Where Does the ACC Stand in Basketball Polls Ahead of Opening Night: ACC Daily

Opening day for the ACC and a basketball conference that has a lot to build on.

Duke forward Cameron Boozer (12) and guard/forward Nikolas Khamenia (14) celebrate during a college basketball exhibition game against Tennessee and Duke on October 26, 2025, in Knoxville, Tenn. | Saul Young/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The ACC rejoices as basketball season is finally underway. The conference has seen a number of changes over the past two to three seasons, with many coaches retiring and new ones starting to position themselves as mainstays not only in the conference but in the nation.

The Big Three

Louisville Cardinals guard Mikel Brown Jr. (0) goes for two of his 10 points in the Cards 90-82 loss against visiting Kansas in the exhibition game at the KFC Yum! Center in Louisville, Kentucky Friday, October 24, 2025. | Matt Stone/Courier Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The ACC has had a shift in the Conference with so many new head coaches, but three teams have returned and remained consistent: Duke, North Carolina, and Louisville.

The Blue Devils and the Cardinals have some of the most talented freshmen in the country who will be top 10 picks in the NBA Draft. Cameron Boozer is positioning himself as the No. 1 pick in the draft while Mikel Brown Jr. is shaping out ot be an outstanding guard. North Carolina also has an outstanding freshman in Caleb Wilson, who could be a top 10 pick as well.

The Mischievous Middle of the Pack

Oct 8, 2025; Charlotte, NC, USA; NC State head coach Will Wade answers questions from the media at The Hilton Charlotte Uptown. Mandatory Credit: William Howard-Imagn Images | William Howard-Imagn Images

One of the big pieces that was missing in the top 25 was NC State, which was right on the edge of making it in. Will Wade is in his first season with the program, and after years of success, he is going to be a handful in the league. Virginia also received two votes, but they are not the only ones to watch out for.

Miami has changed its entire roster, and don't forget that just a few seasons ago, they were the top of the ACC for basketball. Florida State has a fun team that can give anyone trouble, similar to Wake Forest, SMU, and Clemson. The middle of the pack will be fun to watch, with a number of them being tournament teams this season.

Preseason AP Top 25

(Ranking, team, first-place votes, points received)

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

Preseason Coaches Poll

(Ranking, team, first-place votes, points received)

1. Purdue (18), 755
2. Houston (12), 749
3. Florida (1), 704
4. UConn, 647
5. Duke, 623
6. St. John's, 609
7. Michigan, 569
8. BYU, 532
9. Kentucky, 529
10. Louisville, 456
11. Texas Tech, 455
12. UCLA, 421
13. Arizona, 398
14. Illinois, 349
15. Arkansas, 329
16. Alabama, 322
17. Tennessee, 292
18. Iowa State, 289
19. Kansas, 235
20. Gonzaga, 185
21. Michigan State, 144
22. Auburn, 114
23. Creighton, 103
24. Wisconsin, 62
25. North Carolina, 37

Others Receiving Votes

North Carolina State 33; Oregon 26; San Diego State 15; Ohio State 15; Baylor 13; Virginia 11; Vanderbilt 10; USC 7; Texas 6; Villanova 5; Missouri 5; Ole Miss 4; Washington 3; Saint Mary's 3; Iowa 3; Cincinnati 3; VCU 2; Oklahoma State 1; Kansas State 1; Boise State 1.