There are a mere few days left of waiting before we can finally, again, hit the road. The road of uncertainty but a path paved with promises to untold, outstanding surprises that await. The road that spans from California to Connecticut, from North Carolina to North Dakota, from Maine to Washington and all points between.
The road to the Final Four.
It starts here, today.
I’ve broken out the utensils and once again drawn up a map for the season ahead. The graphic you see atop this story (which you can view and download in high-resolution here) is a projection of the best team in each of the 49 states that compete in Division I. A handful of states only house one D-I program; their logos remain unchanged year over year. Others have a reliable rotation of alternating logos (think: California, Texas, Ohio, North Carolina), thanks to a potency of competent programs and basketball pride. This is not a historic ranking; this is a here-and-now look at which teams are positioned to be the best over the next five months.
College basketball rankings: The Top 100 and 1 Players entering the 2025-26 season
Kyle Boone
If you’re curious how I came to pick the best in each state, my map was sourced from my Top 100 And 1 rankings, which were researched and diligently built over the better part of a month. For states with schools that didn’t crack that list, I made those picks based on 2025-26 forecasts, including my own projections and relying/counterbalancing on computer modeling from some of the best advanced metrics available. Pack…
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