The Bruins (37-1) ascended from No. 2 to claim the top spot, supplanting the Huskies (38-1), who slid from first to third despite a near-flawless mark — a reminder that in this poll, résumé quality matters as much as the loss column. The Gamecocks (36-4) capitalized on the shuffle, jumping two slots to No. 2 and setting up a heavyweight alignment at the summit that reads like a Final Four preview.
The story beneath the headline belongs to the Fighting Irish. Notre Dame (25-11) rocketed 13 spots from No. 22 to No. 9 — the poll's biggest single-week climb — while the Horned Frogs (32-6) surged eight places to No. 6, turning a quiet résumé into a statement. At the other end, the Hawkeyes (27-7) tumbled nine spots from No. 7 to No. 16, the hardest fall of the week.
Three newcomers — the Cavaliers, Crimson Tide, and Huskies (22-11) — cracked the back end, pushing the field to 25 and underscoring just how wide-open the middle of this poll has become.
Data via ESPN · Summarized by D1Ball's editorial engine from official statistics.
More from the newsroom