Auburn Leads AP Poll for 7th Week; KU Falls Out

For the seventh consecutive week, Auburn stayed at the pinnacle of the AP Top 25 on Monday. Meanwhile, Kansas, which started the season as the top-ranked team, exited the men’s basketball rankings for the first time in nearly four years, terminating an impressive 80-week stretch.

Auburn seized all 60 votes from the national media after asserting victories over Arkansas and Georgia. Following closely, Duke claimed the second spot, with Florida moving ahead in the rankings, closely accompanied by Houston and Tennessee to complete the top five. Remarkably, Houston possesses the longest current streak within the Top 25, boasting a 102-week presence.

Kansas was ousted from the rankings for the first time since February 8, 2021—a season significantly disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The Jayhawks had previously sustained an impressive stint of 231 consecutive weeks in the poll. Their removal this week came after a 74-67 setback at Utah and a record-breaking 91-57 defeat at BYU, marking the largest losing margin for a ranked Kansas team against an unranked adversary. Notably, BYU ascended to No. 25 in the rankings.

Kansas rebounded by venting their frustration on Oklahoma State, securing a commanding 96-64 triumph at Allen Fieldhouse on Saturday.

“We’re 1-0,” Kansas coach Bill Self remarked afterward. “That’s our focus now, and what unfolds on the stat sheet each game is our reality. We’re steering clear of dwelling on past outcomes.”

Alabama slipped to No. 6, followed by St. John’s and Michigan State, with the latter surging six places after consecutive wins against ranked teams, Purdue and Michigan. Iowa State and Texas Tech finalized the top 10 positions.

Simultaneously, Kansas and Ole Miss saw their departures from the poll create opportunities for Saint Mary’s and BYU. Saint Mary’s made their debut at No. 23 after besting Portland and Gonzaga, while BYU reached a nerve-wracking 96-95 win against then-No. 19 Arizona, propelled by Richie Saunders’ decisive free throws with a mere 3.2 seconds to go. Impressively, these victories mark the first time since 1988 that the Cougars vanquished ranked teams in successive games.

“In addressing our squad, whatever lies in front—from practices to games—is approached with the same intensity,” BYU’s first-year coach Kevin Young stated. “It might sound cliché, but our success thrives on tackling each moment as it comes.”

Notable shifts in the rankings saw Louisville joining Michigan State with a six-position ascent, landing at No. 19 after triumphing against Florida State, their fifth consecutive victory. They now parallel No. 13 Clemson in the ACC, trailing only the second-ranked Blue Devils.

Purdue experienced a seven-spot drop to No. 20 following losses to Michigan State and Indiana but persisted within the Top 25 for the 55th consecutive week—a streak third only to Houston and Tennessee, which stands at 76 weeks.

Kansas’s exit coincides with other preseason top-ranked teams faltering this season. UConn, the two-time defending national champion, initially ranked third with 11 first-place votes, now finds zero representation in the present ballots. Likewise, Gonzaga, Baylor, and North Carolina, initially ranked sixth, eighth, and ninth respectively, are absent from the current rankings.

Altogether, more than half of the preseason expected top teams—13 to be exact—were missing from this week’s Top 25.

The SEC continued to showcase its strength with three of its teams in the top five and eight overall within the Top 25. The Big 12 boasted three in the top 10 and five in total, with the Big Ten matching that number. The ACC hosted three teams, the Big East had two, while both the American and West Coast conferences each presented one team.