The first in-season AP Top 25 poll of the 2025-26 college basketball season was released Monday, and we already have a new No. 1 team. Houston jumped Purdue to assume the No. 1 spot in the latest poll despite receiving just 18 first-place votes.
Purdue struggled during its second game of the season but held on for an 87-77 win over Oakland. The Boilermakers’ first test of the season will come against No. 8 Alabama on Thursday. Six different teams received at least one first-place vote in the poll.
That wasn’t the only shakeup in the top 10 after reigning national champion Florida lost to Arizona and St. John’s was on the wrong side of an upset loss against Alabama.
Florida dropped seven spots to No. 10, while St. John’s fell from No. 5 to No. 13 in the poll. Alabama moved up to No. 8 after recording a statement win over the Red Storm at Madison Square Garden behind a standout performance by star guard Labaron Philon. Arizona leapfrogged Florida and moved to No. 5.
Late decision by Labaron Philon to return to Alabama pays off in early season upset vs. St. John’s
Cameron Salerno
One of the risers into the top five was Duke. The Blue Devils jumped two spots to No. 4 after a win over Texas in the first game of the Cameron Boozer era. UConn moved up one spot to No. 3 after blowout wins over New Haven and UMass Lowell to open the season.
Arkansas dropped seven spots after losing to Michigan State on the road in one of the marquee ranked-on-ranked matchups of the opening week of the season. The Razorbacks checked in…
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