Jay Bilas unveils Top 68 college basketball rankings as 2025-26 season starts
The 2025–26 college basketball season tipped off Monday night after an eventful offseason filled with coaching changes and transfer portal drama. Excitement is high as basketball officially returns, bringing fresh storylines and high expectations.
Major Questions Heading Into the Season
- Can Florida become the second consecutive team to repeat as national champions?
- Will Kelvin Sampson finally lead Houston to its first national championship?
- Can Duke bounce back from last year’s devastating Final Four loss to capture its first title under Jon Scheyer?
Jay Bilas’ Early Power Rankings
ESPN analyst Jay Bilas released his early Top 68 rankings just one game into the new season. Purdue tops the list as the most complete team in college basketball.
Purdue Leads the Pack
Under longtime head coach Matt Painter, now entering his 21st season, Purdue returns star players such as point guard Braden Smith, guard Fletcher Loyer, forward Trey Kaufman-Renn, and new transfer Oscar Cluff from South Dakota State.
The Boilermakers opened the regular season with a commanding 82–51 victory over Evansville on Tuesday. Loyer was the standout performer, scoring 30 points while hitting 7 of 10 shots from three-point range. Purdue will next face Oakland before heading to Tuscaloosa for a non-conference rematch of last year’s 87–78 win.
“Basketball is officially back.” — Jay Bilas
Author’s Summary
Purdue leads Jay Bilas’ first Top 68 list of the 2025–26 season, emerging as an early favorite following a strong opening win and a deep, seasoned roster.