College Basketball Rankings: Casey Jacobsen Welcomes Kentucky Back, Top 3 Unchanged

The men’s college basketball season is a wild ride, and I’m here to sort it out every Sunday.

With so many big games each week — plus emerging stars carrying their teams toward March — the men’s college hoops schedule and many storylines is a lot to keep track of. So I’m here to make sense of the big picture. My Top 25 rewards toughness, experience and identity — not preseason hype or brand names. I’ll be bold, I may surprise you, but I’ll also have receipts.

Most of all, expect a ranking built for the long haul. Each week, I’ll reset the landscape, cut through the noise and tell you what actually matters as the season evolves.

With that, here’s the third edition of my men’s college basketball rankings, as of Dec. 21:

25. Iowa Hawkeyes (10-2)

Previously ranked: NR

The only two losses this season for the Hawkeyes have come on the road against Michigan State and Iowa State. Otherwise, guard Bennett Stirtz & Co. have a team that ranks in the top 30 for both offensive and defensive efficiency (according to KenPom). This is easily an NCAA tournament team at the moment.

24. Georgia Bulldogs (10-1)

Previously ranked: No. 25

I love teams that score, and the Bulldogs, led by guards Blue Cain and Jeremiah Wilkinson, have a top-20 offense in the nation. Their last four games have seen them drop 123, 107, 84 and 112 points, respectively.

23. Florida Gators (8-4)

Previously ranked: 24

An “easy” week saw the Gators beat Saint Francis and Colgate by a combined 71 points. Most importantly, guard Xaivian Lee averaged 18.5 points per game on efficient shooting. He needs confidence going into SEC play. Forwards Alex Condon and Thomas Haugh remain the foundation of this team, though.

22. Virginia Cavaliers (10-1)

Previously ranked: No. 23

The Cavs went from the 103rd-best offense in the country last year to the 14th-best offense after this weekend. That’s big time. Virginia beat Maryland at home on Saturday and was led by senior guard Dallin Hall’s 20 points (8 for 8 from the field) and six assists.

21. Kentucky Wildcats (8-4)

Previously ranked: NR

Welcome back to the top 25, Cats! If they have their entire roster on the floor like they did against St. Johns, then I don’t anticipate Kentucky dropping below this number for the rest of the season. Forward Jayden Quaintance’s debut of 10 points, eight rebounds and two blocks off the bench was the biggest difference in the game.

20. Arkansas Razorbacks (9-3)

Previously ranked: No. 20

I said it last week, and I’ll say it again: I still think this Arkansas team is really good. The Razorbacks’ three losses (to Houston, Duke and Michigan State) don’t bother me much and will be valuable late in the year. Guard Darius Acuff continues to dazzle, dropping 27 points and seven assists in Saturday’s loss against Houston’s tough defense.

19. Tennessee Volunteers (9-3)

Previously ranked: No. 19

The Vols had a bounce-back week by hammering a Louisville team that was without their leading scorer (guard Mikel Brown Jr.) by 21 and then destroyed Gardner-Webb on Sunday. I’m looking forward to Saturday’s road test vs. Arkansas.

18. Texas Tech Red Raiders (9-3)

Previously ranked: No. 22

The Red Raiders were short-handed — three players were out, and then two regulars fouled out — and still beat Duke at Madison Square Garden. Sophomore guard Christian Anderson was awesome again, scoring 21 of Texas Tech’s final 31 points of the game.

17. Louisville Cardinals (10-2) 

Previously ranked: No. 11

The Cardinals aren’t going to get penalized too much for losing to a tough Tennessee team without their electric playmaker, guard Mikel Brown Jr. I still expected the game to be closer than 21 points, though. Interesting bounce-back opportunity to start ACC against the surprising 12-1 Cal Bears all the way out on the West Coast. That’s a sneaky good game.

16. Nebraska Cornhuskers (12-0)

Previously ranked: No. 18

I know Cornhuskers fans are upset at me for having their team behind Illinois, despite beating Illinois last week, and I understand. It is nothing personal. Nebraska is one of the best surprise stories in the sport (along with Vanderbilt and Seton Hall), and its buzzer-beating performance in Champaign was amazing. But I still don’t think it’s better than Illinois if both teams played to their capabilities. Head-to-head games are important, but they are not my only criteria. That’s why when Texas Tech beats Duke on Saturday, the Red Raiders don’t automatically get ranked over Duke.

15. Illinois Illini (8-3)

Previously ranked: No. 17

Illinois has tested itself this season with mixed results. It hasn’t been fully healthy, which has showed itself on the defensive end, and Nebraska forward Pryce Sandfort’s 36-point performance against it is the latest evidence. Its losses have all been against good teams. I believe Illinois has a really high ceiling, though with the Braggin’ Rights game vs. Missouri this Monday night.

14. Kansas Jayhawks (9-3)

Previously ranked: No. 15

The Jayhawks are here because of what they have done with and without guard Darryn Peterson. He came back after a couple weeks away to score 17 against NC State, but then he left the game early after tweaking his hamstring again. Oh boy. It seems like he might be out another month or more. This might be the highest Kansas gets in these rankings for a while as it enters Big 12 play. I hope I’m wrong.

13. North Carolina Tar Heels (11-1) 

Previously ranked: No. 13

The Tar Heels fought valiantly against a solid Ohio State all game to give themselves a chance late, and then got a fortunate bounce that led to the winning dunk by center Henri Veesaar. They welcomed back guard Seth Trimble (17 points) after his forearm surgery, and it’s clear how important he is to the backcourt. The Tar Heels are not a great team, and they lack a truly impressive win. But I still like this group a lot. That should matter, right?

12. Vanderbilt Commodores (12-0)

Previously ranked: No. 13

The Commodores boast a top-10 offense in the nation, which gets them extra bonus points on my rankings (at least I’m transparent!), but their defense is nice too. They remain undefeated after squeaking past Wake Forest in overtime and then thumping Memphis due mostly to forward Tyler Nickel’s eight triples!

11. Alabama Crimson Tide (9-3) 

Previously ranked: No. 12

I do not care about losses if they are the right ones. Alabama has three losses to top-10 teams in Arizona, Purdue and Gonzaga. This team is flawed (inside, mostly) but still extremely dangerous and has a real chance to win the SEC. The Tide own the second most efficient offense in the sport, headlined by guard Labaron Philon. He’s must-see TV.

10. Michigan State Spartans (11-1)

Previously ranked: No. 10

The Spartans have a top-10 defense in the country… again. Their offense is up and down, but they do have two of the most improved players in the sport: forward Jaxon Kohler and guard Jeremy Fears Jr. Michigan State barely beat Oakland on Saturday after shooting 6-of-22 from deep. They keep finding ways to win, though.

9. Houston Cougars (11-1)

Previously ranked: No. 9

I feel I have the Cougars underrated after only loss by three points to a solid Tennessee squad, but their offense hadn’t really found its groove… until Saturday. Houston beat an excellent Arkansas team by 11 and dropped 94 points. Freshman guard Kingston Flemings is their MVP so far, but guard Emanuel Sharp is gaining confidence and had a team-high 22.

8. BYU Cougars (11-1)

Previously ranked: No. 8

The Cougars had two easy wins this week, but if you haven’t seen forward AJ Dybantsa’s tip-dunk vs. Abilene Christian on Saturday, please watch it right now. It’s the dunk of the year so far and capped a 35-point performance from the freshman superstar. I can’t wait to see him against Big 12 competition every night.

7. Duke Blue Devils (11-1)

Previously ranked: No. 4

The Blue Devils lost their first game of the season to an explosive Texas Tech team. No shame there at all, but the same question lingers with this group: After forward Cameron Boozer, who can you count on offensively to deliver on a consistent basis? The only other Duke player to score in double figures was Cameron’s twin brother, guard Cayden Boozer. Isaiah Evans was 1-of-4 from the field in 30 minutes of playing time.

6. Purdue Boilermakers (11-1)

Previously ranked: No. 7

The Boilermakers smashed Auburn by 28 points, and that will likely be it for Auburn in my top 25. Purdue guard Braden Smith out-dueled Auburn guard Tahaad Pettiford, who had a season-low five points. Smith finished with a career-high 14 assists and looks ready to battle Michigan forward Yaxel Lendeborg (and maybe Michigan State guard Jeremy Fears Jr.) for Big Ten Player of the Year. Should be fun to watch that unfold.

5. Gonzaga Bulldogs (12-1) 

Previously ranked: No. 6

The Zags keep chugging along, beating Campbell and Oregon. They are among the top 10 in both offense and defense, according to KenPom, versus a respectable non-conference schedule. As they start WCC play, they are favored by DOUBLE DIGITS in every game except their last of the season at Saint Mary’s.

4. Iowa State Cyclones (12-0) 

Previously ranked: No. 5

This is the best team Cyclones coach T.J. Otzelberger has had during his time in Ames. I love watching their defense devour opposing backcourts on a weekly basis. They will take some losses in the fantastic Big 12 conference, of course, but I’d be surprised if it’s more than five. It seems like a four-team race between Arizona, Iowa State, Houston and BYU. Get your popcorn!

3. UConn Huskies (12-1)

Previously ranked: No. 3

The Huskies are not as dominant as Arizona and Michigan, but give this team some more time and I think coach Dan Hurley will have them in that upper echelon. The Big East is not even close to the quality of the Big 12 or the Big Ten, so it won’t surprise any of us if UConn rips off eight or nine wins in a row during conference play. I predict that it will not drop outside the top five of the AP poll all season, get a No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament and have a great chance at winning a third title in four years.

2. Arizona Wildcats (11-0)

Previously ranked: No. 2

I was in the building on Saturday when Arizona played San Diego State in Phoenix. The first half was a slow, low-scoring defensive battle that the Aztecs were hoping for. Then Arizona took over, outscoring San Diego State, 40-18, in the second half. Freshman forward Koa Peat was tremendous again, but senior forward Tobe Awaka was a wrecking machine off the bench with 15 rebounds. The Wildcats are so deep, and Arizona and Michigan have clearly separated from everyone else.

1. Michigan Wolverines (11-0)

Previously ranked: No. 1

Throughout the last month, the Wolverines have left little doubt in my mind about being the best team in college basketball. On Sunday, they scored at least 100 points for the fifth time in their last six games. It’s getting ridiculous. And in case you forgot, they also own the best DEFENSE in the country. Out of tremendous respect for the Big Ten and programs like Purdue and Michigan State, I predict the Wolverines will take a couple of losses, but I will be genuinely surprised if they don’t win the conference title by multiple games.

Casey Jacobsen is a national college basketball reporter and analyst for FOX Sports. He was a three-time All-Pac-10 selection at Stanford and a First-Team All-American as a sophomore. Follow him at @cjacobsen23.

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