If you haven’t looked at the college basketball 2025 rankings men since the holidays, you’re in for a massive shock. Honestly, I didn't see this coming. We all expected the usual suspects like UConn and Duke to be hovering near the top, but the middle of January has turned the AP Top 25 into a total blender.
Arizona is sitting at No. 1 right now. That feels right. They look terrifying. But look a little further down that list. See Nebraska at No. 8? That isn't a typo. Fred Hoiberg has somehow guided the Cornhuskers to a 17-0 start, and the "Nebraska is a football school" jokes are officially dead for the season.
The Top of the Pile: Arizona and the Chase Pack
Arizona took over the top spot in the latest January 12 update. They just don't have many holes. Tommy Lloyd has them playing at a breakneck pace, and they recently went into Fort Worth and handled TCU like it was a scrimmage.
Iowa State is breathing down their necks at No. 2.
The Cyclones are 16-1. Their only blemish is a tough one, but they’ve basically turned Hilton Coliseum into a graveyard for top-tier teams. If you enjoy watching a defense that makes opponents want to quit the sport of basketball, Iowa State is your team.
UConn sits at No. 3, which is almost boring at this point. Dan Hurley’s squad is 17-1. They play with a level of intensity that looks exhausting to even watch from a couch. They don’t rebuild; they just reload and yell at refs more.
Current Top 10 Snapshot (AP Poll)
- Arizona (17-0)
- Iowa State (16-1)
- UConn (17-1)
- Michigan (15-1)
- Purdue (16-1)
- Duke (16-1)
- Houston (16-1)
- Nebraska (17-0)
- Gonzaga (17-1)
- Vanderbilt (16-1)
What the Heck is Happening in Lincoln?
We have to talk about Nebraska. It’s the law. This is a program that has literally never won an NCAA tournament game. Ever. Now, they are a top-10 team in the college basketball 2025 rankings men.
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Rienk Mast is the engine. The Dutch senior is putting up roughly 16 points and 7 boards a night. He’s not the flashiest athlete, but he’s smarter than everyone else on the floor.
The Cornhuskers just survived a week where the pressure finally started to mount, and they didn't blink. They are one of the only five undefeated teams left in Division I. The others? Arizona, Iowa State, Vanderbilt, and—get this—Miami (OH).
College hoops is amazing.
The Freshman Factor and NBA Dreams
If you're watching these rankings to scout for the 2026 NBA Draft, you're looking at BYU and North Carolina.
AJ Dybantsa at BYU is a problem.
He's averaging over 23 points a game. He’s a walking bucket. BYU is currently ranked No. 11 in the AP Poll, but some metrics like the "Top 25 and 1" have them as high as No. 4. Why? Because when you have a lottery pick who can also pass and rebound, you’re never out of a game.
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Then there's Caleb Wilson at UNC. The Tar Heels are No. 14, but Wilson is averaging a double-double as a freshman (19.3 PPG, 10.9 RPG). It’s been a bit of a rollercoaster for Hubert Davis this year, including a blowout loss to Michigan State back in November, but they’ve got wins over Kansas and Kentucky that keep them firmly in the elite tier.
Metrics vs. The Eye Test
The NET rankings—which the selection committee actually uses—tell a slightly different story than the AP voters.
Michigan is actually No. 1 in the NET right now.
They fell to No. 4 in the AP after a weird week where they struggled with Penn State and then lost to Wisconsin at home. But the computers love them. They have the No. 1 offensive efficiency in the country. If they can figure out how to stop giving up 80 points to unranked Big Ten teams, they’ll be back at the top of the human polls in no time.
Vanderbilt is another "wait, really?" team.
They are No. 10 in the AP but No. 11 in the NET. They recently beat Alabama 96-90 in a game that felt more like an All-Star game than an SEC grind. Alabama, by the way, dropped to No. 18. Nate Oats still has them playing "Loudmouth" basketball—fast and heavy on threes—but they’ve lost two straight close ones.
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The Mid-Major Chaos
Don't ignore the little guys. Gonzaga is No. 9, but we don't really call them a mid-major anymore, do we?
The real story is Miami (Ohio). They are 17-0.
They are sitting at No. 2 in the Mid-Major Top 25, trailing only Gonzaga. Travis Steele has that program playing inspired ball. They aren't just beating bad teams; they are destroying their MAC schedule. While they likely won't crack the AP Top 15 without some serious help, they are the ultimate "bracket buster" candidate for March.
Real Talk on the "Bubble"
It’s January 15. Is it too early for bubble talk? Probably. Am I going to do it anyway? Yes.
Virginia Tech is in a weird spot. They just lost to SMU on a half-court buzzer-beater by Boopie Miller. That hurts. But their NET ranking actually went up to No. 55 after the loss. This is why fans hate the metrics. You lose a heartbreaker and the computer says, "Hey, good job, you're better now."
Meanwhile, blue bloods like Kansas are struggling. Bill Self has the Jayhawks at No. 18 in the NET. They have three early-season losses. Flory Bidunga and Darryn Peterson are stars, but the depth isn't what we're used to seeing in Lawrence.
Actionable Insights for the Rest of January
If you're following the college basketball 2025 rankings men, here is what you need to do to stay ahead of the curve:
- Watch Arizona vs. UCF (Jan 17): This is a trap game for the No. 1 team. UCF is unranked but sits at No. 14 in some efficiency metrics.
- Track the "Quad 1" Wins: Don't just look at the AP rank. Check how many wins a team has against the top 30 (Home) or top 75 (Away). This is what actually decides tournament seeding.
- Buy Nebraska Stock: They face Northwestern next. If they get to 18-0, the hype train is going to become a supersonic jet.
- Keep an eye on SMU: That win over Virginia Tech was huge. They are sneaking into the back end of the Top 25 and could be a real threat in the ACC.
The rankings are going to shift again on Monday. Enjoy the chaos while it lasts, because once February hits, the "fun" surprises usually get replaced by the cold reality of conference grinds.