College Basketball rankings: Final AP Poll Top 25 released after national championship

The final college basketball rankings are here with the final AP Poll top 25 following the national championship game. Michigan beat UConn to win the title, its second in program history.

But where do the rest of the teams end up in this final ranking? There are plenty of directions to go based on their tournament finishes, but also the total resume, starting with the beginning of the regular season.

So without further ado, let’s dive into the final AP Poll of the college basketball season. We start at the top.

1. Michigan (+2)

Michigan ends the year as national champions, its second title in program history, and the top team in the AP Poll. The Wolverines controlled the game against UConn and beat the Huskies 69-63 in Indianapolis.

Elliot Cadeau led the way with 19 points, three rebounds and two assists in the win. Yaxel Lendeborg, injury and all, had 13 points, two rebounds and an assist while Morez Johnson had a double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds.

2. UConn (+5)

UConn came oh-so-close to winning a third title in four years under Dan Hurley. There’s no question the Huskies’ brand of basketball is sustainable and they are one of the top programs in the sport.

But, UConn is No. 2 in the final AP Poll after coming up short in Monday night’s title game. Still, expect it to be in contention again in 2027.

3. Arizona (-1)

Arizona is next up in the AP Poll rankings. The bad news is it fell to Michigan 91-73 and was never really in the game during the Final Four.

But the good news is Tommy Lloyd signed a contract extension to continue coaching the team, rather than take a job somewhere like, well, North Carolina! The Wildcats finished 36-3 on the year.

4. Duke (-3)

Duke fell short on a heave in the Elite Eight. Jon Scheyer and crew are likely still haunted by the buzzer-beater loss to UConn last week, as it could’ve been the top team in the AP Poll as national champions today.

Still, the team went 35-3 and had an immensely talented roster. Now it’s about retooling the lineup with inevitable NBA departures, such as Cam Boozer, and trying to get back to this point and beyond.

5. Illinois (+8)

Illinois ended as a top five team in the AP Poll after making the Final Four this year. It fell to UConn 71-62, failing to make the title game.

In that loss Saturday night, Keaton Wagler led the way with 20 points, eight rebounds and two assists. Tomislav Ivisic added 16 points and seven rebounds.

6. Purdue (+2)

Purdue put up a 30-win season this year and finished in the top 10 in the AP Poll in the end. The Boilermakers fell 79-64 to Arizona in the Elite Eight to end their season.

Oscar Cluff put up 14 points, 10 rebounds and two assists in that loss. The Boilermakers regularly find themselves in contention to make runs in the NCAA Tournament and one of the Big Ten’s best should be no different in that department next year. Heck, they won the conference this year.

7. Houston (-2)

Houston ended in the top 10 of the AP Poll despite a disappointing loss in the Sweet 16 in the NCAA Tournament. Seeded No. 2 in their region, the Cougars fell 65-55 to Illinois, so it’s another year without a title for Kelvin Sampson.

But 30 wins in a year gives you a boost at the end of the year. Sure, it wasn’t the ideal finish, but Houston was still a solid team, one of the more consistent ones, throughout the year.

8. Iowa State (-2)

As a No. 2 seed, Iowa State probably expected to go a bit further than the Sweet 16 in the NCAA Tournament. Still, the Cyclones finished in the top 10 of the AP Poll by season’s end.

Not to mention, this team lost Joshua Jefferson to injury, which affected their play. We’ll see how they contend in 2027.

9. Florida (-5)

Florida was upset in the second round of the NCAA Tournament but found itself in the top 10 of the AP Poll at the end of the year. What helps the Gators’ case?

Iowa, who beat Florida, made a run to the Elite Eight, so perhaps it wasn’t a fluke for the 2025 NCAA champions. We’ll see how Todd Golden turns this around for next season to make another run.

10. St. John’s 

St. John’s rounds out the AP Poll top 10 this year. Rick Pitino’s squad came up short against Duke in the Sweet 16, but won the Big East.

There, the Red Storm beat eventual national runner-up UConn 72-52 in convincing fashion. Pitino still has elite coaching chops, so it’ll be interesting to see this team come next season.

Final AP Poll Top 25

11. Michigan State
12. Tennessee (+11)
13. Arkansas (+1)
14. Nebraska (+1)
15. Iowa 
16. Alabama (+2)
17. Virginia (-8)
18. Gonzaga (-6)
19. Vanderbilt (-3)
20. Kansas (-3)
21. Texas Tech (-1)
22. Texas 
23. Louisville 
24. Miami (+1)
25. Wisconsin (-6)

Others receiving votes in Final AP Poll: UCLA 51, Saint Louis 51, Utah St. 45, High Point 37, VCU 29, Miami (Ohio) 26, BYU 15, North Carolina 14, Kentucky 14, TCU 9, Texas A&M 7, Saint Mary’s 7, Akron 3, Ohio St. 2, Auburn 1.