The first week of the college basketball season is in the books and there was certainly plenty of drama. A few big upsets shook up the AP Top 25, which saw the top three remain intact from Week 1 but had Gonzaga and Auburn take big leaps into the Top 5 after impressive wins over power conference teams, including what was essentially a road win for the Tigers over previous No. 4 Houston.
The Cougars were one of the fallers in this week’s AP poll, along with Texas A&M, which dropped 10 spots after getting upset at UCF on opening night. Arkansas also dropped a few slots while North Carolina, which put together a game effort in a tough environment at Allen Fieldhouse against No. 1 Kansas on Friday night, fell only one spot to No. 10.
UCLA is out of the poll after losing to New Mexico while Ohio State and St. John’s are in, with the Red Storm making their first appearance in the rankings since Rick Pitino took over as their head coach prior to last season. The Buckeyes, who are part of a very mushy middle in the Big 10, earned the respect of voters after a neutral site victory against Texas last week.
Plenty of marquee action is set for Week 2, including the Champions Classic in Atlanta and a couple of heavyweight matchups on Friday night, but which ranked teams will make the biggest moves this week? Read on for predictions of each Top 25 game on the schedule, beginning with tonight’s slate of 8 Top 25 contests.
|
Away Team |
Home Team |
Time |
Network |
Prediction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Youngstown State |
No. 21 Ohio State |
6:00 p.m. ET |
Big Ten Network |
Ohio State |
|
McNeese |
No. 2 Alabama |
7:00 p.m. ET |
SEC Network |
Alabama |
|
Grambling |
No. 20 Florida |
7:00 p.m. ET |
ESPN+ |
Florida |
|
Saint Peter’s |
No. 24 Rutgers |
7:00 p.m. ET |
Big Ten Network+ |
Rutgers |
|
Kansas City |
No. 7 Iowa State |
8:00 p.m. ET |
ESPN+ |
Iowa State |
|
Yale |
No. 13 Purdue |
8:00 p.m. ET |
Big Ten Network |
Purdue |
|
Lamar |
No. 23 Texas A&M |
8:00 p.m. ET |
ESPN+ |
Texas A&M |
|
Central Michigan |
No. 15 Marquette* |
9:00 p.m. ET |
FS1 |
Marquette |
*Marquette Challenge at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, WI
|
Away Team |
Home Team |
Time |
Network |
Prediction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Michigan State |
No. 1 Kansas* |
6:30 p.m. ET |
ESPN |
Kansas |
|
Sam Houston |
No. 12 Baylor |
8:00 p.m. ET |
ESPN+ |
Baylor |
|
South Alabama |
No. 25 Ole Miss |
8:00 p.m. ET |
ESPN+ |
Ole Miss |
|
No. 6 Duke |
No. 19 Kentucky* |
9:00 p.m. ET |
ESPN |
Duke |
*Champions Classic at State Farm Arena in Atlanta, GA
|
Away Team |
Home Team |
Time |
Network |
Prediction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Wagner |
No. 22 St. John’s |
6:30 p.m. ET |
FS2 |
St. John’s |
|
Le Moyne |
No. 3 UCONN |
7:00 p.m. ET |
FS1 |
UCONN |
|
Montana |
No. 11 Tennessee |
7:00 p.m. ET |
ESPN+ |
Tennessee |
|
Kent State |
No. 5 Auburn |
8:00 p.m. ET |
ESPN+ |
Auburn |
|
Louisiana |
No. 8 Houston |
8:00 p.m. ET |
ESPN+ |
Houston |
|
Troy |
No. 18 Arkansas |
8:00 p.m. ET |
ESPN+ |
Arkansas |
|
Houston Christian |
No. 14 Creighton |
9:00 p.m. ET |
FS1 |
Creighton |
|
Away Team |
Home Team |
Time |
Network |
Prediction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
No. 20 Florida |
Florida State |
6:00 p.m. ET |
ACC Network |
Florida |
|
Monmouth |
No. 24 Rutgers |
6:30 p.m. ET |
Big Ten Network |
Rutgers |
|
No. 2 Alabama |
No. 13 Purdue |
7:00 p.m. ET |
Peacock |
Alabama |
|
Nicholls |
No. 17 Cincinnati |
7:00 p.m. ET |
ESPN+ |
Cincinnati |
|
American University |
No. 10 North Carolina |
8:00 p.m. ET |
ACC Network |
North Carolina |
|
No. 15 Marquette |
Maryland |
8:00 p.m. ET |
FS1 |
Maryland |
|
UMass Lowell |
No. 4 Gonzaga |
9:00 p.m. ET |
ESPN+ |
Gonzaga |
|
No. 9 Arizona |
Wisconsin |
9:00 p.m. ET |
Peacock |
Arizona |
|
No. 21 Ohio State |
No. 23 Texas A&M |
9:00 p.m. ET |
SEC Network |
Texas A&M |
|
Away Team |
Home Team |
Time |
Network |
Prediction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Wofford |
No. 6 Duke |
12:00 p.m. ET |
ACC Network |
Duke |
|
South Carolina |
No. 16 Indiana |
3:00 p.m. ET |
Peacock |
Indiana |
|
Colorado State |
No. 25 Ole Miss |
4:00 p.m. ET |
ESPN+ |
Ole Miss |
|
Oakland |
No. 1 Kansas |
6:00 p.m. ET |
ESPN+ |
Kansas |
|
Kansas City |
No. 14 Creighton |
7:00 p.m. ET |
FS2 |
Creighton |
|
Away Team |
Home Team |
Time |
Network |
Prediction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
New Mexico |
No. 22 St. John’s |
12:00 p.m. ET |
FS1 |
New Mexico |
|
Austin Peay |
No. 11 Tennessee |
3:00 p.m. ET |
ESPN+ |
Tennessee |
|
Tarleton State |
No. 12 Baylor |
8:00 p.m. ET |
ESPN+ |
Baylor |
