- Men's College Basketball
Let’s rank the biggest national championship contenders in men’s college basketball.
by Ricky O'DonnellDec 3, 2025, 1:00 PM UTC
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Ricky O'Donnell has covered basketball at all levels for more than a decade at SB Nation. He’s currently the Associate Director of Programming.You have to hand it to the kingpins in men’s college basketball this year: the early season schedule is as good as its ever been in my 10+ years covering the sport, treating fans to multiple big-time non-conference matchups between top-ranked teams every week. It’s impossible to create the stakes of March in Nov. or Dec., but there’s no doubt that there will be at least a couple rematches come NCAA tournament time with so many great teams already facing off.
This is shaping up to be a fantastic season of college basketball. The good teams are actually good, the freshmen class is the best of the decade, and the slate of contenders are sprinkled all over the country. There are probably around 20 teams that can still realistically dream of winning it all, but seven stand above the rest based on what they’ve showed early in the season.
With apologies to honorable mentions Gonzaga, Iowa State, BYU, Alabama, Michigan State, and Illinois, here are the seven teams that look “national championship good” so far in the 2025-26 season.
7. UConn
UConn’s dream of being men’s college basketball’s first three-peat champion since the John Wooden days died last season because the defense and point guard play weren’t good enough. Both of those areas seem fixed so far this year, and that’s bad news for the rest of the country. UConn lost a tough one at home to Arizona in a pre-Thanksgiving spotlight game, but they rebounded nicely with a win over Illinois at Madison Square Garden in the debut of five-star freshman Braylon Mullins. Mullins started slow, but his potential as a knockdown shooter should fit seamlessly into what the Huskies are building right now and potentially take them over the top. UConn brought in point guards Silas Demary (via Georgia) and Malachi Smith (via Dayton) through the transfer portal this offseason, and both have been really good so far. The returning core of Alex Karaban (yes, he’s still around), Solo Ball, and Tarris Reed is a fantastic foundation for a contender as it is: Reed is a monster in the middle and looks more comfortable as an interior score this year, while Ball is a dead-eye shooter and Karaban has a diverse offensive skill set and two national championship rings on his fingers. With the defense tracking in the top-10 right now, UConn has the horses to go all the way again, and there should be no doubt that it has the best coaching staff in the country putting them in position to succeed.
6. Arizona Wildcats
The metrics don’t like Arizona quite as much as the pollsters do. The Wildcats are No. 2 in the AP Poll right now after their 7-0 start, but they rank only No. 9 in KenPom and No. 11 on BartTorvik. Arizona rarely shoots threes — only 26.8 percent of their field goal attempts are three-pointers, which ranks No. 359 out of 365 DI teams — and the depth remains a question mark, but the starters are so solid that it feels like they can put up a good fight against anyone. The Wildcats’ win at UConn is arguably the best win of the season for any team so far, and it showed all the ways this team is potentially really good. Arizona is fantastic on the glass, especially on the offensive end with super freshman Koa Peat already establishing himself as a man-child. Jaden Bradley is one of the better lead guards in the country so far with excellent scoring efficiency (67.4 percent true shooting), a sky-high 3.8 percent steal rate, and the ability to create a tough bucket off the bounce in a pinch. Big man Motiejus Krivas is finally healthy and looks good as an interior scorer and shot-blocker thus far. If they can get freshmen Brayden Burries and Dwayne Aristode going, Arizona could have just enough shooting to win the whole thing.
5. Louisville Cardinals
Louisville looks like it has the most explosive offense in the country to my eyes, and the stats back it up. The Cards’ offensive efficiency ranks No. 2 on KenPom and No. 4 on BartTorvik with a dizzying mix of shooting, ball handling, and whirling offensive actions. Freshman point guard Mikel Brown Jr. is the headliner here as a likely top-10 draft pick, and he’s getting everything opportunity to show off his playmaking, pull-up three-point shooting, and better-than-advertised rim attacking to begin the season. Brown doesn’t have to do all the heavy lifting here because Louisville struck gold in the transfer portal by bringing in three excellent weapons in Ryan Conwell, Adrian Wooley, and Isaac McKneely. The senior Conwell is one of the better off-ball scorers in America, and he’s posting elite 67 percent true shooting and 45.2 percent three-point shooting to open the year. Wooley is a bit more creative off the bounce, and is arguably the Cards’ best at getting into the passing lanes defensively to force transition opportunities. Louisville shoots a ton of threes -- 54.5 percent of their field goal attempts come from beyond the arc, which is No. 3 in DI -- so they are susceptible to getting upset if they go cold. The defense is the biggest question mark, and it’s probably the worst of any team included on this list. Louisville is going to try to win shootouts in March, and they have the firepower to do it.
4. Houston Cougars
Houston has a consistent identity under Kelvin Sampson, and it’s no surprise that they are playing to it again to open this season. The Cougars are elite defensively (No. 2 in efficiency per KenPom), dominant on the offensive glass, and beat you up physically every possession. After coming heartbreakingly close to the first national championship of his career last season, Sampson has added three McDonald’s All-Americans that hope to push his team over the top. Point guard Kingston Flemings might be the biggest NBA Draft riser of the early season as a quick-twitch driver with outstanding burst who has already proven he can score on the best defenses in America by dropping 25 points against Tennessee. Chris Cenac’s outside-in skill set at center and Isiah Harwell’s defense and transition play are also helping the Cougars from day one, but for as good as the freshmen are, the veterans will likely determine this team’s ceiling. Milos Uzan is back after a starring run to the Final Four last season, and he looks more comfortable as a shot-creator for himself and others. Emanuel Sharp has been around college hoops forever, and is one of the best 3-and-D guards in the sport. JoJo Tugler and his comically long 7’6 wingspan are still protecting the paint at a fantastic level, but his offense remains a work in progress. Houston is probably the worst offensive team on this list, but Flemings continued emergence next to Sharp and Uzan gives Houston more shot creation than it typically has. Sampson wants his storybook ending, and this might be his next best chance to get it.
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - NOVEMBER 27: Cameron Boozer #12 of the Duke Blue Devils is defended by Malique Ewin #12 of the Arkansas Razorbacks during the first half of the CBS Thanksgiving Classic at the United Center on November 27, 2025 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images) Getty Images3. Duke Blue Devils
Duke rode a generational freshman to the Final Four last season, and they’re hoping to do it all over again this year. Cooper Flagg is already off to a great start in the NBA (and Kon Knueppel has been even better), and now Duke is Cameron Boozer’s team, and it will go as far as he can take them. Boozer and Flagg were rivals throughout their high school careers, and while they are totally different players, there isn’t much of a difference in terms of their all-around impact. It feels like Duke gets a great shot every time Boozer touches the ball, and the early season has proven that he has a really good supporting cast around him. Sophomore center Patrick Ngongba is a highly impactful as a defender and rebounder, and he’s also an awesome passer and developing shooter offensively. Fellow sophomore Isaiah Evans can be one of the country’s better microwave scorers, and Caleb Foster and Cayden Boozer add stability to the backcourt. If Duke can get its other freshmen producing next to Boozer (start with his twin brother and then Dame Sarr and Nik Khamenia), the Blue Devils have the star-power and the depth to win the whole thing. Duke has been my championship pick from the start of the season because the Boozers just don’t lose.
2. Michigan Wolverines
Michigan went from offseason champs to national championship front-runners by routing Gonzaga, Auburn, and San Diego State by a combined 110 points over three days to win the Players Era Festival. The Wolverines felt like they was going to be Final Four contender after a transfer portal haul headlined by versatile forward Yaxel Lendeborg (arguably the country’s top available player), bigs Morez Johnson and Aday Mara, and point guard Elliot Cadeau, and their chances seem even better now. The defense has been dominant with so much size in the front court: its 87.3 defensive rating is No. 1 in KenPom, and 4.2 points ahead of the pack, which marks the same difference between No. 2 and No. 14. Lendeborg has lived up to every ounce of hype so far with nearly unprecedented scoring efficiency for a forward, making 86 percent of his two-pointers, 39 percent of his threes, and 82 percent of his free throws. Mara’s super-sized shot-blocking, rebounding, and passing could also make him a first-round draft pick, while Johnson is the definition of a workhorse inside. Cadeau is a pure table-setter, and he has a lot of mouths to feed in this offense. It will be critical that he remains a threat to score, and his hot start shooting the ball (37 percent from three) is highly encouraging. The wing room of Roddy Gayle, Nimari Burnett, and Tre McKenny can all knock down shots and provide a little resistance defensively. It’s almost impossible to get a good look in the paint with all the length and strength in this lineup, and so far they’re equally potent at scoring in close on the other end. The talent on this roster leaps off the screen, and it’s going to be so much fun watching them face challengers in a loaded Big Ten all season.
1. Purdue Boilermakers
Purdue has the formula for a national championship contender: they shoot the lights out, don’t turn the ball over, and gain so many extra possessions on the offensive glass. The core of Braden Smith, Fletcher Loyer, and Trey Kaufman-Renn all played in the national championship game alongside Zach Edey two years ago, and now they’re leading the team with a new-look supporting cast around them. South Dakota State transfer Oscar Cluff has been an killer portal addition, and he’s posting a comical 25 percent offensive rebound rate (No. 2 in DI) while making smart decisions as a passer and adding some rim protection. CJ Cox is stepping into Lance Jones’ old role as a connective piece on the perimeter, and 7’4 sophomore Daniel Jacobsen feels like he’s on the verge of breaking out as Purdue’s latest game-changing giant. Freshman Omer Mayer represents a high-upside shot-maker too if Purdue can get him going by the end of the season. Guards win in March and no one is better than Smith. All Matt Painter is missing is a national championship, and by dominating the possession game and ripping the nets from deep, he really could get one after Edey.
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