Jay Bilas unveils Top 68 college basketball rankings as 2025-26 season starts

Jay Bilas Unveils Top 68 College Basketball Rankings for 2025-26 Season

After a hectic offseason filled with coaching changes and Transfer Portal activity, the 2025-26 college basketball season officially started Monday night. The excitement is sky-high as Basketball returns with compelling storylines.

Season Storylines to Watch

Jay Bilas’ Top-Ranked Team

Just one game into the season, ESPN’s Jay Bilas ranked his top 68 college basketball teams, placing Purdue as the number one team.

Purdue Boilermakers Highlight

Head coach Matt Painter returns for his 21st season, leading a talented roster including star point guard Braden Smith, sharpshooting guard Fletcher Loyer, skilled big man Trey Kaufman-Renn, and South Dakota State transfer Oscar Cluff.

The Boilermakers aim to return to the National Championship Game for the second time in three seasons. They started strong with an 82-51 victory over Evansville on Tuesday, fueled by Loyer’s 30 points, shooting 7-of-10 from three-point range.

Purdue’s schedule includes one more warm-up game against Oakland before traveling to Tuscaloosa for a rematch against last year's non-conference opponent, a game the Boilermakers previously won 87-78.

“Loyer led the way with 30 points on 7-of-10 shooting from three-point range.”

Author’s summary: The 2025-26 college basketball season launches amid high expectations, with Purdue leading Jay Bilas’ rankings as teams chase historic successes.

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On3 On3 — 2025-11-07

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