The 2026-2027 college basketball season soon will bring top programs back to the court, and the first AP Top 25 poll has been released.

Traditional powerhouses like the Duke Blue Devils and UConn Huskies are back in the fray with tremendous rosters for the upcoming season. Meanwhile, last season’s national champions, the Michigan Wolverines, find themselves with work to do after seeing several stars drafted by NBA teams and former head coach Dusty May’s departure for the Dallas Mavericks.

The Wolverines saw three of their top players drafted in the first 12 picks of the 2026 NBA Draft. That includes Morez Johnson Jr., Yaxel Lendeborg and Aday Mara.

MORE: 25 best men’s college basketball players of all time

Other schools to watch include recent title holders like the Florida Gators and Kansas Jayhawks. A major surprise left out of the top 25 is the North Carolina Tar Heels, a traditional ACC powerhouse and a regular in the AP poll.

2026 College Basketball Preseason AP Poll 🚨 https://t.co/xnXoqyDBgF

— 247Sports (@247Sports) October 19, 2026

Many top collegiate programs open their campaigns in early November. That includes an epic start to the season with Villanova and Notre Dame meeting in Rome, Italy.

Where did your favorite team land in the first AP poll of the season? Below is a full look at the AP Top 25 poll entering the 2026-27 campaign.

MORE: No. 2-ranked international NBA prospect commits to Duke for the 2027-28 season

2026-27 AP Top 25 preseason poll

Tennessee guard Jalen Haralson (10) moves the ball while guarded by Xavier forward Filip Borovicanin (4) during a college
Tennessee guard Jalen Haralson (10) moves the ball while guarded by Xavier forward Filip Borovicanin (4) during a college basketball exhibition game on Oct. 15, 2026, in Knoxville, Tennessee. Credit: USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect (Reuters)
  1. Florida (47)
  2. Duke (10)
  3. Illinois (2)
  4. UConn
  5. Arizona
  6. Michigan State
  7. Texas
  8. Tennessee
  9. Virginia
  10. Houston
  11. Louisville
  12. Arkansas
  13. St. John’s
  14. Miami (FL)
  15. Gonzaga
  16. Michigan
  17. Kansas
  18. Iowa State
  19. Texas Tech
  20. Alabama
  21. USC
  22. UCLA
  23. Kentucky
  24. Vanderbilt
  25. BYU

Others receiving votes: Missouri 167, Nebraska 70, Purdue 53, Ohio State 39, North Carolina 20, TCU 17, Saint Louis 13, VCU 12, Iowa 12, Virginia Tech 10, Indiana 8, Texas A&M 6, Villanova 6, Auburn 4, Marquette 3, Nevada 2, Grand Canyon 2, Utah State 2, Santa Clara 1

The Associated Press began its men’s college basketball poll on Jan. 20, 1949, and it is now the longest-running poll of those that award national titles at the end of the season. The preseason poll was started in 1950.

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Source: Yahoo Sports