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

Jay Bilas Unveils Top 68 College Basketball Rankings as the 2025–26 Season Begins

The 2025–26 college basketball season tipped off Monday night after a chaotic offseason full of coaching moves and Transfer Portal drama. The excitement is back, and storylines are plentiful as teams chase glory.

Early Questions for the Season

Jay Bilas's Top 68 Teams

ESPN analyst Jay Bilas unveiled his top-68 rankings just one game into the new season. Purdue begins the year as his No. 1 team in college basketball.

“Purdue opens the season tabbed as the best team in college basketball by Jay Bilas.”

Head coach Matt Painter enters his 21st season leading the Boilermakers, returning a strong core: point guard Braden Smith, shooter Fletcher Loyer, versatile big Trey Kaufman-Renn, and South Dakota State transfer Oscar Cluff. Purdue looks determined to reach the National Championship Game again after coming close in recent years.

Purdue’s Dominant Opener

Purdue kicked off its regular season with a commanding 82–51 victory over Evansville. Fletcher Loyer starred with 30 points, knocking down 7 of 10 three-point attempts. Next, Purdue faces Oakland before a major road clash in Tuscaloosa, a rematch of last year’s non-conference matchup that Purdue won 87–78.

Author’s Summary

Jay Bilas’s early-season rankings crown Purdue as college basketball’s top team, spotlighting their experienced roster and strong opening performance.

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On3 On3 — 2025-11-07

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