Jay Bilas unveils Top 68 college basketball rankings as 2025-26 season starts
The 2025–26 college basketball season tipped off on Monday night after an offseason full of coaching changes and transfer portal drama. Basketball is officially back, bringing a wave of excitement and storylines to follow.
- Will Florida become the second straight program to repeat as national champion?
- Can Kelvin Sampson lead Houston to its first-ever national title?
- Will Duke redeem its Final Four collapse and bring Jon Scheyer his first title?
ESPN analyst Jay Bilas has revealed his ranking of the top 68 teams in college basketball. Purdue begins the season as Bilas’s No. 1 team.
Purdue leads Bilas’s rankings
Head coach Matt Painter returns for his 21st season, joined by standout players Braden Smith, Fletcher Loyer, Trey Kaufman-Renn, and South Dakota State transfer Oscar Cluff. The Boilermakers are once again aiming for a return to the National Championship Game, three years after their last appearance.
Purdue opened its regular season with a commanding 82–51 victory over Evansville. Loyer was the star of the game, scoring 30 points while sinking 7 of 10 three-point attempts.
Next, the Boilermakers face Oakland in their final non-conference matchup before traveling to Tuscaloosa for a highly anticipated rematch against Alabama. Purdue defeated the Crimson Tide 87–78 in their previous encounter.
"Basketball is officially back. The storylines this season are off the charts."
Author’s Summary
Jay Bilas names Purdue as the nation’s top team, starting the 2025–26 college basketball season with big storylines and high expectations across the country.