Preseason Top 25 (and one): With Gators exodus, Bruins step in

Will O.J. Mayo really enroll?

Will Kevin Durant really return?

Will Arkansas really get a coach someday?

Billy Donovan is staying, but he'll be without four starters. (Getty Images)

It'd be nice to have definitive answers to those questions before ranking teams for next season. But in college basketball these days it's rare to get a definitive answer about anything from anybody -- particularly Florida athletic director Jeremy Foley, who spent the Final Four weekend so freaked about Kentucky rumors I'm certain if he had been asked what he ate for lunch the response would've been a terse, "I'm only focused on the Gators."

Anyway, the point is there's a lot of uncertainty right now. But I've long considered myself to be an above-average guesser. So what I've done is guessed the answers to all the important questions, come to reasonable conclusions and ranked teams accordingly. So without further ado, I present the Ridiculously Early But Still Kind Of Fun Preseason Top 25 (and one).

(Call it the REBSKOFPT25A1, for short.)

1. UCLA
My guess: Nobody leaves early.
My explanation: The addition of Kevin Love to the post will be huge, and I suspect Ben Howland will get his first national title.

2. Kansas
My guess: Brandon Rush leaves early.
My explanation: The Jayhawks played like the best team in the nation toward the end of the season, and it'll carry over, no doubt.

3. Memphis
My guess: Nobody leaves early.
My explanation: Derrick Rose guiding the Tigers' high-octane offense should ensure another easy run through C-USA.

4. North Carolina
My guess: Brandan Wright leaves early.
My explanation: The most talented team in the nation will be ridiculously talented again.

5. Louisville
My guess: Nobody leaves early.
My explanation: Assuming Derrick Caracter doesn't flip out for no reason, Rick Pitino should have another Final Four-caliber team.

6. Tennessee
My guess: Nobody leaves early.
My explanation: Wait until you see what Bruce Pearl is capable of with experienced talent.

7. Ohio State
My guess: Greg Oden leaves early.
My explanation: Incoming freshman Kosta Koufos isn't Oden, but he'll be good as long as Mike Conley Jr. is throwing him the ball.

8. Southern California
My guess: Nick Young leaves early.
My explanation: The Trojans should be strong with O.J. Mayo, Gabe Pruitt and Taj Gibson, making Los Angeles the place to be for college hoops next season.

9. Washington State
My guess: Nobody leaves early.
My explanation: Another year of experience will be enough to keep the Cougars near the top of the Pac-10.

10. Kansas State
My guess: Nobody leaves early.
My explanation: It's been a while since Bob Huggins had two prospects as good as Bill Walker and Michael Beasley.

11. Georgetown
My guess: Jeff Green leaves early.
My explanation: If we learn in the next month that Green and Roy Hibbert are both returning, the Hoyas should move to the top of all preseason rankings.

12. Michigan State
My guess: Nobody leaves early.
My explanation: Drew Neitzel + highly rated recruiting class = Good times at MSU again.

13. Marquette
My guess: Nobody leaves early.
My explanation: The Golden Eagles were a Top 25 team most of this past season, and they should be better in 2007-08.

14. Indiana
My guess: Nobody leaves early.
My explanation: Assuming Kelvin Sampson lets Eric Gordon shoot like crazy he'll easily lead the Hoosiers in scoring -- and perhaps to a Big Ten title.

15. Villanova
My guess: Nobody leaves early.
My explanation: A backcourt of Scottie Reynolds plus incoming freshmen Corey Stokes, Corey Fisher and Malcolm Grant could have Jay Wright toying with a four-guard offense again.

16. Duke
My guess: Josh McRoberts leaves early.
My explanation: A strong recruiting class led by Kyle Singler should help the Blue Devils start looking like the Blue Devils again.

17. Georgia Tech
My guess: Thaddeus Young leaves early.
My explanation: If Lewis Clinch returns from suspension, Georgia Tech's roster will be more talented than most ACC teams.

18. Arkansas
My guess: Nobody leaves early.
My explanation: Assuming the Hogs get a coach, they should be pretty good.

19. Alabama
My guess: Nobody leaves early.
My explanation: If there's any justice in the world the Crimson Tide will catch a few breaks, avoid injuries and tragedies completely.

20. Oregon
My guess: Nobody leaves early.
My explanation: The Ducks won't be as good, but Tajuan Porter, Bryce Taylor, Malik Hairston and Maarty Leunen aren't a bad core.

21. Washington
My guess: Spencer Hawes leaves early.
My explanation: Even without Hawes the Huskies have a ton of talent, including Quincy Pondexter and Jon Brockman.

22. Southern Illinois
My guess: Nobody leaves early.
My explanation: The Salukis will miss Jamaal Tatum, but Randal Falker could develop into the MVC Player of the Year.

23. Stanford
My guess: Nobody leaves early.
My explanation: The Cardinal finished poorly this season, but Fred Washington is the only real loss from a roster that beat UCLA, USC and Washington State.

24. Gonzaga
My guess: Nobody leaves early.
My explanation: Assuming Josh Heytvelt returns, expect the Zags to compete nationally and win the West Coast Conference again.

25. Butler
My guess: Nobody leaves early.
My explanation: Three of the Bulldogs' top four scorers return, meaning somebody is inheriting a nice situation.

26. Florida
My guess: Joakim Noah, Al Horford and Corey Brewer leave early.
My explanation: Put Taurean Green on the court with Mareese Speights and recruits Chandler Parsons and Nick Calathes and Florida won't win another national title, but it'll still be capable of competing at a high level.