College basketball rankings: Comparing how 2025-26 Preseason AP Poll lines up to KenPom data

This week, college basketball fans got two big reminders that the new season is set to tip off soon. First, KenPom released its 2025-26 numbers which set the tone in the analytics community and serve as a key data point through March. Then the Preseason AP Poll was released to determine which teams start the year with a number next to their name and have widespread belief.

Many of the teams projected to finish at the top of the sport line up between the two, but inevitably when comparing the opinions of people with computer data, there will be a gap between the two when ranking so many teams. Last season, no teams matched up exactly between the two this preseason.

Here is a look at where the AP Poll’s thoughts on every team in the Top 25 compare to the KenPom data before tip-off in November. There will certainly be widespread movement over the coming months in both models, as we move from projections to results.

Top 25 teams

19 teams matched up between the AP Poll and the KenPom Top 25s, and while none landed in exactly the same spot, there were several close together.

There are 12 teams which KenPom ranked within three spots of the AP Poll and five more ranked within five spots of each other. The other two – Auburn and Arkansas – are significantly off but still made the Top 25 in both.

All rankings presented as (AP Poll/KenPom Ranking)

Closely ranked

Purdue (1/3), Houston (2/1), Florida (3/2), UConn (4/5), Duke (6/7), Texas Tech (10/12), Louisville (11/14), UCLA (12/10), Arizona (13/15), Iowa State (16/13), Kansas (19/21), Michigan State (22/25)

Not too far

Michigan (7/11), Kentucky (9/4), Wisconsin (24/20)

Different opinions

St. John’s (5/16), BYU (8/18), Alabama (15/23), Illinois (17/6), Tennessee (18/9), Gonzaga (21/8)

Ranked by AP voters

These teams were viewed among the 25 best teams by the AP Poll voters, but do not have the computer numbers to support it. Check out how much higher they rank than what KenPom projects.

Arkansas (14/29), Auburn (20/31), Creighton (23/41), North Carolina (25/33),

Top 25 at KenPom

On the other hand, the computer seems significantly higher on this group of teams than the voters who saw their offseason moves. There are many factors which play into the gap, and time will tell which test proves more accurate.

Ole Miss (32*/24), USC (33*/22), Vanderbilt (36*/19), Baylor (45*/17)

The AP Poll does not officially rank teams beyond the Top 25, however the remaining numbers were determined by the amount of votes received by teams which did not make the cut.