Tennessee is the new No. 1 in men’s college basketball after a massive shakeup in the AP Top 25.
The Vols received 58 first-place votes from a 62-person media panel Monday to reach No. 1 for the first time since the 2018-19 season. Tennessee climbed two spots from last week after Kansas lost twice and Auburn fell to No. 4 Duke. The Tigers remained No. 2 and received three first-place votes.
No. 3 Iowa State had one first-place vote and climbed three places from last week for its highest ranking since 1956-57. Kentucky rounded out the top five.
Pitt (8-2) dropped out of the rankings after its 90-57 loss at Mississippi State on Wednesday. The Panthers bounced back with a victory at Virginia Tech on Saturday and is listed as eighth among “others receiving votes” with 62. Penn State got 90 votes (placing them fifth in others receiving votes) and West Virginia 30.
In all, 14 ranked teams lost last week, including six teams in the top 10. Kansas and then-No. 11 Wisconsin lost twice. Only two teams — Auburn and No. 12 Oregon — remained in the same poll spots they were a week ago, and the volatility saw five teams jump into the rankings.
Tennessee (8-0) is off to its best start since opening the 2000-01 season 9-0 and is No. 1 in the NET rankings. The Vols also are second in the KenPom ratings, ranking second in defensive efficiency and ninth in offensive efficiency despite losing four starters from last year’s SEC championship team. Tennessee beat Syracuse, 96-70, in its only game last week.
Kansas had been No. 1 since the preseason poll before losing to 76-63 to Creighton and 76-67 to rival Missouri. The losses dropped the Jayhawks to No. 10.
Auburn was poised to move into the No. 1 spot for the first time since 2021-22 but lost 84-78 at Duke before beating Richmond.
Iowa State had its highest preseason ranking at No. 5 after reaching the NCAA Tournament’s Sweet 16 a year ago. The Cyclones lost by two to Auburn in the Maui Invitational but have reeled off four straight wins since.
Iowa State blew out Jackson State, 100-58, in its only game last week and will face rival Iowa this week.
Two-time reigning national champion UConn nearly dropped out of the poll last week after an 0-for-3 run in Maui. The Huskies bounced back nicely last week, picking up impressive wins over Baylor and Texas to move up seven spots in this week’s poll to No. 18.
“Maybe the people with the shovels and the dirt, maybe they were too quick to grab the shovel and throw the dirt on us,” UConn coach Dan Hurley said.
Oklahoma had the biggest jump within this week’s poll, climbing eight spots to No. 13 after beating Georgia Tech and Alcorn State. Duke and No. 17 Texas A&M each moved up five spots each.
Kansas had the biggest drop, followed by No. 20 Wisconsin, which fell nine spots. No. 22 Cincinnati dropped eight places.
Multiple teams moved in and out of this week’s poll.
No. 14 Michigan is ranked for the first time in nearly three years after tight wins over Wisconsin and Iowa. The Wolverines have won seven straight under first-year coach Dusty May.
No. 16 Clemson is ranked for the first time this season following wins over Kentucky and Miami. No. 21 Michigan State also is ranked for the first time after wins over Nebraska and Minnesota.
No. 24 UCLA is ranked for the first time in nearly two years following wins over Washington and Oregon. No. 25 Mississippi State is back in the poll after beating Pitt and Prairie View A&M.