SEC Dominance: Tennessee and Auburn Hold Strong in Men's AP Top 25 with a Record 10 Teams!

AP Top 25 rankings have solidified the Volunteers (11-0) and the Tigers (11-1) in their respective positions for a third consecutive week, with Auburn maintaining its stronghold at No. 2 for the fourth week running. This latest poll showcased the same top-tier teams, albeit with a shift in placement as Kentucky fell six spots to No. 10 following a defeat against Ohio State.

In an exciting turn of events, the rankings welcomed back four teams that had previously held spots this season, including No. 19 Mississippi State and No. 23 Arkansas. This influx further emphasizes the Southeastern Conference’s (SEC) impressive performance throughout the season.

This season has seen the SEC field as many as nine ranked teams at various points, including during the preseason. Remarkably, this marks the first occasion since the 2012-13 season that a single conference has claimed 10 spots in the rankings.

Iowa State secured the third position, followed closely by Duke and Alabama to complete the top five. Florida, Kansas, Marquette, and Oregon rounded out the rankings, each moving up one spot as a result of Kentucky’s decline.

Among last week’s ranked teams, San Diego State made the most significant leap, climbing three spots to No. 20. Meanwhile, Oklahoma (No. 12), Cincinnati (No. 17), and Michigan State (No. 18) each advanced two positions, contributing to a total of 11 teams that improved their standings this week.

In contrast, Kentucky experienced the steepest drop, while Purdue (No. 21) and UCLA (No. 22) also saw significant declines. The Boilermakers plummeted five spots after a heavy defeat to Auburn, while the Bruins fell four spots after squandering a 16-point lead, ultimately losing by two to an unranked North Carolina team that began the season at No. 9.

Additionally, Texas A&M (No. 13) and Gonzaga (No. 14) each dropped one spot, rounding out the list of teams that fell in the rankings.

Five teams maintained their positions from the previous week, including the top three of the Volunteers, Tigers, and Cyclones. Reigning national champions UConn (No. 11) and Houston (No. 15) also held steady.

New entries in the rankings included No. 24 Illinois and No. 25 Baylor, joining Mississippi State and Arkansas as the latest additions to the poll.

Baylor stood out among these newcomers, having initially opened the season at No. 8 and spending five weeks in the rankings. Arkansas began its journey at No. 16 and spent four weeks ranked, while Mississippi State and Illinois have each enjoyed brief stints in the rankings during November and December.

Memphis (No. 21), Dayton (No. 22), Michigan (No. 24), and Clemson (No. 25) dropped out of the poll to accommodate the new teams.

As the SEC dominated the rankings, the AP Top 25 reflected teams from only seven different conferences.

The Big Ten, led by ninth-ranked Oregon, had five teams in the rankings, joining the Big 12 for second place behind the SEC, while the Big East was the only other conference to feature at least two ranked teams.

The ACC, West Coast, and Mountain West each secured one ranked team.

Here’s the full AP Top 25:

1. Tennessee
2. Auburn
3. Iowa State
4. Duke
5. Alabama
6. Florida
7. Kansas
8. Marquette
9. Oregon
10. Kentucky
11. UConn
12. Oklahoma
13. Texas A&M
14. Gonzaga
15. Houston
16. Ole Miss
17. Cincinnati
18. Michigan State
19. Mississippi State
20. San Diego State
21. Purdue
22. UCLA
23. Arkansas
24. Illinois
25. Baylor