INDIANAPOLIS — The first official NET rankings of the 2025–26 men’s college basketball season landed — and already they’ve stirred up a little fireworks. Atop the list sits the Michigan Wolverines, fresh off a scorching Feast Week in Vegas and a dominant win over the Gonzaga Bulldogs. Behind them: the Duke Blue Devils, Purdue Boilermakers, Gonzaga, and the Vanderbilt Commodores, making up the early top five. Notably, the Georgia Bulldogs begin their rise at No. 14, turning heads among early-season movers.
Michigan lights up the scoreboard
Michigan opened the season with gritty, grind-out victories over Wake Forest and TCU. Then, under second-year coach Dusty May, the Wolverines turned it up a notch during Feast Week — sweeping the event and capping it off with a statement win over preseason metrics leader Gonzaga. If you believe in momentum, the Wolverines just turned on afterburners.
That early surge vaulted them ahead in the NET formula, which values quality wins and strength of schedule — and Michigan now carries the early crown, at least until someone knocks them off.
Powerhouses jostle for position
Duke and Purdue appear at Nos. 2 and 3, respectively — both loaded with returning talent and offensive punch. Gonzaga, despite the loss, stays top-tier too, banking on its reputation and resume-building. Vanderbilt surprises some pundits at No. 5. Meanwhile, Georgia’s entry at 14 signals respect for its roster depth and promising non-conference performance.
Old-guard names like Michigan State also catch a nod — credit coach Tom Izzo for getting his Spartans off to a sharper-than-expected start. Credit Purdue’s Matt Painter for swinging a tough schedule beyond just Feast Week, a move some rival coaches quietly envy.
It’s early — but there’s plenty to read into
Remember: this is the first real data-point outside of preseason predictive metrics like KenPom. The NET snapshot reflects performance so far — not how it’ll end. Teams like Michigan, Georgia, Duke and Gonzaga show blueprint consistency; others still feel like sketches waiting for color.
What we do know:
- Michigan’s offense and resume already demand attention.
- Purdue and Duke aren’t phased by early jitters, and they’ve leaned on experience.
- Gonzaga still gets respect, even in a loss.
- Georgia proves it isn’t just building — it’s contending.
And if internal whispers from locker rooms matter for anything: expect these rankings to bounce, spin and perhaps even flip by month’s end.
The fun is just getting started
For hoops fans — especially of the “chalk-and-upset” variety — this early NET drop is part teaser, part trial balloon. It gives us a starting line, then dares us to guess who’ll run, stumble, or sprint off into the distance.
Here’s the top 25 from the Dec. 2, 2025 NET rankings exactly as listed:
- Michigan
- Duke
- Purdue
- Gonzaga
- Vanderbilt
- Arizona
- UConn
- Iowa State
- Michigan State
- Louisville
- Indiana
- BYU
- Alabama
- Georgia
- North Carolina
- LSU
- Houston
- Tennessee
- Kentucky
- Kansas
- Utah State
- St. John’s (NY)
- Southern California
- Butler
- Florida
Michigan leads now. But with more games, more chaos, and more hardwood nights ahead — call it a timeout, not a final. Because in college basketball, the only constant is surprise.
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