Updated Men’s College Basketball Rankings: Iowa State Climbs into Top 5 (Dec. 12, 2025)

The 2025-26 college basketball season is underway, and the top programs around the country are starting to separate themselves from the pack. So who are the best of the best in the sport right now? We look to answer that question with our updated men’s college basketball rankings, showcasing the top 25 teams as of Dec. 12, 2025.

25. St. John’s (LW: UR)

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There were huge expectations for St. John’s this season after a big year in 2024-25. However, things have been very bumpy over the first month and change for the Red Storm. After losing just five losses last season, they already have three after eight games. The saving grace is that they have all come to ranked teams. Nevertheless, top star Zuby Ejiofor and his team have work to do if they want to make a real jump in these college basketball rankings.

24. Florida (LW: 20)

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Following a tough loss to Arizona to open the year, defending champions Florida rebounded and got on a bit roll by winning four straight. However, the strong schedule they created for themselves this season continues to be a problem for the Gators.

Juniors Alex Condon and Thomas Haugh have played well with expanded roles this season, but it hasn’t been enough to avoid losing four of their first nine this season, including to elite programs Duke and UConn recently.

23. USC (LW: 16)

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Year one for Eric Musselman at USC wasn’t what anyone hoped for as they finished the season 17-18. But transfers Chad Baker-Mazara and Rodney Rice have been dynamite for the Trojans this year, with each averaging 20 points per game. It’s why they have begun the season by winning nine of their first 10.

If not for a surprise upset loss to Washington recently, USC would be higher in our latest college basketball rankings.

22. Nebraska (LW: UR)

Fred Hoiberg may have his best team yet at Nebraska. The school heads into the weekend with a 9-0 record and has been led by former Bradley recruit Rienk Mast. The Dutch senior is leading his team in points (18.0 PG) and is chipping in with 6 boards and 3 assists a night. While they haven’t scored a marquee win yet, they will get some opportunities against ranked squads in the weeks ahead.

21. Virginia (LW: UR)

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Head coach Ryan Odom had a rough start in his first year overseeing Virginia in 2024-25. However, year two has gotten off to an impressive 9-1 start, thanks to the strong play of Belgian big man Thijs de Ridder. The freshman forward is posting 16 points and 6 rebounds, while shooting 42% from three in his debut season. This group is one to watch in the ACC this season.

20. Tennessee (LW: 15)

Tennessee freshman Nate Ament is proving why he is a top prospect for the 2026 NBA Draft. He is second on the team in points (16) and leads in rebounds (7) per game. The combo of him and senior guard Ja’Kobi Gillespie is why the Vols kicked off the season by winning their first seven games.

However, they have fallen into a deep slump over the last couple of weeks and have lost three straight, including to Illinois. It could be four in a row with a big game coming up against Louisville.

19. Auburn (LW: 19)

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Senior Keyshawn Hall is making a statement early in the new season for Auburn. He is averaging a double-double (20 points and 8 boards), is top 20 in the nation in scoring, and has spearheaded a Tigers team that is still holding on to a spot in the top 25 despite a trio of losses.

The saving grace is that their three defeats this season have come against elite teams, including No. 1 Arizona and Michigan.

18. Arkansas (LW: 22)

Arkansas is going with a pair of freshmen in the backcourt in 2025-26, and so far, the duo of Meleek Thomas and Darius Acuff Jr. has been pretty good, and each is posting 17 points per game.

In year two with legendary head coach John Calipari, the Razorbacks are a team to keep an eye on. While they have come up short against top 10 schools Michigan State and Duke, they bounced back recently with a big win over Louisville.

17. Texas Tech (LW: 25)

Texas Tech has progressed yearly during Grant McCasland’s first two seasons overseeing the Red Raiders program. Meaning 2025-26 has a lot of potential and could see the team win 30 games for the first time in 30 years. If the impressive scoring duo of JT Toppin and Christian Anderson can continue to play like they already have, Texas Tech can be a tough out all year in the Big 12.

Nevertheless, they have a lot to prove nationally, after losing to the two ranked teams they have played this year, including by 30 to Purdue.

16. Kansas (LW: 18)

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After a disappointing 21-13 result and a first-round ouster in the tournament last year, Bill Self and Kansas are hoping things can get better in 2025-26. But after three early-season losses to top-25 teams, North Carolina, Duke, and UConn, there is understandable concern about this year’s team.

However, sophomore Flory Bidunga and the Jayhawks have had very positive moments this season, including a big Feast Week win over Tennessee.

15. Vanderbilt (LW: 17)

Vanderbilt’s backcourt duo of Tyler Tanner and Duke Miles has gotten off to a really good start to the new season, and they are leading a Commodores offense that is scoring 96.8 PPG, which is fourth best in the nation. While they haven’t faced stiff competition, they have started the season 9-0 and have blowout victories in all but two of those games, including a 50-point win to start the season.

14. Illinois (LW: 13)

Brad Underwood has turned Illinois into a top program in the Big Ten, and nothing’s changed in 2025-26. Cal transfer Andrej Stojakovic has immediately become one of the team’s top scorers. But the player that makes this Illinois team more dangerous than recent seasons is talented freshman David Mirkovic. The big man is averaging an impressive 14 points and 10 boards a night.

Although they came up short against Alabama and UConn this season, they recently scored a big win over a talented Tennessee team this week.

13. North Carolina (LW: 14)

Hubert Davis’ North Carolina team is off to a very good start in large part to the strong play of freshman Caleb Wilson. The Atlanta native leads the Tar Heels in points (19), rebounds (10), and steals (2). However, he is also getting big support from veterans Henri Veesaar and Seth Trimble.

While they were blown out by Michigan State, wins over Kansas and Kentucky this season are why they’ve earned a spot in our latest college basketball top 25.

12. Alabama (LW: 12)

Alabama set up a tough schedule for itself to begin the season, playing games against four straight ranked teams. They split the quartet, scoring wins against St. John’s but also losing to Purdue.

They are a talented offensive team led by NBA lottery prospect Labaron Philon Jr., who has looked very good and is eighth in the nation in scoring (21.4 PPG). He is the tip of the spear for an offense that is posting 95 points a night, which is sixth best in the country heading into the weekend.

11. BYU (LW: 8)

BYU is seen as a dark-horse title contender this season because of future NBA lottery pick AJ Dybantsa. However, the Cougars also have a very good backcourt combo in Richie Saunders and Robert Wright III, who are putting up close to 40 points per night.

Although they suffered an early-season loss to UConn, the Cougars bounced back with a dominant win over a rock-solid Wisconsin team and head into the weekend with an 8-1 record.

10. Louisville (LW: 7)

Louisville has kicked off its campaign with an 8-1 record due to the strong play of its trio of talented guards. Mikel Brown Jr. is getting a lot of buzz about being a top 10 pick in next year’s NBA Draft. However, senior Ryan Conwell has been just as good, and fellow Cardinals veteran Isaac McKneely is as reliable as ever.

These three are why they are a top 10 scoring team in the nation (93.8 PPG), and it showed in a big early-season win over Kentucky. Their surprising Feast Week loss to Arkansas knocked them down in the top 10. However, they bounced back from the setback with a nice win over Indiana.

9. Gonzaga (LW: 11)

Mark Few’s Gonzaga squad is off to a fast start to the season due to high-level play from their veteran front court of Braden Huff and Graham Ike. The Bulldogs have a lot more experience than most teams, and it has shown in their 9-1 start.

They already have a trio of victories over ranked teams, including Alabama and Kentucky. However, a 40-point loss to Michigan was the biggest proof that they aren’t among the nation’s elite to begin the season.

8. Michigan State (LW: 6)

Legendary coach Tom Izzo unsurprisingly looks to have another very good Michigan State team on his hands. They have a deep squad that has proven to be a handful for opponents this season. There is no better proof of their potential than scoring a pair of big wins over Kentucky and North Carolina this season.

Sophomore Jeremy Fears Jr. has been impressive as one of the leaders of their offense, ranking first in the country in assists (9.8 per game), and it has helped push Jaxon Kohler to a career-best 14 points per game. The Spartans got a huge test last week at home when they took on Duke. Unfortunately, they failed to upset the Blue Devils.

7. Houston (LW: 9)

Kelvin Sampson and his Houston team are again an elite team in the nation this season. Senior Emmanuel Sharp has been as important as ever and is leading the way in scoring (18 PPG). However, they have serious potential to get back to the championship game in March if freshmen Kingston Flemings and Chris Cenac Jr. can develop into the elite talents many believe they are.

They have had a strong start to the season due to their elite defense (57.8 PPG), but their Feast Week loss to Tennessee has them a tier below the elites in college basketball this year.

6. Purdue (LW: 2)

Purdue is ranked among the top teams in the nation to begin the 2025-26 season because it has something most top 25 teams lack: Top players with a boatload of experience. Seniors Fletcher Loyer and Trey Kaufman-Renn are off to very nice starts and are combining for nearly 30 points a night.

Their ability to use their veteran savvy has already become apparent in big early-season wins over ranked squads Alabama and Texas Tech. However, a surprise blowout loss to Iowa State recently shows they have clear weaknesses.

5. Iowa State (LW: 10)

In his final season at Iowa State, Joshua Jefferson is getting the attention of NBA Draft evaluators. The Las Vegas native leads the team in points (18) and rebounds (6). Furthermore, the Cyclones have gotten very good play from fellow senior Tamin Lipsey and forward Milan Momcilovic.

It’s why they started the year 10-0, and they sent a major statement this week when they smashed former No. 1 team Purdue.

4. UConn (LW: 5)

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What a surprise. It’s another season in college basketball, and UConn is among the elite teams in the nation. While they took a bit of a step back last season, they looked primed for another deep run in March.

Senior big man Taris Reed Jr. has been great, as well as junior guard Solo Ball. What is so fascinating about the Huskies is that they have been this good and just recently got star freshman Braylon Mullins on the court. Despite a loss to the top team in our college basketball rankings, Arizona, they have big wins over three top 25 teams, including BYU.

3. Michigan (LW: 4)

To begin the new season, Michigan is showing that head coach Dusty May has a juggernaut on his hands in his second season overseeing the program. A major reason is the addition of Yaxel Lendeborg from the transfer portal.

Yet, while the former UAB star is getting a lot of early attention, the Wolverines’ front line, in general, is arguably the best in the nation and a major reason they are in striking distance of the top spot in our updated college basketball rankings. There is no better proof of their serious potential than a pair of dominant wins this season over Auburn and Gonzaga.

2. Duke (LW: 3)

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Duke is off to another classic Blue Devils start in 2025-26 because of the outstanding play of super prospect Cameron Boozer. The freshman, who had to step in for another super prospect, Cooper Flagg, leads the team — and is second in the nation — in points (23), rebounds (9), assists (4), and blocks (2).

Duke will go as far as Boozer takes them, but he has some solid help in sophomores Isaiah Evans and Patrick Ngongba. It’s why they are in the top five of our latest college basketball rankings after wins over four top 25 teams, including defending champions Florida and Michigan State.

1. Arizona (LW: 1)

Arizona has been outstanding to begin the season and looks primed for a serious run at a championship in March. Led by star senior Jaden Bradley and big-time NBA prospect freshman Koat Peat, the Wildcats have already posted wins over four top 25 teams, including national powerhouses Florida and UConn.

Arizona is showing why they are the new cream of the crop in the Big 12 and in the country after the first month.

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