Nebraska has more with 18.
What’s next: Wednesday @ Baylor, 8 p.m., Peacock
Previous ranking: 4
2025-26 record: 14-1
Stat to know: The Huskies have rattled off 10 straight wins this season, their longest single-season win streak since they closed out 2023-24 with 13 wins in a row — and the national championship. This is also their second 14-1 or better start in the past 15 seasons, along with the 2022-23 national championship-winning season.
What’s next: Wednesday @ Providence, 5 p.m., Peacock/NBCSN
Previous ranking: 5
2025-26 record: 13-1
Stat to know: Braden Smith now owns the Big Ten career assists record, passing Cassius Winston with 12 assists in the win against Wisconsin.
What’s next: Wednesday vs. Washington, 8:30 p.m., BTN
Previous ranking: 6
2025-26 record: 13-1
Stat to know: Duke has won 13 of its first 14 games in a season for just the sixth time in the past 15 years.
What’s next: Tuesday @ Louisville, 7 p.m., ESPN
Previous ranking: 8
2025-26 record: 13-1
Stat to know: Kingston Flemings had a team-leading 19 points, 6 assists and 5 steals in Houston’s narrow win against Cincinnati. He’s the only freshman in Division I with more than one game of 15 points, 5 assists and 5 steals this season, after racking up 21 points, 5 assists and 8 steals against Florida State on Dec. 6.
What’s next: Tuesday vs. Texas Tech, 9 p.m., FS1
Previous ranking: 7
2025-26 record: 16-1
Stat to know: Since first joining a Division I conference in 1963-64 (the Big Sky back then), Gonzaga has won 90 games by at least 30 points in conference play. The next-closest D-I team to win like that, in that span, is Kentucky with 71. Mark Few is responsible for 79 of those 90 wins, since he became the head coach in 1999-00. The next closest team to win like that, in that span, is Belmont with 38.
What’s next: Thursday vs Santa Clara, 11:30 p.m., ESPN2
Previous ranking: 10
2025-26 record: 13-1
Stat to know: BYU has won 10 straight games, its first such streak since it had 10 straight during Jimmer Fredette’s senior season in 2010-2011. This is, overall, the Cougars’ best start to a season since that 2010-11 season, when it also started 13-1.
What’s next: Wednesday vs. Arizona State, 9 p.m., Peacock/NBCSN
Previous ranking: 13
2025-26 record: 14-0
Stat to know: Nebraska got its first home win in an AP-ranked matchup since defeating Kansas in 1991. The win against Michigan State on Saturday is its second ranked vs. ranked win overall this season, after defeating then-No. 13 Illinois on the road on Dec. 13. The Cornhuskers had won just 3 ranked matchups in program history before this season. Their 18-win streak (dating back to last season) is the longest active win streak in Division I and the longest in program history.
What’s next: Monday @ Ohio State, 6:30 p.m., FS1
Previous ranking: 11
2025-26 record: 14-0
Stat to know: This is the second time in school history that Vanderbilt — another of the six unbeaten men’s D-I teams — has started a season 14-0. The other time was in 2007-08, when it started 16-0.
What’s next: Wednesday vs. Alabama, 9 p.m., ESPN2
Previous ranking: 9
2025-26 record: 12-2
Stat to know: Jaxon Kohler owns Michigan State’s longest double-double streak (5) after the loss to Nebraska, after Paul Davis had seven straight between 2004-06.
What’s next: Monday vs. USC, 8:30 p.m., FS1
Previous ranking: 14
2025-26 record: 11-3
Stat to know: Alabama has now had 34 games in which it has made 15 or more 3s under Nate Oats (since 2019-20). The Tide trail only North Florida (36 games) in Division I in this respect.
What’s next: Wednesday @ Vanderbilt, 9 p.m., ESPN2
Previous ranking: 15
2025-26 record: 9-3
Stat to know: There have been four instances of a Texas Tech player scoring or assisting on at least 50 points in a game over the past 15 seasons — all belong to Christian Anderson this season. Those are also the four highest games in terms of “points created” by a Texas Tech player over the past 25 years.
What’s next: Tuesday @ Houston, 9 p.m., FS1
Previous ranking: 18
2025-26 record: 11-3
Stat to know: Head coach John Calipari is now tied with Rick Barnes for most career wins among active coaches, with 846.
What’s next: Wednesday @ Ole Miss, 9 p.m., SEC Network
Previous ranking: 20
2025-26 record: 11-3
Stat to know: Illinois has 14 straight wins over unranked opponents, tied for its longest such win streak in the past 20 seasons (last done February-November 2024).
What’s next: Thursday vs. Rutgers, 8:30 p.m., BTN
Previous ranking: 12
2025-26 record: 13-2
Stat to know: The Tar Heels allowed 97 points in the weekend’s 14-point loss to SMU — the most they’ve allowed against an unranked team since Wake Forest scored 98 in 2022. The 14-point margin is also their largest as a ranked team against an unranked team since they lost by 21 to Louisville in 2019.
What’s next: Saturday vs. Wake Forest, 6 p.m., ACC Network
Previous ranking: 23
2025-26 record: 13-1
Stat to know: Georgia leads the nation in scoring (99.4 points per game) as well as blocks (7.9 per game).
What’s next: Tuesday @ Florida, 7 p.m., SEC Network
Previous ranking: 25
2025-26 record: 12-2
Stat to know: Iowa’s 12 wins are the team’s most through 14 games since 2020-21 (12-2).
What’s next: Tuesday @ Minnesota, 8 p.m., BTN
Previous ranking: 16
2025-26 record: 11-3
Stat to know: Louisville is now 1-3 on the road this season, following Friday’s loss to Stanford. It was 9-2 on the road last season. There is a bright spot, though: The Cardinals are 10-0 at home or at a neutral site this season.
What’s next: Tuesday vs. Duke, 7 p.m., ESPN
Previous ranking: 19
2025-26 record: 10-4
Stat to know: Tennessee lost its SEC conference opener on Saturday despite shooting better than Arkansas from the field (49% vs. 42%) and from the 3-point line (38% vs. 30%). The Vols lost the game at the free throw line, going 12 for 23 (53%) compared to the Razorbacks’ 88% (29 for 33).
What’s next: Tuesday vs. Texas, 9 p.m., ESPN2
Previous ranking: 17
2025-26 record: 10-4
Stat to know: Darryn Peterson has scored 103 points in 128 minutes of playing time so far this season. Those 103 points are the fourth most through five career games in Big 12 history, behind Michael Beasley (150), Trae Young (141) and Kevin Durant (112).
What’s next: Tuesday vs. TCU, 8 p.m., ESPN
Previous ranking: 21
2025-26 record: 12-2
Stat to know: Virginia was 13 for 33 from beyond the arc in Saturday’s 15-point win over NC State — the Cavaliers’ sixth game this season attempting more than 30 3s, their most in a season since at least 1996-97.
What’s next: Wednesday vs. California, 9 p.m., ACC Network
Previous ranking: Unranked
2025-26 record: 12-2
What’s next: Wednesday at Clemson, 9 p.m., ESPNU
Previous ranking: Unranked
2025-26 record: 12-1
What’s next: Tuesday at Oklahoma State, 8 p.m., ESPN+
