Updated Poll Removes Arizona From No. 1 Spot

The Arizona Wildcats are not unbeaten anymore. The Wildcats suffered their first loss of the season earlier this week, and it was one that was a tough loss. The Wildcats lost to their Big 12 rival, the Kansas Jayhawks. Going into the game, the Wildcats were ranked No. 1, and Kansas was No. 9. It is never easy to go on the road in Kansas and play in that environment. Arizona was in a battle all game long, and they took their first loss to an opponent that is one of the best as well.

The Wildcats did a lot of things well for most of the game, but it was late in the game that the Wildcats struggled. Every time Arizona made a run, they had a chance to extend their lead, but they let Kansas hang around, and that would come back to bite them late in the game. Kansas hung around, and they went on a run late in the second half of the game, and that was a run that Arizona could not rebound from. Arizona did everything it could, but it did not make enough plays.

Jan 31, 2026; Tempe, Arizona, USA; Arizona Wildcats head coach Tommy Lloyd against the Arizona State Sun Devils at Desert Financial Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Arizona Still No. 1?

It is never to go unbeaten in a season. And even Arizona head coach Tommy Lloyd said he did not expect his team to be unbeaten till the end. It was not a bad loss or one that Arizona will not bounce back from. Now they will go back to the drawing board and see the things that went well and the things they will improve on the next time they are on the court. Arizona started its tough stretch of the season, and it did not get off to the start that it wanted to.

They still have a lot of tough games ahead of them. It is going to be the first time that this team makes adjustments following a loss. Now he is going to see them take the court for the first time after a loss on Saturday. After that, we will find out if they are still No. 1 in the AP Poll. But there is one latest ranking that does not have them at the top.

Arizona Wildcats guard Jaden Bradley (0) dribbles down court against Kansas Jayhawks during the game inside Allen Fieldhouse on Feb. 9, 2026. | Evert Nelson/The Capital-Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Gary Parrish of CBS Sports gave his updated college basketball rankings. Parrish had Arizona dropping down a spot.

Kansas is up to No. 9 in Tuesday morning's updated CBS Sports Top 25 And 1 daily college basketball rankings, where Arizona dropped to No. 2. That means Michigan is the new No. 1. Dusty May's Wolverines are 22-1 with eight Quadrant 1 victories heading into Wednesday's game at Northwestern. They're also No. 1 in the NET, at KenPom.com and at BartTorvik.com.

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