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:

Previously ranked: NR

IOWA CITY, IA: Guard Bennett Stirtz #14 of the Iowa Hawkeyes goes to the basket in the first half against forward Max Burton #10 and guard Jalen Griffith #2 of the Western Michigan Broncos on December 14, 2025 at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. (Photo by Matthew Holst/Getty Images)

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.

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.

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