After this weekend’s top 3 matchup between Gonzaga and Iowa, the end of non-conference play is upon us. Slowly but surely teams across the country have moved into their familiar slates against conference foes, which is bittersweet and exciting all at the same time. A lot of action went down this week, and there’s quite a bit of shakeup in our rankings to reflect that. Let’s get into it:
Rank | Composite | Alex | Ben | Dylan | Ryan |
1 | Gonzaga | Gonzaga | Gonzaga | Gonzaga | Gonzaga |
2 | Baylor | Baylor | Baylor | Baylor | Baylor |
3 | Kansas | Kansas | Kansas | Kansas | Kansas |
4 | Houston | Houston | Houston | Houston | Houston |
5 | Iowa | Villanova | Iowa | Iowa | Iowa |
6 | Villanova | West Virginia | Villanova | Villanova | Villanova |
7 | West Virginia | Iowa | West Virginia | Texas | Tennessee |
8 | Texas | Texas | Texas | West Virginia | West Virginia |
9 | Tennessee | Tennessee | Wisconsin | Rutgers | Texas |
10 | Rutgers | Rutgers | Tennessee | Tennessee | Rutgers |
11 | Wisconsin | Wisconsin | Creighton | Creighton | Wisconsin |
12 | Creighton | Creighton | Rutgers | Wisconsin | Creighton |
13 | Michigan State | Missouri | Michigan State | Michigan State | Michigan State |
14 | Texas Tech | Texas Tech | Texas Tech | Texas Tech | Missouri |
15 | Missouri | Michigan State | North Carolina | Missouri | Texas Tech |
16 | Michigan | North Carolina | Missouri | Xavier | North Carolina |
17 | Xavier | Illinois | Illinois | Michigan | Michigan |
18 | North Carolina | Xavier | Michigan | Ohio State | Xavier |
19 | Ohio State | Michigan | Ohio State | Florida State | Ohio State |
20 | Illinois | Richmond | Xavier | Illinois | Virginia |
21 | Oregon | Ohio State | Oregon | Virginia | Duke |
22 | Florida State | San Diego St | Virginia Tech | Oregon | Oregon |
23 | Richmond | Oregon | Florida State | Richmond | Florida State |
24 | Virginia | Virginia Tech | Saint Louis | Saint Louis | Richmond |
25 | Virginia Tech | Virginia | Richmond | Duke | Virginia Tech |
Movers and Shakers
Patience Is A Virtue:
In a week where 12 of our Top 25 teams lost a game, sometimes the best game is no game at all. Without even playing a game this week, Missouri jumped 2 spots, Michigan jumped 8, and Virginia returned to the poll.
Gonzaga vs The Field:
Only one month into the season, the #1 ranked Bulldogs are unbeaten and hold wins over 3 teams in the top 10 of our poll. It may be very early in the season, but there may not be anyone anywhere who can stop the Zags on their road to a title.
Rutgers? Really?:
Steve Pikiell has Rutgers on a roll. They finished dead last in the B1G the two seasons prior to his arrival, and in his first two seasons at the helm. In Year 5, however, he has the Scarlet Knights ranked 10th in our poll, the second highest ranked team in arguably the best conference in the nation. As long as everything goes okay on the COVID front, it appears Rutgers is a lock to receive its first postseason berth since 2006, and is first NCAA Tournament since 1991.
We Hope To See You Again Soon:
When 12 teams in the Top 25 drop a game in a one week span, some teams are bound to exit the rankings. This week was the biggest mass exodus we have had as 5 teams left the poll. (#19) San Diego State lost a west coast clash with BYU, (#20) Louisville had their doors blown off in Madison losing by 37 to Wisconsin in a game they probably wish had remained postponed, (#22) Saint Louis went 1-1 against the power 5 but it wasn’t enough to keep them ranked, (#23) Clemson lost its first game as a member of the poll against once, and now once again, ranked Virginia Tech, and (#25) Oklahoma State dropped its first two conference games to TCU and Texas.
New Faces, Old Friends:
Five new teams enter the poll this week, with three of them making a return to the rankings. #25 Virginia Tech beat a ranked Clemson to open ACC play, #24 Virginia played the waiting game and snuck back in without playing in almost 2.5 weeks, and #23 Richmond returns after a week away thanks to solid wins over Vanderbilt and Loyola Chicago. Oregon debuts at #21, riding a 6 game win streak after dropping their opener to #15 Missouri, and Xavier jumps in at #17 after Adam Kunkel’s buzzer beater pushed them over Marquette in the Big East opener to move to 8-0.