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College basketball rankings 2020: Preseason AP Top 25 reveals some surprises

By Mike Luciano

Kentucky Wildcats head coach John Calipari reacts during the game against the Tennessee Volunteersin the second half at Rupp Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark Zerof-USA TODAY Sports
Kentucky Wildcats head coach John Calipari reacts during the game against the Tennessee Volunteersin the second half at Rupp Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark Zerof-USA TODAY Sports /
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There were some surprises in the preseason college basketball AP Top 25 Poll.

The 2020-21 college basketball season is scheduled to officially get kicked off in the coming weeks, and what promises to be the unusual season any of us have ever seen will get underway with a mid-major holding the No. 1 spot in the entire country.

Led by another deep roster supplemented by the addition of 5-star recruit Jalen Suggs, Mark Few’s Gonzaga Bulldogs are ranked No. 1 in the preseason AP Top 25 poll. Baylor, Villanova, Virginia and Iowa will round out the top five, while blue bloods Duke and Kentucky are ranked ninth and 10th, respectively.

Preseason NCAA Basketball AP Top 25 Poll

1. Gonzaga

2. Baylor

3. Villanova

4. Virginia

5. Iowa

6. Kansas

7. Wisconsin

8. Illinois

9. Duke

10. Kentucky

11. Creighton

12. Tennessee

13. Michigan State

14. Texas Tech

15. West Virginia

16. North Carolina

17. Houston

18. Arizona State

19. Texas

20. Oregon

21. Florida State

22. UCLA

23. Ohio State

24. Rutgers

25. Michigan

The AP Top 25 Poll did a solid job in the Top 10

The AP Poll is clearly expecting a lot out of the Big Ten, as Wisconsin and Illinois joined the Hawkeyes in the Top 10. Three more Big Ten teams in Ohio State, Rutgers, and Michigan are ranked between 23rd and 25th in this poll. Traditional powers like Michigan State and North Carolina are still ranked, but they are in the middle of the pack at No. 13 and No. 16, respectively. Noteworthy programs like LSU, Indiana, and Louisville were just outside the Top 25.

Some of the more noteworthy omissions include Oklahoma State and USC. The Cowboys and Trojans pulled in the two top high school recruits that chose to go to college in Cade Cunningham and Evan Mobley, respectively, but neither of them received a vote for the Top 25. Despite all the hype they’ve manufactured on the recruiting trail, Penny Hardaway’s Memphis also lies outside the top 25.

This season is going to look different than most due to the ongoing pandemic, but that should do little to quell the trademark drama and unpredictability of a college basketball season that should be every bit as exhilarating with or without fans in the stands.

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