Kansas is the Hottest Team in College Basketball, and It’s Not Even Close

A month ago, Kansas appeared to be heading toward another down season under Bill Self. Today, the Jayhawks are considered one of the most legitimate NCAA Tournament threats in the country.

Dating back to Jan. 11, KU kicked off an eight-game winning streak against No. 2 Iowa State, handing the Cyclones their first loss. This past Monday, the Jayhawks upset another unbeaten team, this time No. 1 Arizona.

The stretch this group has put together is one of the most impressive runs a Jayhawk team has had in recent history. Without question, Kansas is the hottest team in college basketball right now.

Kansas Jayhawks forward Flory Bidunga (40) reacts after blocking a shot by Arizona Wildcats during the game inside Allen Fieldhouse on Feb. 9, 2026. | Evert Nelson/The Capital-Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Where Kansas’ Winning Streak Ranks Among the Country

Kansas obviously isn't the only Division I team to rattle off a long winning streak, the longest belonging to the final undefeated team in Miami (Ohio). But as of today, the only Power 5 teams with a streak longer than or equal to the Jayhawks are St. John's (10 games) and Michigan (eight games).

The quality of teams KU has beaten during this stretch is far more impressive than those others. St. John's has only one ranked win in that span, while Michigan has two.

Meanwhile, half of Kansas' wins during its run have come against top-15 teams. Starting with the No. 2 Cyclones, the Jayhawks added victories over then-No. 13 BYU and No. 13 Texas Tech. The win over the Red Raiders came on the road and was perhaps the most meaningful of the season at the time.

Feb 2, 2026; Lubbock, Texas, USA; Kansas Jayhawks guard Tre White (3) dribbles the ball against Texas Tech Red Raiders guard Tyeree Byran (1) in the second half at United Supermarkets Arena. Mandatory Credit: Michael C. Johnson-Imagn Images | Michael C. Johnson-Imagn Images

To make matters even more impressive, KU has won two of the eight games without star freshman Darryn Peterson. It did so against Arizona after learning less than 30 minutes before tip-off that he would be out due to flu-like symptoms. The Jayhawks also defeated in-state rival Kansas State by 24 points on the road without him.

Although playing without the projected No. 1 NBA Draft pick on the floor is not ideal, winning games in his absence shows that the Jayhawks are prepared for any situation and are willing to adapt on the fly.

During this span, Self and Co. have proved exactly why they expect to have a fighting chance in March. This team can never be counted out and has pulled off several improbable comebacks behind the Allen Fieldhouse crowd.

The winning streak could very well end this weekend at Hilton Coliseum when the Jayhawks take on No. 5 Iowa State. However, it is clear that no school in the country is hotter than Kansas right now.