| Rank | Team | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Houston | Not the strongest resume but I feel they are the top contender. |
| 2 | Kansas | Very well could repeat as champions. |
| 3 | Purdue | Good recovery after the loss to Rutgers. |
| 4 | UConn | Recent losses were to very good teams. No need to worry. |
| 5 | UCLA | Flying under the radar. |
| 6 | Tennessee | Delivered a brutal beating to South Carolina on Saturday. |
| 7 | Alabama | Among the elite contenders so far. |
| 8 | Kansas State | Huge week for KSU. They've proven themselves. |
| 9 | Texas | Solid bounce back win against Oklahoma State amidst the turmoil. |
| 10 | Arizona | A loss to Washington State is not a favorable result for this team. |
| 11 | Gonzaga | Not the Gonzaga were used too. Very vulnerable. |
| 12 | Saint Mary's | Destroyed Portland and in position to run the WCC. |
| 13 | Xavier | Showing signs of greatness in recent weeks. |
| 14 | Virginia | Down slightly after losing to Pitt. |
| 15 | Arkansas | So close to making a move, but the Auburn loss will hold them back. |
| 16 | Providence | Needed something big to prove themselves. Then they beat UConn. |
| 17 | Charleston | Staying clean. |
| 18 | Miami (FL) | On the downtrend after the loss to Georgia Tech. |
| 19 | Ohio State | Gain a spot despite losing to Purdue because the world around them is crumbling to pieces. |
| 20 | TCU | Beating Iowa State would have shot TCU up the rankings. Still a very good team. |
| 21 | Auburn | Offset the Georgia by beating Arkansas. |
| 22 | Iowa State | Enters after beating OU and TCU. |
| 23 | Missouri | Hold position after loss to Arkansas, and win over Vandy. |
| 24 | Florida Atlantic | Big win against UAB sees the Owls into the Top 25. |
| 25 | Wisconsin | Slipping. |
Also Considered: Memphis, Marquette, San Diego State, Rutgers, Baylor, Duke, Illinois, NC State, New Mexico, West Virginia, Clemson, Pittsburgh, North Carolina, Kentucky, Mississippi State, Northwestern