There’s a new No. 1 in the latest college basketball AP Top 25 poll Monday, as Auburn supplanted Tennessee at the top of the men’s rankings. The Tigers moved to the top of the rankings after No. 1 Tennessee’s first loss of the season this week dropped them from No. 2, where they had been for six weeks, to No. 1.
This is the first time since the 2021-22 season Auburn is No. 1 in the AP poll after spending three weeks there from Weeks 12-14 of this season.
The Tigers earned 60 of a possible 62 first-place votes from AP voters after receiving 15 first-place votes last week. This is the 10th time this season in 11 AP polls Auburn has earned at least two first-place votes, with its previous season high coming in Week 5 with 26. The only poll in which Auburn has not earned of first place votes was the preseason poll. .
Tennessee, fresh off its 30-point road loss to Florida, fell just a handful of spots to No. 6 this week, but didn’t earn any first-place votes after being ranked #1 for the last five weeks. Instead, Duke and Florida, ranked No. 3 and No. 5, each siphoned off a first-place vote this week.
Each of the top four teams this week moved up a spot from their previous rankings, including new No. 2 Iowa State, which claimed its highest AP ranking in school history. Duke and Alabama ranked No. 3 and No. 4, and Florida rounded out the new top five.
AP Top 25
- Auburn (60)
- Iowa State
- Duke (1)
- Alabama
- Florida (1)
- Tennessee
- Marquette
- Kentucky
- Kansas
- Houston
- Texas A&M
- Michigan State
- Oregon
- UConn
- Mississippi State
- Gonzaga
- Purdue
- Memphis
- Illinois
- Michigan
- Ole Mademoiselle
- State of Utah
- Georgia
- Wisconsin
- Baylor
Also receive votes: St. John’s 83, Oklahoma 63, West Virginia 61, Arizona 26, Louisville 17, Texas Tech 12, Maryland 11, Clemson 8, Missouri 8, Cincinnati 4, San Diego St. 4, Saint Mary’s 3, UC Irvine 2, New -Mexico 2.
Auburn’s path to No. 1
After six weeks behind Tennessee and Kansas at No. 2 in the poll, Auburn jumped to No. 1 after a 2-0 week with both wins — against Texas and against South Carolina — coming up. Holding on to the No. 1 spot will be a difficult task for the Tigers, however, as Johni Broome suffered a significant ankle sprain on Saturday and is likely to miss time. They will face Mississippi State at home on Tuesday before a road test against newly ranked Georgia on Saturday.
Georgia ends drought with appearance
Fresh off two wins over ranked SEC opponents this week, Georgia (14-2) caught the attention of AP voters this week to move from unranked to 23rd. This is the first time in the AP poll in a week. move for the Bulldogs at No. 24 in January 2011.
Iowa State claims first place
Iowa State moved up one spot to No. 2 this week after a five-week stint at No. 3 to earn its highest AP Top 25 ranking in program history. The Cyclones (14-1) have won 11 straight games since a late November loss to Auburn in the Maui Invitational, the longest winning streak in college basketball. ISU hosts No. 9 Kansas in Ames, Iowa, on Wednesday.
