Sports
Men’s AP Top 25 poll reaction: What to know about every team
A full week of the 2025-26 men’s college basketball season is in the books, which means it’s time for the first AP Top 25 poll!
Purdue entered the season as the No. 1 team over Houston and Florida.
The Cougars instead have the top spot over the Boilermakers despite receiving 18 fewer first-place votes. The reigning champion Gators fell seven spots to No. 10. Joining the Cougars and Boilermakers in the top 5 are UConn, Duke and Arizona.
The biggest risers from the Oct. 13 preseason poll were Arizona (eight spots to No. 5), Alabama (seven spots to No. 8) and North Carolina (seven spots to No. 18). St. John’s saw the steepest drop of eight spots (to No. 13), followed by the Gators, Arkansas (seven spots to No. 21) and Kansas (six spots to No. 25).
Let’s take a look at the top 25 teams of the first week of 2025-26, how they got there and what’s coming up next for each team.
All times Eastern. Unless otherwise noted, all stats courtesy of ESPN Research.
Previous polls: Preseason
Preseason ranking: 2
2025-26 record: 2-0
Stat to know: The Cougars’ freshmen made program history early in Saturday’s win over Towson. Kingston Flemings became the first Houston freshman with 20 points on 80% or better shooting from the field in at least 30 seasons. Chris Cenac Jr. became the first Houston freshman with 10-plus rebounds in the first two games of the season in at least 30 seasons.
What’s next: Wednesday vs. Oakland, 8 p.m., ESPN+
Preseason ranking: 1
2025-26 record: 2-0
Stat to know: Purdue hasn’t lost a nonconference game at home since Nov. 2019 against Texas. Braden Smith has 26 points and 20 assists through two games this season; he’s the only Purdue player in the past 20 years to average at least 10 PPG and 10 APG through two games in a season. (He did it last season, too.)
What’s next: Thursday at Alabama, 7 p.m., ESPN2
Preseason ranking: 4
2025-26 record: 2-0
Stat to know: UConn defeated UMass Lowell by 63 points, the Huskies’ largest win in a game since December 2005 vs. Morehead State (68). They had a 47-point lead at halftime, the largest lead at the break by any team against a Division I opponent since Pepperdine led Pacific 56-9 in the 2024 WCC tournament.
What’s next: Monday vs. Columbia, 6:30 p.m., FS1
Preseason ranking: 6
2025-26 record: 2-0
Stat to know: Freshman Cameron Boozer is in rarified air. He’s the fifth Duke freshman to make his college debut with a double-double over the past 30 seasons, following Kyle Filipowski (2022), Jalen Johnson (2020), Marvin Bagley III (2017) and Jay Williams (1999). He’s also the sixth Duke freshman with 25 points and 5 assists in a game in the past 20 seasons, joining Cooper Flagg (three times), Kon Knueppel, Paolo Banchero, RJ Barrett (four times) and Zion Williamson (twice). Boozer and Williamson are the only Duke players in the past 30 seasons with 25 points, 5 assists and 5 offensive rebounds in a game.
What’s next: Tuesday at Army, 7 p.m., CBSSN
Preseason ranking: 13
2025-26 record: 2-0
Stat to know: Arizona is the first team to beat an AP top-3 opponent in a season opener since 2019 when No. 2 Kentucky beat No. 1 Michigan State and No. 4 Duke beat No. 3 Kansas in the Champions Classic. This is not the first time Arizona has started a season with a win over an AP top-3 team, however. In 2001, the unranked Wildcats took down No. 2 Maryland at Madison Square Garden to set up a meeting the next night with … Florida. (They beat the Gators then, too.)
What’s next: Tuesday vs. Northern Arizona, 9 p.m., ESPN+
Preseason ranking: 7
2025-26 record: 1-0
Stat to know: The Wolverines’ offense was ticking in their season opener: They had the most points (121) by the Wolverines in a game since a 127-96 win over Iowa on March 10, 1990. That was also the most points in a season opener in program history, surpassing a 115-107 win over Bradley in 1986. The Michigan bench had 55 points, the most since scoring 56 points off the bench on March 2, 2002, against Ohio State.
What’s next: Tuesday vs. Wake Forest, 6:30 p.m., FS1
Preseason ranking: 8
2025-26 record: 2-0
Stat to know: AJ Dybantsa’s 21 points against Villanova are the fifth-most points in a college debut by the No. 1 player in the SC Next 100 over the past 15 years. The names ahead of him? Duke’s RJ Barrett (33 vs. Kentucky in 2018), Memphis’ James Wiseman (28 vs. South Carolina State in 2019), Duke’s Marvin Bagley III (25 vs. Elon in 2017) and Kentucky’s Anthony Davis (23 vs. Marist in 2011).
What’s next: Tuesday vs. Delaware, 9 p.m., CBSSN
Preseason ranking: 15
2025-26 record: 2-0
Stat to know: With the 103-96 win over St. John’s at Madison Square Garden, Alabama is the first team to score 100-plus points on the road against a top-5 team since No. 2 Oklahoma in January 2016 (106 points in a 3OT loss at No. 1 Kansas), and the first to score 100-plus points in regulation against a top-5 team since No. 8 Kansas in Dec. 2001 (105 points at No. 4 Arizona). Its 103 points are also tied for its most points scored against a top-10 ranked team in program history.
What’s next: Thursday vs. Purdue, 7 p.m., ESPN2
Preseason ranking: 9
2025-26 record: 2-0
Stat to know: Kentucky is 10-0 against nonconference opponents at Rupp Arena under coach Mark Pope.
What’s next: Tuesday at Louisville, 8 p.m., ESPN
Preseason ranking: 3
2025-26 record: 1-1
Stat to know: Florida is the first reigning champion to lose its season opener (to Arizona) since Syracuse in 2003-04, and the fourth reigning champion to start 0-1 in the past 30 seasons. Only one of the previous three returned to the Final Four: Kentucky in 1996-97, though the Wildcats lost to Arizona in the title game. (2003 national champion Syracuse lost in the 2004 Sweet 16, while 1999 national champion UConn lost in the 2000 round of 32.)
What’s next: Tuesday vs. Florida State, 7 p.m., SEC Network
Preseason ranking: 10
2025-26 record: 2-0
Stat to know: JT Toppin is a double-double machine. He has four career 30-point double-doubles — all other Texas Tech players have combined for three such double-doubles in the past 20 seasons. He’s also tied with Hunter Dickinson and Trae Young for fourth-most 30-point double-doubles by a Big 12 player in past 20 seasons, after Michael Beasley (13), Kevin Durant (7) and Blake Griffin (6).
What’s next: Tuesday at Illinois, 8:30 p.m., FS1
Preseason ranking: 11
2025-26 record: 2-0
Stat to know: The Cardinals are 2-0 to start their season for the first time since 2020-21.
What’s next: Tuesday vs. Kentucky, 8 p.m., ESPN
Preseason ranking: 5
2025-26 record: 1-1
Stat to know: With their first loss of the season against Alabama on Saturday, the Red Storm snapped a 12-game win streak at Madison Square Garden; that was their second-longest win streak at the iconic venue in program history, behind a 14-game streak spanning the 1985-86 and 1986-87 seasons.
What’s next: Saturday vs. William & Mary, 6 p.m., truTV
Preseason ranking: 17
2025-26 record: 2-0
Stat to know: Illinois beat Florida Gulf Coast 113-70, and Jackson State 113-55. The Fighting Illini have scored 110-plus points in consecutive games for the second time in the AP poll era; they last did it Nov. 23 and Nov. 26, 2019, against Hampton and Lindenwood, respectively.
What’s next: Tuesday vs. Texas Tech, 8:30 p.m., FS1
Preseason ranking: 12
2025-26 record: 2-0
Stat to know: First-team All-Big Ten preseason pick Donovan Dent had quite the debut in his first Bruins game: 21 points and 9 assists, with 14 points on 6-of-11 shooting and 6 assists coming in the first half alone. — The Associated Press
What’s next: Monday vs. West Georgia, 10 p.m., B1G+
Preseason ranking: 16
2025-26 record: 2-0
Stat to know: This is the Cyclones’ fifth straight season starting 2-0; they made the NCAA tournament in each of the past four seasons. This opening week is also the second time in three seasons that they won their first two games by 35 or more points (last done in 2023-24).
What’s next: Monday vs. Mississippi State, 8 p.m., ESPNU
Preseason ranking: 22
2025-26 record: 2-0
Stat to know: Michigan State has the longest active streak when it comes to defeating top-15 teams, with five straight regular-season victories. The Spartans are now 15-1 in their past 16 home games as a ranked team.
What’s next: Thursday vs. San José State, 6:30 p.m., BTN
Preseason ranking: 25
2025-26 record: 2-0
Stat to know: Is UNC hoops back? The Tar Heels snapped a five-game losing streak against Kansas, which was tied for their longest active losing streak against any opponent (along with Texas and West Virginia). They also snapped a four-game losing streak in ranked-vs.-ranked matchups, tied for the fifth-longest losing streak in such matchups in the AP poll era (since 1948-49).
What’s next: Tuesday vs. Radford, 7 p.m., ACC Network
Preseason ranking: 21
2025-26 record: 2-0
Stat to know: Gonzaga has 12 consecutive wins against unranked SEC opponents after defeating Oklahoma 83-68, the longest streak since UConn’s 15 straight from 1989-2011. The Bulldogs’ last loss to an unranked SEC team was Dec. 16, 2006, vs. Georgia.
What’s next: Tuesday vs. Creighton, 10 p.m., ESPN
Preseason ranking: 18
2025-26 record: 2-0
Stat to know: Nate Ament, the No. 4 player in the 2025 SC Next 100, is the first Tennessee freshman with 20 points in a game since Julian Phillips on Nov. 24, 2022.
What’s next: Wednesday vs. North Florida, 7 p.m., SECN+
Preseason ranking: 14
2025-26 record: 1-1
Stat to know: Darius Acuff Jr., the seventh-ranked recruit in the 2025 class, is as advertised: He is the first Arkansas freshman to have 15-plus points and four-plus assists in his first two games of the season in at least 20 seasons. He is also the fourth Arkansas freshman with 15-plus points and four-plus assists in consecutive games in the past 15 seasons, after Boogie Fland (three times), Anthony Black (three times) and Moses Moody.
What’s next: Tuesday vs. Central Arkansas, 8 p.m., SECN+
Preseason ranking: 20
2025-26 record: 2-0
Stat to know: Despite a shaky start to the season under new head coach Steven Pearl, Auburn has added to its nonconference home win tally: 62 straight, dating back to 2016-17. It is the fourth-longest active streak in the SEC as of Nov. 6, following Oklahoma (75), Texas A&M (79) and Missouri (81).
What’s next: Tuesday vs. Wofford, 8 p.m., SECN+
Preseason ranking: 23
2025-26 record: 1-0
Stat to know: Last Monday’s 92-75 win against South Dakota was coach Greg McDermott’s 500th in 25 seasons as a Division I head coach, and the Bluejays’ 16th straight win in an opener. — The Associated Press
What’s next: Tuesday at Gonzaga, 10 p.m., ESPN
Preseason ranking: 24
2025-26 record: 2-0
Stat to know: Wisconsin beat Northern Illinois 97-72 and Campbell 96-64 to open its 2025-26 campaign. The Badgers last scored 95-plus points in consecutive games in 1993 (Nov. 27 and Dec. 4 vs. Milwaukee and Loyola Marymount).
What’s next: Tuesday vs. Ball State, 8:30 p.m., BTN
Preseason ranking: 19
2025-26 record: 1-1
Stat to know: Kansas suffered its first loss to North Carolina under Bill Self (5-1). A bright spot, however, is Darryn Peterson, who had 22 points (8-14 FG, 3-5 3PT) and 2 steals, becoming the first Kansas freshman in at least 30 seasons with consecutive 20-point-plus games to begin a season.
What’s next: Tuesday vs. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, 8 p.m., ESPN+
He will pay penalties as part of his return through the tour’s limited “Returning Member Program.”
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Xabi Alonso has left his job as Real Madrid coach “by mutual consent,” the club announced on Monday.
The news comes a day after Alonso’s Madrid were beaten 3-2 by Barcelona in the Supercopa de España final in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
Alonso has been replaced by Álvaro Arbeloa, who had been coach of Madrid’s reserve team, Castilla.
Alonso came under pressure before Christmas after a difficult run of just two wins in eight games, including defeats to Liverpool, Celta Vigo and Manchester City, but the team’s form had improved since, with five victories before Sunday’s Clásico loss.
“Real Madrid C.F. announces that, by mutual agreement between the club and Xabi Alonso, it has been decided to end his tenure as first-team coach,” the club said in a brief statement on Monday.
“Xabi Alonso will always have the affection and admiration of all Madrid fans, because he is a Real Madrid legend and has always represented the values of our club. Real Madrid will always be his home.
“Our club thanks Xabi Alonso and his entire coaching staff for their work and dedication during this time, and wishes them the best of luck in this new chapter of their lives.”
Alonso took over from predecessor Carlo Ancelotti this past summer after impressing at Bayer Leverkusen, where he led the side to the Bundesliga title for the first time in its history in 2024.
Alonso played for Madrid between 2009 and 2014, winning one Champions League, one LaLiga title and two Copas del Rey.
He began his tenure as Madrid coach with a run to the semifinals in this past summer’s Club World Cup, where they were beaten 4-0 by Paris Saint-Germain.
In 2025-26, the team began the season with 13 wins in 14 games in all competitions — including beating Barcelona 2-1 in the first Clásico of the season — before November’s poor run of results.
Arbeloa, 42, began his career as a player at Madrid before a spell at Liverpool, where he played alongside Alonso. The defender returned to Madrid in 2009 and spent seven seasons at the club before returning to coach with the academy in 2020.
Arbeloa also helped Spain win the 2010 World Cup and the 2008 and 2012 European Championships.
Final consultations on Pakistan’s squad for the International Cricket Council (ICC) Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 and the upcoming home T20I series against Australia are expected later this week.
Sources said white-ball head coach Mike Hesson is set to arrive in Lahore after Pakistan’s tour of Sri Lanka concludes.
Once the consultation process is completed, the squad will be announced with the approval of Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Mohsin Naqvi.
The PCB has already submitted a preliminary list of players to the ICC for the T20 World Cup 2026, which will be co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka.
However, it is understood that the PCB can make changes to the submitted list without ICC approval until January 31.
Members of the national T20I squad are returning home today after completing the series in Sri Lanka.
Head coach Mike Hesson and captain Salman Ali Agha are expected to hold final discussions with the selectors before the squad is finalised.
Sources say the probable players include captain Salman Ali Agha, Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Fakhar Zaman, Shadab Khan, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Mohammad Nawaz, Usman Khan and Abrar Ahmed.
Other players under consideration are Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah, Haris Rauf, Salman Mirza and Khawaja Nafay, while Abdul Samad, Mohammad Wasim Jr and Usman Tariq are likely to be named among the reserve players.
Meanwhile, the PCB has forwarded a proposed schedule for Australia’s T20 International tour of Pakistan to Cricket Australia. According to sources, two draft itineraries have been shared for a three-match T20I series.
The proposed plans suggest that the Australian team could arrive in Pakistan either on January 26 or 27, with departure scheduled for February 2 or 3.
The series is tentatively structured to include two back-to-back matches, followed by a one-day break before the third and final T20I.
It is understood that fixtures have been proposed for January 29 and 31, while the third and final match is expected to be played on February 1.
Pakistan, the 2009 champions, will begin their T20 World Cup 2026 campaign against the Netherlands on February 7 in Colombo.
They will face the USA on February 10, followed by clashes against arch-rivals India on February 15 and Namibia on February 18 in their final group-stage match.
It is pertinent to note that Pakistan will play all of their matches in Sri Lanka, starting with four Group A fixtures in Colombo, while Super Eight matches are scheduled to be held in Colombo and Kandy.
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