Kansas Basketball 2025-26: Where Jayhawks Landed in Preseason AP Top 25

This ranking isn’t very surprising.

Nov 16, 2024; Lawrence, Kansas, USA; A general view of the Kansas Jayhawks logo on a bench chair prior to a game against the Oakland Golden Grizzlies at Allen Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images | Denny Medley-Imagn Images

The college basketball Preseason AP Poll was released Monday afternoon, and for the first time in two years, the Kansas Jayhawks are not entering the season as the nation’s top-ranked team. 

After being ranked No. 1 overall in back-to-back preseasons, the Jayhawks saw a significant drop in the 2025-26 rankings. 

They come in as the No. 19 team in the country and the sixth-highest-ranked program in the Big 12.

BREAKING: Preseason College Basketball AP Poll🏀https://t.co/pQTPvw4sEm pic.twitter.com/ovodzbD9dE

— On3 (@On3sports) October 13, 2025

The voters are no longer infatuated with the preseason outlook of the Jayhawks — and given how the past two seasons have gone, that might actually be a good thing. 

KU is coming off consecutive down years in which it was bounced during the first weekend of March Madness. The squads led by Hunter Dickinson and Co. never truly panned out, but Bill Self is hoping his fortunes will be better this season under the guidance of incoming freshman Darryn Peterson.

The generational prospect was the No. 1 overall recruit in the Class of 2025 and could be the first player to hear his name called at the podium on draft day in 2026. Before that, though, he will be tasked with leading a new-look Jayhawk squad expected to feature an entirely new starting lineup compared to last season.

The coaching staff reeled in four transfers this offseason, along with a strong freshman class to pair with Peterson, giving Kansas a younger and more youthful identity compared to the veteran-led teams of recent years.

In the AP Poll, KU checked in at No. 19 nationally, ranking sixth among Big 12 programs behind Houston (No. 2), BYU (No. 8), Texas Tech (No. 10), Arizona (No. 13), and Iowa State (No. 16). This aligns with what most preseason rankings projected for Kansas before the poll’s release.

Analysts have plenty of reasons to doubt the Jayhawks after the last couple of campaigns, but now it is time for Kansas to prove those doubters wrong and show that the past two seasons were simply a fluke.

Peterson will undoubtedly be one of the best players in the country, but his supporting cast must also perform at a high level to ensure he’s not carrying the load alone.

A strong start to the season with marquee games like a road matchup at North Carolina and the Champions Classic could quickly lift the Jayhawks higher in the rankings. But for now, it might be better for them to embrace the role of underdog rather than being the team to beat.