College basketball picks for Jan. 27-Feb. 2: Predictions for every Top 25 game

The casual sports audience is definitely invested in Super Bowl LIX fever this week, but the college basketball world has been delivering plenty of drama all season long. Week 13 saw a lot of interesting results, such as Iowa State's two-game losing streak and John Calipari gaining a measure of revenge in his return to Rupp Arena, which shook up the AP Top 25 entering Week 14.

The top two teams stayed intact but the big winner was Tennessee, which jumped up four spots after blowing out Florida on Saturday with a short-handed roster. Big fallers included the Cyclones, who dropped five spots after their two-loss performance, and Kansas, which suffered its biggest collapse ever against Baylor on Saturday and also dipped five slots. A few teams fell out of the Top 25 entirely, headlined by Oregon, who got blown out at UCLA and fell at home to Nebraska to lose their place in the poll.

How will the newly minted Top 25 fare in their games this week? Read on to find out below and stick around for additional analysis for the Game Of The Day, which is italicized in the daily predictions table.

Week 14 College Basketball Predictions For Every Top 25 Team

Monday, Feb. 3

Game Of The Day - No. 8 Iowa State At No. 16 Kansas

There is just one game involving ranked teams on Monday night and it is a doozy as No. 8 Iowa State and No. 16 Kansas meet at Allen Fieldhouse just two days after disappointing Saturday losses. While the Jayhawks are drawing the headlines for their worst collapse in program history after blowing a 21-point lead against the Bears, the Cyclones suffered the day's most shocking upset as they fell at home by 19 points to a Kansas State side that rates as one of the worst in the Big 12.

There is little margin for error in Big 12 games and these teams need a win to stop the bleeding badly. There is a ton of pressure on Kansas right now since they have largely underperformed their preseason No. 1 status, especially since a loss here would mark their third at Allen Fieldhouse in league play this season and a fifth loss overall against Big 12 competition.

Tuesday, Feb. 4

Game Of The Day - No. 11 Marquette At No. 12 St. John's

One of the most exciting aspects of Big East basketball is a huge game at Madison Square Garden when the building is rocking in support of St. John's. The program lost its way for the better part of two decades but Rick Pitino has restored a lot of the Red Storm's pride, with Tuesday night's showdown with No. 11 Marquette the biggest regular season game at MSG in decades.

The Golden Eagles have been the Big East's most consistent program this season but have demonstrated they can be had on a bad night. The Red Storm lead the conference with a 10-1 record in Big East games but have yet to play either of the league's ranked teams, making this week massive for St. John's as they follow this contest with a trip to take on No. 19 UCONN on Saturday.

Wednesday, Feb. 5

Game Of The Day - No. 15 Missouri At No. 4 Tennessee

No. 4 Tennessee has nearly survived its five-game gauntlet against ranked SEC teams by going 2-2 against Mississippi State, Auburn, Kentucky and Florida. The run concludes on Wednesday against No. 15 Missouri in a game that looks much more difficult than it initially appeared as a potential soft landing spot at the end of this stretch.

The Tigers are one of the SEC's hottest teams, entering the game on an impressive two-game winning streak that saw them topple then-No. 16 Ole Miss at home before demolishing then-No. 19 Mississippi State by 17 on the road on Saturday. With wins over Florida and Kansas already under their belts, the Tigers will not be afraid of heading to Knoxville for this one.

Thursday, Feb. 6

Friday, Feb. 7

Game Of The Day - No. 12 St. John's At No. 19 UCONN

As we discussed earlier, this is a massive week for No. 12 St. John's, which can firmly cement control of the Big East by handling its business against No. 11 Marquette and No. 19 UCONN. Doing that is easier said than done, especially for a program that isn't used to the weight of expectations that are now on them with Pitino as their head coach.

While the Huskies have shown significant vulnerability this year with three Big East losses, there is a certain air of invincibility that comes with trying to take down the two-time reigning national champions in their own building. Creighton is the only team in the past two years to earn a road win at UCONN, meaning the odds are against the Red Storm completing a sweep of this week even if they are able to defend their home floor against Marquette on Tuesday night.

Saturday, Feb. 8

Game Of The Day - No. 6 Florida At No. 1 Auburn

The day before the Super Bowl is loaded with elite college basketball action but the best game of the day falls at 4:00 p.m. ET as two Top 10 SEC programs face off. No. 6 Florida is on the road here against No. 1 Auburn and has the firepower necessary to deliver the Tigers' first loss since November if they are knocking down their outside shots.

The fact that Auburn has held the No. 1 ranking as long as it has despite playing in the brutally tough SEC is a credit to their mental toughness and talent level. Having this game at home is key as a flip in venue would probably be enough to swing the tide towards the Gators here.

Sunday, Feb. 9