Kansas Reaches Highest AP Top 25 Poll Ranking Of Season

Riding a five-game win streak, Kansas moved up three more spots in Monday's AP Top 25 Poll.

Kansas Jayhawks guard Darryn Peterson (22) drives against the Iowa State Cyclones at Allen Fieldhouse. | Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

Kansas has been ranked No. 1 in eight of the previous 16 seasons and top five each year since 2009-10. So compared to program history, the Jayhawks' No. 11 ranking in Monday's new AP Top 25 poll may not come with great excitement.

But in the context of the 2025-26 season, it's certainly notable.

It's Kansas' highest ranking of the season and a three-spot jump from last week, which was the team's previous season-high ranking. The Jayhawks had bounced between No. 17 and No. 25 for most of the season, and they were even unranked in two polls. But with five straight wins, including victories over No. 2 Iowa State and No. 13 BYU, coach Bill Self's team has played some of its best basketball of late.

Following wins over Kansas State and BYU this past week, Kansas improved to 6-2 in Big 12 play, good for a fourth-place tie with Monday's opponent, Texas Tech. The Jayhawks are also the fourth-highest ranked team in the latest AP poll, behind No. 1 Arizona, No. 8 Houston and No. 7 Iowa State. Texas Tech fell to No. 13 after losing at UCF, and BYU dropped to No. 16 after losing to Kansas.

The Jayhawks have plenty of big games left, including two matchups against No. 1 Arizona, road games against No. 13 Texas Tech and No. 7 Iowa State, and a home game against No. 8 Houston.

Here's the full poll.

1. Arizona (22-0), 1475 (59), no change
2. Michigan (20-1), 1388, up one
3. UConn (21-1), 1367, down one
4. Duke (20-1), 1314, no change
5. Illinois (19-3), 1172, up four
6. Gonzaga (22-1), 1167, no change
7. Iowa State (20-2), 1130, up one
8. Houston (19-2), 1067, up two
9. Nebraska (20-2), 1036, down four
10. Michigan State (19-3), 950, down three
11. Kansas (16-5), 847, up three
12. Purdue (18-4), 697, no change
13. Texas Tech (16-5), 638, down two
14. North Carolina (17-4), 633, up two
15. Vanderbilt (19-3), 627, up three
16. BYU (17-4), 622, down three
17. Florida (16-6), 618, up two
18. Virginia (18-3), 578, down one
19. Saint Louis (21-1), 353, up two
20. Clemson (18-4), 284, up two
21. Arkansas (16-6), 276, down six
22. St. John’s (16-5), 199, up three
23. Miami (OH) (22-0), 170, up one
24. Louisville (15-6), 148, down four
25. Tennessee (15-6), 134, no change

Others receiving votes: Texas A&M 83, Alabama 48, Iowa 39, UCF 39, Kentucky 28, Villanova 15, NC State 9, Auburn 8, Utah State 6, Miami 4, Georgia 3, Santa Clara 1, George Mason 1, Wisconsin 1.

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