Michigan Takes the Lead in College Basketball Rankings
USATue Feb 17 2026
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Michigan has grabbed the top spot in the college basketball rankings. They are now the unanimous number one team. This is after they won ten games in a row. Arizona, which was number one for five weeks, lost two games and fell to fourth place. Houston is now second in the rankings. Duke moved up to third place.
Iowa State had a mixed week. They lost two spots to number six but beat Kansas. Purdue moved up five spots to seventh. Gonzaga, Nebraska, and Illinois are also in the top ten.
Kansas dropped to twelfth place. Florida moved up three spots to eleventh. Texas Tech also moved up three spots to thirteenth after beating Arizona. Virginia is now fourteenth.
North Carolina and Clemson had a tough week. North Carolina dropped seven spots to twentieth. Clemson fell six spots to twenty-fourth. Wisconsin is now in the rankings at twenty-fifth, replacing Iowa.
The rankings show how quickly things can change in college basketball. Teams can rise or fall based on their performance. It's important to stay consistent and keep winning to stay at the top.