Following their 78-68 upset win over then-No. 17 Iowa on Saturday, Tennessee earned their first NCAA basketball AP Top 25 nod since November 2023, securing the No. 19 spot and bringing an end to the historic powerhouse’s longest-ever unranked streak.
The Vols, still undefeated, have been part of nearly 90% of the 870 total AP polls since the list’s inception in 1976. This week’s return to the Top 25 is a significant achievement for the team.
“The beauty of it is we earned it,” said head coach Kim Caldwell in a media statement following the rankings release on Monday. “Not because the name is Tennessee. We didn’t start ranked.”
Minor shifts pervade updated AP basketball rankings
While UCLA, UConn, and South Carolina maintained their positions at the top of this week’s poll, other teams experienced minor movements following last week’s games. Duke dropped to No. 9 after losses, and TCU slipped to No. 12.
After their first loss of the season, Texas fell to No. 6 in the polls. Notre Dame, with back-to-back wins, climbed two spots to No. 8.
Teams like Iowa and Ole Miss, after losses, saw drops in the rankings, while Michigan State made the biggest leap, moving up seven spots to No. 17.
AP basketball poll exits and newcomers
Joining Tennessee in the AP poll this week is Georgia Tech at No. 25, alongside NC State at No. 22 after a previous absence in the rankings.
Louisville, Illinois, and Alabama dropped out of the poll after recent losses.
How to watch midweek Top 25 NCAA basketball
Ranked matchups this week include No. 18 Iowa State versus No. 21 Iowa on Wednesday and No. 8 Notre Dame facing off against No. 2 UConn on Thursday.
The battle of the guards between Bueckers and Hidalgo will be broadcast on ESPN.
Week 6 AP college basketball rankings
- UCLA (9-0, Big Ten)
- UConn (8-0, Big East)
- South Carolina (9-1, SEC)
- LSU (11-0, SEC)
- USC (8-1, Big Ten)
- Texas (8-1, SEC)
- Maryland (10-0, Big Ten)
- Notre Dame (7-2, ACC)
- Duke (9-2, ACC)
- Oklahoma (8-1, SEC)
- Ohio State (8-0, Big Ten)
- TCU (9-1, Big 12)
- Kansas State (10-1, Big 12)
- UNC (9-1, ACC)
- West Virginia (9-1, Big 12)
- Kentucky (8-1, SEC)
- Michigan State (9-0, Big Ten)
- Iowa State (8-2, Big 12)
- Tennessee (7-0, SEC)
- Michigan (8-1, Big Ten)
- Iowa (8-1, Big Ten)
- Ole Miss (6-3, SEC)
- NC State (6-3, ACC)
- Nebraska (8-1, Big Ten)
- Georgia Tech (9-0, ACC)
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