Kentucky ranked No. 9 in AP Top 25 Preseason Poll

Your University of Kentucky Wildcats will start the 2025-26 season as a top-10 team. The AP Top 25 College Basketball Preseason Poll just dropped, and the Cats came in at No. 9, the same number as the national championship they’re chasing.

Purdue, which will come to Rupp Arena on October 24, is the preseason No. 1, followed by Houston (No. 2), defending national champion Florida (No. 3), UConn (No. 4), and St. John’s (No. 5). Also ahead of Kentucky: Duke (No. 6), Michigan (No. 7), and BYU (No. 8). Texas Tech rounds out the top ten, followed by Louisville at No. 11.

Kentucky is one of six teams from the SEC in the Top 25. Florida leads the way at No. 3. Kentucky is No. 9, Arkansas No. 14, Alabama No. 15, Tennessee No. 18, and Auburn No. 20. The Cats will face ten teams in the Top 25 this season, eleven if you count Purdue in the exhibition game:

• No. 1 Purdue – Oct. 24 (exhibition, home)
• No. 3 Florida – Feb. 14 (away), March 7 (home)
• No. 5 St. John’s – Dec. 20 (neutral)
• No. 11 Louisville – Nov. 11 (away)
• No. 14 Arkansas – Jan. 31 (away)
• No. 15 Alabama – Jan. 3 (away)
• No. 18 Tennessee – Jan. 17 (away), Feb. 7 (home)
• No. 20 Auburn – Feb. 21 (away)
• No. 21 Gonzaga – Dec. 5 (neutral)
• No. 22 Michigan State – Nov. 18 (neutral)
• No. 25 North Carolina – Dec. 2 (home)

AP Top 25 College Basketball Preseason Poll

Rank	Team	Record / Conference	Points (1st)
1	Purdue	0–0, Big Ten	1485 (35)
2	Houston	0–0, Big 12	1459 (16)
3	Florida	0–0, SEC	1382 (8)
4	UConn	0–0, Big East	1299 (2)
5	St. John’s	0–0, Big East	1203
6	Duke	0–0, ACC	1123
7	Michigan	0–0, Big Ten	1084
8	BYU	0–0, Big 12	1078
9	Kentucky	0–0, SEC	1056
10	Texas Tech	0–0, Big 12	1015
11	Louisville	0–0, ACC	966
12	UCLA	0–0, Big Ten	741
13	Arizona	0–0, Big 12	715
14	Arkansas	0–0, SEC	695
15	Alabama	0–0, SEC	620
16	Iowa State	0–0, Big 12	616
17	Illinois	0–0, Big Ten	567
18	Tennessee	0–0, SEC	462
19	Kansas	0–0, Big 12	453
20	Auburn	0–0, SEC	424
21	Gonzaga	0–0, WCC	387
22	Michigan State	0–0, Big Ten	188
23	Creighton	0–0, Big East	158
24	Wisconsin	0–0, Big Ten	136
25	North Carolina	0–0, ACC	104

Others Receiving Votes: NC State 101, Oregon 98, San Diego St. 74, Texas 35, Ohio St. 23, Kansas St 13, Mississippi 11, Southern Cal 10, Missouri 8, Washington 7, Vanderbilt 7, Iowa 6, Boise St. 4, Mississippi St. 3, VCU 2, Virginia 2, Saint Mary’s 2, Indiana 1, Oklahoma 1, Baylor 1.

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Kentucky in other national rankings

The AP voters view the Cats as a top ten team. Most of the rest of the national media does too. Here is where some other media members rank the Cats going into Mark Pope’s second season.

• Field of 68: No. 7
• ESPN: No. 9
• The Athletic: No. 9
• CBS Sports’ Kyle Boone: No. 11
• Jon Rothstein: No. 12

If you prefer numbers, KenPom has Kentucky fourth in its preseason rankings. Just 11 days until the exhibition vs. Purdue and 22 days until the season opener vs. Nicholls.

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