College basketball rankings: Duke replaces Kentucky at No. 1 in AP Top 25 poll, Louisville jumps to No. 2

The 4-0 Blue Devils take over the No. 1 spot for the first time this season

A third update to the AP Top 25 college basketball rankings this season has produced a third team to take the top spot in the polls. A week removed from preseason No. 1 Michigan State being usurped by preseason No. 2 Kentucky at the No. 1 spot, it's Duke -- the preseason No. 4 team -- that on Monday took over as the No. 1 team in America. Duke jumped one spot from last week's rankings. 

The Blue Devils improved to 4-0 this week with convincing wins over Central Arkansas and Georgia State, adding to its impressive start to the season that, in its opening week, included wins over Kansas and Colorado State. They received 52 of a possible 65 first-place votes. Behind them at No. 2 is Louisville, followed by No. 3 Michigan State, No. 4 Kansas, and No. 5 North Carolina. Louisville received eight first-place votes, while Michigan State received four and Virginia received one.

This is familiar territory for Duke, despite its first No. 1 ranking of the season. Last year it spent eight weeks ranked as the No. 1 team in the sport, as Zion Williamson and RJ Barrett took the college basketball world by storm. Its No. 1 ranking means the program has been ranked No. 1 in each of the last three seasons and in six different seasons since 2010-2011.

AP Top 25

The top 25 teams in The Associated Press' college basketball poll, with first-place votes noted in parentheses, points, record through Sunday's games and last week's ranking.

RankTeamPointsRecordPrev
1 Duke (52) 1,608 4-0 2
2 Louisville (8) 1,501 4-0 4
3 Michigan State (4) 1,496 2-1 3
4 Kansas 1,389 4-0 5
5 North Carolina 1,262 3-0 6
6 Maryland 1,240 3-0 7
7 Virginia (1) 1,232 3-0 9
8 Gonzaga 1,227 4-0 8
9 Kentucky 1,110 2-1 1
10 Ohio State 1,006 3-0 16
11 Oregon 998 4-0 14
12 Texas Tech 947 3-0 11
13 Seton Hall 837 3-1 12
14 Arizona 644 4-0 19
15 Utah State 619 4-0 17
16 Memphis 574 3-1 13
17 Villanova 560 2-1 10
18 Xavier 463 4-0 21
19 Auburn 420 4-0 22
20 Tennessee 402 3-0 NR
21 VCU 365 4-0 NR
22 Texas 238 4-0 NR
23 Colorado 208 2-0 25
24 Baylor 179 2-1 24
25 Washington 150 2-1 20

Others receiving votes: Florida State 91, Florida 67, LSU 61, Saint Mary's 55, Evansville 43, Oklahoma 29, Vermont 11, Michigan 11, Marquette 11, Purdue 11, Butler 10, Mississippi St. 9, Virginia Tech 7, West Virginia 6, Providence 5, Wisconsin 5, Liberty 4, Arkansas 3, Missouri 2, UConn 2, USC 2, New Mexico 2, San Diego St. 2, Dayton 1.

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