There isn't much shake-up this week, but many teams solidified their spots at the top for a while. Here are the rankings this week:
#1 - Tennessee: The Volunteers are not giving this up for the holidays. They will enter conference play ranked number one.
#2 - Auburn: The Tigers got another massive win against Purdue. They have been the best team all season. Expect them to be Tennessee's main competition for a wide-open SEC title race.
#3 - Iowa State: Keshon Gilbert and company are rolling. No problem with the Cyclones this week.
#4 - Florida: I must credit teams for being undefeated this long. Yes, this means I drop teams that do nothing wrong, but if a 20-0 team doesn't make it to number one, what's the point of winning games? The Gators got a big win against North Carolina to secure this spot.
#5 - Oklahoma: Jeremiah Fears is dominating right now. The undefeated Sooners are "booming" their way to a return to the NCAA tournament.
#6 - Duke: Nothing wrong with Duke, but they must drop behind the undefeated teams. However, I see Duke returning to the top when conference play in the SEC starts.
#7 - Alabama: Again, they did nothing wrong. Alabama has a significant opportunity at the start of conference play. They can either become number one or drop out of the top ten. We'll see what happens.
#8 - Kansas: No problems and no movement for the Jayhawks. They look solid.
#9 - Texas A&M: The Aggies are now playing their best basketball—lots of credit to coach Buzz Williams.
#10 - Kentucky: After taking a massive loss to Ohio State, the Wildcats prepare for SEC play, where the fierce competition awaits.
#11 - Marquette: The Golden Eagles and Shocka Smart got a couple of major wins to open up their Big East schedule.
#12 - Connecticut: UConn got the same wins that Marquette got as they traded opponents this week. UConn is back in the championship hunt.
#13 - Cincinnati: The Bearcats got a great win against Dayton this week. They will be a force to be reckoned with in the Big 12 this year.
#14 - Houston: Houston has been steady and consistent after a rough start. They might still have a championship run in them after all.
#15 - Oregon: The Ducks have only one blemish on the season, but that will surely change when the Big Ten season starts.
#16 - Illinois: The Illini won a wild Bragging Rights game in St. Louis, and Kasparas Jakucionis has emerged as one of the most outstanding freshmen in the country.
#17 - Gonzaga: Coach Mark Few can't wait for West Coast play to start. Gonzaga has had several extreme tests this year.
#18 - Mississippi: Ole Miss looks good going into the SEC schedule. Watch out for this team to be a sleeper for the SEC title this year.
#19 - San Diego State: The Aztecs are quietly the best team in their conference again. We'll see if that remains true soon.
#20 - Mississippi State: A BIG win on the road for Mississippi State. Beating Memphis solidifies their spot in the top 20 before they hit the SEC schedule. That's precisely what they needed!
#21 - Michigan State: Izzo's squad is tested, talented, consistent, and strong. Don't be surprised if Michigan State doesn't win the Big Ten for the first time in five years.
#22 - Baylor: Baylor has taken their lumps, but they're still a major contender. Expect them to take a leap in Big 12 play.
#23 - Purdue: The Boilermakers took a tough loss to Auburn and now have to try and survive three nonconference losses inside of a tough Big Ten schedule. The loss of Zach Edey has completely changed this team.
#24 - UCLA: A tough loss to North Carolina this week leaves the Bruins on the brink of being unranked. Worse yet, they have to play Gonzaga this week before a brutal start to Big Ten play.
#25 - Arkansas: Welcome back to the top 25 Arkansas! The Razorbacks have won five in a row. Their reward is that they get to play number one Tennessee on the road. That stinks!
#26 - Drake: The Missouri Valley's finest has cracked the top ten! Despite losing their coach and best player to West Virginia, this team is still undefeated and number one in the Valley.
#27 - Maryland: The Terrapins are in the top ten of the NET rankings, so they need to be ranked right now. On top of that, they have won seven of their last eight games. To jump into the top 25, they need a legitimate win.
#28 - Georgia: The only loss for the Bulldogs came at the hands of Marquette. The fact that they're not ranked is unbelievable. An 11-1 power five team is not ranked on December 23rd? That doesn't seem right. Georgia could use a good win, and the SEC is full of them.
#29 - St. John's: The Red Storm found themselves ranked in the Coaches poll this week but not the AP poll. Rick Pitino's comeback from his demise is only just beginning.
#30 - Missouri: A tough loss to Illinois in the Bragging Rights game snapped a ten-game-winning-streak. No bother. Missouri will bounce back and be a contender in the SEC. This team is for real.
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