playESPNMultiple AuthorsOct 19, 2026, 12:09 PM ETOpen Extended ReactionsThe 2026-27 preseason men’s college basketball AP Top 25 poll results are out!Reigning titleholder Michigan is not No. 1 — the Wolverines are ranked at No. 16 after the departure of head coach Dusty May in the offseason. Instead, the No. 1 team to open the preseason is Florida, followed by Duke.The offseason has been defined by 54 coaching changes, a busy transfer portal and college eligibility battles playing out in the courts — which, coupled with tournament expansion, will make the 2026-27 campaign all the more intriguing.Let’s break down the projected starting lineups (players awaiting eligibility decisions are marked with an asterisk) and biggest early-season games for each of the 25 men’s hoops teams in the AP poll rankings.All times Eastern1. Florida Gators2025-26 record: 27-8 (lost to 9-seed Iowa in round of 32)Season opener: Nov. 2 vs. Miami in Tampa, 6 p.m., ESPN2Biggest early-season game: Dec. 1 vs.
Duke (ACC/SEC Challenge), 9:30 p.m., ESPNProjected starting lineup: Boogie Fland (11.7 PPG) Denzel Aberdeen (13.5 PPG at Kentucky)* Thomas Haugh (17.1 PPG) Alex Condon (14.9 PPG) Rueben Chinyelu (11.2 PPG)2. Duke Blue Devils2025-26 record: 35-3 (lost to 2-seed UConn in Elite Eight)Season opener: Nov. 2 vs. Army, 6:30 p.m., ESPNUBiggest early-season game: Nov. 25 vs. UConn in Las Vegas, 7 p.m., Prime VideoProjected starting lineup: Caleb Foster (8.5 PPG) John Blackwell (19.1 PPG at Wisconsin) Dame Sarr (6.4 PPG) Drew Scharnowski (10.7 PPG at Belmont) Patrick Ngongba II (10.5 PPG)3.
Illinois Fighting Illini2025-26 record: 28-9 (lost to 2-seed UConn in Final Four)Season opener: Nov. 2 vs. Fairleigh Dickinson, 8 p.m., BTNBiggest early-season game: Nov. 17 at Duke, 7 p.m., ESPNProjected starting lineup: Stefan Vaaks (15.8 PPG at Providence) Quentin Coleman (No. 23 in SC Next 100) Andrej Stojakovic (13.5 PPG) David Mirkovic (13.6 PPG) Tomislav Ivisic (10.2 PPG)4. UConn Huskies2025-26 record: 34-6 (lost to 1-seed Michigan in national championship game)Season opener: Nov. 2 vs. Gardner-Webb, 9 p.m., PeacockBiggest early-season game: Nov. 6 vs.
Michigan in Boston, 8 p.m., TNTProjected starting lineup: Silas Demary Jr. (10.6 PPG) Braylon Mullins (12.0 PPG) Jayden Ross (4.8 PPG) Nik Khamenia (5.7 PPG at Duke) Na’jai Hines (5.5 PPG at Seton Hall)5. Arizona Wildcats2025-26 record: 36-3 (lost to 1-seed Michigan in Final Four)Season opener: Nov. 2 vs. UCLA in Las Vegas (Hall of Fame Series), 10 p.m., TNTBiggest early-season game: Nov. 18 vs. UConn, 9 p.m., FS1Projected starting lineup: Derek Dixon (8.5 PPG at North Carolina) Caleb Holt (No. 3 in SC Next 100) Ivan Kharchenkov (10.2 PPG) RJ Godfrey (12.0 PPG at Clemson)* Motiejus Krivas (10.4 PPG)6.
Michigan State Spartans2025-26 record: 27-8 (lost to 2-seed UConn in Sweet 16)Season opener: Nov. 2 vs. Quinnipiac, 7 p.m., B1G+Biggest early-season game: Nov. 10 vs. Duke in Chicago (Champions Classic), 7 p.m., ESPNProjected starting lineup: Jeremy Fears Jr. (15.3 PPG) Jordan Scott (5.9 PPG) Coen Carr (12.0 PPG) Cam Ward (5.2 PPG) Anton Bonke (10.6 PPG at Charlotte)7. Texas Longhorns2025-26 record: 27-8 (lost to 2-seed Purdue in Sweet 16)Season opener: Nov. 2 vs.
Chicago State, 9 p.m., SECN/SECN+Biggest early-season game: Dec. 1 @ Louisville (ACC/SEC Challenge), 9 p.m., ESPN2Projected starting lineup: Isaiah Johnson (16.9 PPG at Colorado) Austin Goosby (No. 20 in SC Next 100) Elyjah Freeman (9.2 PPG at Auburn) David Punch (14.1 PPG at TCU) Matas Vokietaitis (15.7 PPG)8. Tennessee Volunteers2025-26 record: 25-12 (lost to 1-seed Michigan in Elite Eight)Season opener: Nov. 3 vs. Wofford, 6 p.m., SECN/SECN+Biggest early-season game: Nov. 17 vs. Michigan State, 9 p.m., ESPN2Projected starting lineup: Terrence Hill Jr. (15.0 PPG at VCU) Tyler Lundblade (15.6 PPG at Belmont) Juke Harris (21.4 PPG at Wake Forest) Jalen Haralson (16.2 PPG at Notre Dame) Miles Rubin (11.3 PPG at Loyola Chicago)9.
Virginia Cavaliers2025-26 record: 30-6 (lost to 6-seed Tennessee in round of 32)Season opener: Nov. 3 vs. Drexel, 7:30 p.m., ACC NetworkBiggest early-season game: Dec. 20 vs. UConn in New York, 3 p.m., ESPNProjected starting lineup: Chance Mallory (9.3 PPG) Jurian Dixon (15.7 PPG at UC Irvine) Sam Lewis (10.6 PPG) Thijs De Ridder (15.6 PPG) Johann Grunloh (7.1 PPG)10. Houston Cougars2025-26 record: 30-7 (lost to 3-seed Illinois in Sweet 16)Season opener: Nov. 2 vs.
La Salle, 9 p.m., CBSSNBiggest early-season game: Nov. 17-19 in Las Vegas (Players Era 8), ESPN networksProjected starting lineup: Dedan Thomas Jr. (15.3 PPG at LSU) Mercy Miller (5.2 PPG) Chase McCarty (4.0 PPG) Joseph Tugler (8.5 PPG) Delrecco Gillespie (17.7 PPG at Kent State)11. Louisville Cardinals2025-26 record: 24-11 (lost to 3-seed Michigan State in round of 32)Season opener: Nov. 2 vs. Chattanooga, 9 p.m., ACC NetworkBiggest early-season game: Dec. 12 @ Kentucky, 4 p.m., ABCProjected starting lineup: Jackson Shelstad (15.6 PPG at Oregon) Seth Trimble (14.0 PPG at North Carolina)* Karter Knox (8.1 PPG at Arkansas) Alvaro Folgueiras (8.4 PPG at Iowa) Flory Bidunga (13.3 PPG at Kansas)12. Arkansas Razorbacks2025-26 record: 28-9 (lost to 1-seed Arizona in Sweet 16)Season opener: Nov. 3 vs.
Arkansas-Pine Bluff, 7 p.m., SECN+Biggest early-season game: Nov. 26 vs. Michigan State in Detroit, 4:30 p.m., CBSProjected starting lineup: Jordan Smith (No. 2 in SC Next 100) Jeremiah Wilkinson (17.4 PPG at Georgia) Billy Richmond III (11.1 PPG) Miikka Muurinen (five-star) Cooper Bowser (13.8 PPG at Furman)13. St. John’s Red Storm2025-26 record: 30-7 (lost to 1-seed Duke in Sweet 16)Season opener: Nov. 2 vs.
Monmouth, 6:30 p.m., ESPN+Biggest early-season game: Dec. 5 vs. Arizona in New York (Hall of Fame Series), 12 p.m., FoxProjected starting lineup: Quinn Ellis (8.4 PPG for Olimpia Milano) Ian Jackson (9.6 PPG) Tounde Yessoufou (17.8 PPG at Baylor) Keyshawn Hall (19.3 PPG at Auburn)* Ruben Prey (4.1 PPG)14. Miami Hurricanes2025-26 record: 26-9 (lost to 2-seed Purdue in round of 32)Season opener: Nov. 2 vs. Florida in Tampa, 6 p.m., ESPN2Biggest early-season game: Dec. 12 vs.
Texas in Houston, 5:30 p.m., ESPNProjected starting lineup: Acaden Lewis (12.2 PPG at Villanova) Dante Allen (6.6 PPG) Shelton Henderson (13.8 PPG) Malik Reneau (18.9 PPG)* Somto Cyril (9.3 PPG at Georgia)15. Gonzaga Bulldogs2025-26 record: 31-4 (lost to 11-seed Texas in round of 32)Season opener: Nov. 2 vs. Purdue in Las Vegas (Hall of Fame Series), 7:30 p.m., TNTBiggest early-season game: Dec. 19 vs. Michigan State in Palm Springs, California (Acrisure Series), 2 p.m., TBDProjected starting lineup: Xaivian Lee (11.6 PPG at Florida)* Chauncey Wiggins (13.3 PPG at Florida State)* Davis Fogle (8.6 PPG) Braden Huff (17.8 PPG) Massamba Diop (13.6 PPG at Arizona State)16.
Michigan Wolverines2025-26 record: 37-3 (won national championship)Season opener: Nov. 2 vs. Oakland, 6 p.m., BTNBiggest early-season game: Nov. 24-28 in Las Vegas (Players Era 16), ESPN networksProjected starting lineup: Elliot Cadeau (10.1 PPG) Trey McKenney (9.5 PPG) Roddy Gayle Jr. (7.3 PPG)* J.P. Estrella (10.0 PPG at Tennessee) Moustapha Thiam (12.8 PPG at Cincinnati)17. Kansas Jayhawks2025-26 record: 24-11 (lost to 5-seed St.
John’s in round of 32)Season opener: Nov. 2 vs. Fordham, 8 p.m., ESPN+Biggest early-season game: Nov. 10 vs. Kentucky in Chicago (Champions Classic), 9:30 p.m., ESPNProjected starting lineup: Leroy Blyden Jr. (16.5 PPG at Toledo) Melvin Council Jr. (12.6 PPG)* Tre White (13.8 PPG)* Tyran Stokes (No. 1 in SC Next 100) Keanu Dawes (12.5 PPG at Utah)18. Iowa State Cyclones2025-26 record: 29-8 (lost to 6-seed Tennessee in Sweet 16)Season opener: Nov. 2 vs.
Memphis in Sioux Falls, 7 p.m., FS1Biggest early-season game: Nov. 24-28 in Las Vegas (Players Era 16), ESPNProjected starting lineup: Tamin Lipsey (13.5 PPG)* Killyan Toure (8.6 PPG) Jamarion Batemon (6.6 PPG) Tre Singleton (7.6 PPG at Northwestern) Blake Buchanan (8.5 PPG)19. Texas Tech Red
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