The Wolverines (37-3) jumped two spots to claim No. 1, supplanting the Blue Devils (35-3), who slid from the top to No. 4 after holding the pole position. Michigan's 37-win campaign — the best record in the Top 25 — earned the voters' full confidence, while Duke's drop suggests the committee valued the Wolverines' body of work down the stretch. The Wildcats (36-3) held steady in the top three at No. 3, keeping the championship race a three-team conversation.
The Hawkeyes (24-13) authored the poll's biggest story: a vault from unranked all the way to No. 15. The Fighting Illini (28-9) also surged, climbing eight spots from No. 13 to No. 5, while the Volunteers (25-12) jumped eleven positions from No. 23 to No. 12. Two newcomers joined the fray — the Longhorns (21-15) entering at No. 22.
Not everyone survived the shake-up. The Cavaliers (30-6) tumbled from No. 9 to No. 17 despite just six losses, and the Bulldogs (31-4) fell six spots to No. 18. Sometimes winning isn't enough — the voters wanted more.
Data via ESPN · Summarized by D1Ball's editorial engine from official statistics.
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