The coaches’ top 25 college basketball rankings will be released after Week 5

The coaches’ top 25 college basketball rankings will be released after Week 5

The USA TODAY Coaches Poll Top 25 has been updated for the 2024-2025 men’s college basketball season after a hair-raising fifth week.

A few shocking defeats by some of the top teams in the country, including Kansas And Auburnmeant an upheaval for the coaches poll. No single team has proven dominant right now, and the unpredictability of college basketball could be reaching new heights week after week.

With that in mind, the sport’s brightest coaching minds put their heads together to come up with some rankings after Week 5. Check out the top 25 below and see if your team made the jump after the second week of a new season.

Tennessee continues to climb, remaining undefeated in a week where the teams above them fell for the first time this season. The rigorous schedule isn’t great for the volunteers, but they destroyed everyone before them.

This week could put any concerns about Tennessee’s schedule to rest. They face tough competition, with a game against Miami on Tuesday and a clash with Illinois on Saturday.

Auburn
Auburn (John Reed-Imagn Images)

Despite a road loss to Duke this week, Auburn probably still has the best overall record in the country. However, it’s difficult to make a case for a team fresh off a loss to move to the top of the Top 25.

The Tigers’ next game is against Ohio State as part of Holiday Hoopsgiving. This game will be in Atlanta at State Farm Arena, so it should be a great afternoon next Saturday.

Iowa State was coming off a big win against Marquette during the week, promising to get them back up after watching others fall. The Cyclones can now count themselves among the Big 12’s best resumes to this point in the non-conference schedule.

Iowa State is in for an emotional week. Their rivalry game with Iowa is on Thursday and that would be no small victory if they could win. Then a short break against Omaha is planned for Sunday afternoon.

Despite a midweek loss to Iowa State, Marquette didn’t take long to get the result. The Golden Eagles bounced back with a top-25 win over Wisconsin, limiting the damage done to their rankings.

With just one loss this season, Marquette hopes to keep the good times going. Their next game is Saturday night on the road against Dayton.

Kentucky
Stephen Brashear-Imagn Images

Kentucky had a rough start to the week, losing a game to Clemson in the SEC/ACC Challenge. But the Wildcats bounced back with a big win against Gonzaga, putting them among the top teams in the country with just one loss so far.

This week is another big week for the Wildcats, who only suffered one loss. First, Colgate comes to town on Wednesday looking to improve a bit, and then a big showdown with Louisville is scheduled for Saturday night in Lexington.

Duke was able to use its home-court advantage to hold off Auburn, proving they can win close games against the best teams in college basketball. In an ACC that has struggled, the Blue Devils undoubtedly remain a bright spot.

They hope the good times continue Tuesday against Incarnate Ward. This is the Blue Devis’ only showdown this week, so it could be a less stressful few days for the program.

Florida continued its undefeated start to the season last week. The Gators picked up a big win over Virginia and started December with a bang, defeating the Cavaliers by 18 points in the SEC/ACC Men’s Challenge.

Tough competition is on the agenda this week. Florida welcomes Arizona State to the Southeast when the Sun Devils take on the Gators next Saturday afternoon at State Farm Arena in Atlanta.

Alabama
Alex Martin/Journal and Courier / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Alabama ended the week with a win over North Carolina to add to its resume. Even though the Crimson Tide’s results fluctuate in big games, the schedule gives them no shortage of opportunities.

Next up for Alabama is a showdown with Creighton. This game takes place on Saturday night in Tuscaloosa, giving Nate Oats and Co. a chance to pull off another impressive win.

Gonzaga suffered a loss to Kentucky in its only game of the week, a blow to its non-conference record after taking an early lead that took it to overtime. However, the Bulldogs are still in the most important phase of their season when it comes to picking up big wins.

Mark Few and Co. don’t have time to lick their wounds. Next Saturday they face the Connecticut Huskies at Madison Square Garden, which will be a big challenge for them if the Bulldogs can get a win.

Kansas suffered its first loss of the season on the road against Creighton, knocking it out of first place in the Coaches Poll Top 25 for the first time this season. The Jayhawks followed with a loss to Missouri, which promised to knock them further down the standings.

The opportunity for Kansas to get back on its feet won’t come until Saturday afternoon. They will welcome the NC State Wolfpack to Lawrence as the Jayhawks hope to stop the bleeding.

Coach Poll Top 25 – Nos. 11-25:

11. Purdue (-4)
12. Oregon (-2)
13. Houston (+5)
14. Michigan (+9)
15. Ole Miss (+5)
16. Clemson (NR)
17. Oklahoma (+4)
18. Texas A&M (+6)
19. Michigan Condition (+6)
20. Connecticut (NR)
21. UCLA (NR)
22. Wisconsin (-11)
23. Cincinnati (-9)
24. San Diego State (NR)
25. Baylor (-9)

Dropped out schools: No. 15 Memphis; No. 17 Illinois; No. 19 Pittsburgh; No. 22 North Carolina

Others receiving votes: Mississippi State 93; Illinois 67; St. John’s 51; Pittsburgh 50; Arizona State 44; Memphis 37; Maryland 36; Drake 35; Utah State 32; Saint Mary’s 28; Penn State 26; Creighton 20; Georgia 18; Missouri 14; West Virginia 11; Arkansas 10; UC Irvine 5; Texas 5; Dayton 4; Texas Tech 2; North Carolina 2; Loyola Chicago 2; LSU 1

As you can see, college basketball’s top coaches landed on their rankings this week. Check back next week to find out if your team has made an advance in the USA TODAY Coaches Top 25 poll, which is bound to fluctuate throughout the season.

James Fletcher III of On3 contributed to this article.

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