Read on foxsports.comCasey Jacobsen's First College Basketball Rankings: Michigan Tops the List
FOX Sports analyst Casey Jacobsen has released his inaugural college basketball Top 25 rankings for the 2025-26 season, with the Michigan Wolverines claiming the top spot. Jacobsen's methodology prioritizes toughness, experience, and team identity over preseason hype, resulting in several surprising placements. The rankings reflect the chaotic early season landscape, highlighting standout teams like Arizona, Purdue, and Duke, while also noting the challenges faced by traditional powers. This analysis provides a data-driven, long-haul perspective on the national picture as conference play approaches.
FOX Sports analyst Casey Jacobsen has unveiled his first college basketball Top 25 rankings of the 2025-26 season, providing a fresh, analytical perspective on the national landscape. In a sport he describes as "pure chaos," Jacobsen aims to cut through the noise of preseason expectations and early-season results to identify which teams are built for sustained success. His approach rewards tangible qualities like toughness and established identity, leading to a list that features the Michigan Wolverines at No. 1 after a dominant performance against Gonzaga.
Jacobsen's rankings arrive during a period of significant transition in college basketball, marked by coaching changes, a hyperactive transfer portal, and the emergence of new stars. His weekly column promises to reset the competitive landscape, offering "bold calls" and "surprises" based on observable performance rather than brand reputation. This first edition sets the stage for a season-long evaluation, identifying contenders and questioning pretenders as the journey toward March Madness begins.
The Top Tier: Michigan Leads a Pack of Contenders
The Michigan Wolverines (7-0) have earned the top ranking following a statement victory. After a choppy start to the season, the Wolverines showcased their elite potential with a 40-point destruction of an excellent Gonzaga team. This performance demonstrated the high ceiling of their wildly talented roster, solidifying their position as the team to beat in Jacobsen's early assessment.
Close behind, the Arizona Wildcats (7-0) hold the No. 2 spot, largely due to their impressive resume of tough road wins. Jacobsen highlights their victory at UConn as the best win of the season thus far, proving their capability to win in hostile environments. At No. 3, the Purdue Boilermakers (7-0) continue to excel with their formidable frontcourt, receiving praise for the performances of centers Oscar Cluff and Daniel Jacobsen.
Notable Surprises and Early Season Stories
Jacobsen's rankings include several teams that have outperformed preseason expectations. The Michigan State Spartans (7-0) crack the Top 10 at No. 10, described as the "biggest surprise" in that tier. Their identity is built on a stifling defense, ranked fifth nationally by KenPom, and the leadership of All-American candidate Jeremy Fears Jr.
Similarly, Iowa State (7-0) sits at No. 6, with Jacobsen expressing growing admiration for their "spectacular" defense, even amidst an injury to key guard Tamin Lipsey. The Cyclones' core of Lipsey, Milan Momcilovic, and Joshua Jefferson is highlighted as one of the best trios in the country. Vanderbilt (8-0) also makes a strong appearance at No. 18, leading the nation in scoring at 97.9 points per game behind the backcourt duo of Duke Miles and Tyler Tanner.
Teams Facing Early Questions
While some teams soar, others face scrutiny in the initial rankings. Traditional blue bloods like Kansas (6-2) are placed at No. 15 after an "up-and-down" start that included losses to UNC and Duke. Jacobsen notes that the health of standout freshman Darren Peterson remains a key storyline for the Jayhawks.
North Carolina (6-1) finds itself at No. 16, dealing with the injury to senior guard Seth Trimble and struggling from three-point range, ranking 15th in the ACC. St. John's (4-3), a top story last season, is at No. 20 after losing all three of its games against ranked opponents, raising questions about whether forward Bryce Hopkins can become the team's alpha.
Conclusion: A Ranking for the Long Haul
Casey Jacobsen's first college basketball rankings offer a substantive, performance-based snapshot of the 2025-26 season. By prioritizing demonstrated toughness and identity over preseason narratives, he provides a valuable counterpoint to more conventional polls. With Michigan establishing itself as the early frontrunner and teams like Arizona and Purdue close behind, the national championship race appears wide open. As Jacobsen promises to reset the landscape each week, these rankings will serve as a crucial barometer for separating the contenders from the pretenders on the road to the Final Four. Fans and analysts alike can follow his weekly analysis on FOX Sports for ongoing insights into the chaotic world of college basketball.
