Men's College Basketball Rankings: Nebraska Jumps, While UNC, Louisville Tumble

The men's college basketball season is a wild ride, and I’m here to sort it out every Sunday.

With so many big games each week — plus emerging stars carrying their teams toward March — the men's college hoops schedule and many storylines is a lot to keep track of. I'm here to make sense of the big picture. 

My top 25 rewards toughness, experience and identity — not preseason hype or brand names. I'll be bold, I may surprise you, but I'll also have receipts. Most of all, expect a ranking built for the long haul. Each week, I’ll reset the landscape, cut through the noise and tell you what actually matters as the season evolves.

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With that, here’s the fifth edition of my men's college basketball rankings, as of Jan. 4:

25. Kentucky Wildcats (9-5)

Previously ranked: 21

I was so excited last Saturday when I saw them healthy against St John’s for the first time all season. Then they played Alabama and watched the Crimson Tide rain 15 3-pointers on their heads. Kentucky is still one of the more talented teams in the SEC, but a 9-5 record at this point is not what BBN was expecting.

24. Villanova Wildcats (12-2)

Previously ranked: NR

The Wildcats make their debut in my top 25, edging out UCF as the other potential newcomer. Villanova is 12-2, their only 2 losses have come against BYU and Michigan. They have started Big East play 3-0, with 2 of those coming on the road. Sophomore guard Bryce Lindsay has been incredibly consistent as their lead guard.

23. Georgia Bulldogs (13-1)

Previously ranked: 24

A top-25 offense that plays at a breakneck speed (second in tempo nationally) is a lot of fun to watch. The Bulldogs beat Auburn in overtime on Saturday, led by guard Jeremiah Wilkinson’s 31 points.

22. Virginia Cavaliers (12-2)

Previously ranked: 22

The Cavs had an up-and-down week, losing in triple-overtime to Virginia Tech but bouncing back to beat a solid NC State team on the road by 15 points. Virginia made 13 2-pointers and 13 3-pointers in the win and were led by Sam Lewis’ 23 points in just 25 minutes of playing time. The ACC isn’t as bad as I thought it was before the season started.

21. Louisville Cardinals (11-3) 

Previously ranked: 17

The Cardinals were routed by old rival, Cal, by 20 points but then lost to my alma mater, Stanford, on Saturday. Louisville is still missing its most critical player, guard Mikel Brown, who has not played in the last four games due to a lower back issue. When he plays, Louisville is 9-1. When he sits out, the Cardinals are 2-2.

20. Tennessee Volunteers (10-4)

Previously ranked: 19

The Volunteers lost to Arkansas on the road. No shame in that. Tennessee still owns the No. 11 defense in the country, but it couldn’t stop Razorbacks guard Darius Acuff. The Vols have several underclassmen in their rotation that continue to grow, including freshmen forward Nate Ament and guard Amari Evans.

19. Iowa Hawkeyes (12-2)

Previously ranked: 25

They blew out a solid UCLA team at home on Saturday, as Iowa guard Bennett Stirtz slightly out-dueled Bruins guard Donovan Dent. The Hawkeyes' only two losses this season have come on the road against Michigan State and Iowa State. This team is way better than I thought it'd be.

18. Kansas Jayhawks (10-4)

Previously ranked: 14

The Jayhawks lost their conference opener versus a solid UCF team on the road. Freshman guard Darryn Peterson returned from injury and did his job, scoring 26 points in just 23 minutes. Kansas still ranks as a top-10 defense in KenPom, but it still has more to prove.

17. North Carolina Tar Heels (13-2) 

Previously ranked: 13

The Tar Heels suffered their second loss of the season by getting dominated by SMU. The defense let them down, as the Mustangs shot 60% for the game and made 14 3-pointers. They have a week to prepare for their next home game against Wake Forest.

16. Arkansas Razorbacks (11-3)

Previously ranked: 20

The Razorbacks picked up a really nice win against Tennessee. The fabulous freshmen duo of Acuff and guard Meleek Thomas combined for 47 points. The Hogs’ three losses (to Houston, Duke and Michigan State) are all respectable. They might be too low in my rankings.

15. Texas Tech Red Raiders (11-3)

Previously ranked: 18

The Red Raiders are finding their stride. After their huge win last Saturday versus Duke, they followed with a 22-point rout over a solid Oklahoma State team. It was one of the most balanced offensive games of the year with six guys scoring nine points or more. Christian Anderson had a career-high 13 assists. He’s a top-5 point guard in the sport.

14. Illinois Illini (11-3)

Previously ranked: 15

Illinois beat a struggling Penn State team on the road by eight. Its defense is getting better, little by little. If you haven’t noticed, center Zvonimir Ivisic has 11 blocks in his last three games and has been the anchor.

13. Michigan State Spartans (12-2)

Previously ranked: 10

Michigan State lost its second game of the season in a low-scoring battle at Nebraska, 56-58. The Spartans own the fifth-best defense in the sport, and that gives them a chance every night against the best teams in America. Forward Jaxon Kohler’s last two games: 7-10 from 3-point land.

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12. Nebraska Cornhuskers (14-0)

Previously ranked: 16

I understand Cornhuskers fans were mad they were still ranked behind Illinois last week, even though they beat the Illini in Champaign. I just needed to see more before I fully bought in. I’m officially on board now, as Nebraska won a grinder over Michigan State, led by Rienk Mast, who broke out of a mini-shooting slump and drilled six triples from the center position.

11. Alabama Crimson Tide (11-3) 

Previously ranked: 12

They remain one of the most dangerous teams in America and showed why against Kentucky. Guard Aden Holloway has put up back-to-back 26-point performances. Alabama’s three setbacks are to top-10 teams in Arizona, Purdue and Gonzaga. If I had to choose today, I think they are my choice to win the SEC.

10. Vanderbilt Commodores (14-0)

Previously ranked: 11

I understand that Vandy’s schedule doesn’t come close to Alabama’s, but the Commodores are 14-0 while ranking fifth at KenPom. They're beating nearly everyone by double digits. They beat South Carolina on the road by 12, led by guard Tyler Tanner’s 19 points and 14 assists (only one turnover). Next up is a home game versus Alabama. Let’s go!

9. Houston Cougars (13-1)

Previously ranked: 9

Houston trailed at halftime by five points at Cincinnati on Saturday, but its backcourt combo of guards Kingston Flemings and Milos Uzan carried them home. Winning a road game when your leading scorer (guard Emanuel Sharp) goes 0-9 from the field is impressive. Next up is a wonderful matchup against Texas Tech on Tuesday.

8. BYU Cougars (13-1)

Previously ranked: 8

BYU is one of the most enjoyable teams to watch. The Cougars beat Kansas State by 10 points on the road to start conference play. Freshman forward A.J. Dybantsa was great again (24 points), but big man Keba Keita was a wrecking-ball underneath and finished with 11 points and 16 rebounds. The Big 12 is so good at the top.

7. Duke Blue Devils (13-1)

Previously ranked: 7

The Blue Devils weathered 14 triples from Florida State and pulled out the road victory. Forward Cameron Boozer was awesome again with 17 points, nine assists and four steals. The biggest development was guard Isaiah Evan’s season-high 28 points and freshman guard Dame Sarr’s 13 points off the bench. Can the role players do that against the best teams in the country?

6. Gonzaga Bulldogs (16-1) 

Previously ranked: 5

The 14-1 Zags dropped one spot because they needed overtime to beat a Seattle U team in Spokane on Friday night. That’s not a huge deal, but the top of these rankings are so crowded. The Bulldogs are favored by DOUBLE DIGITS in every conference game except their last of the season at Saint Mary’s. They are a near lock for a No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament.

5. Purdue Boilermakers (13-1)

Previously ranked: 6

The Boilermakers smashed Wisconsin on the road, and guard Braden Smith became the all-time Big Ten assist leader. It’s an incredible accomplishment for someone who wasn’t a top-100 recruit coming out of high school. Purdue owns the No. 1 offense in the land. To me, there is a separation between the top-4 teams in America and the rest, but Purdue is a clear Final Four contender.

4. Iowa State Cyclones (14-0) 

Previously ranked: 4

Iowa State beat an average West Virginia team by 21-points on Friday night to begin conference play. Forward Milan Momcilovic exploded for eight triples, and forward Joshua Jefferson had a triple-double. This is the best team coach T.J. Otzelberger has had during his time in Ames.

3. UConn Huskies (14-1)

Previously ranked: 3

The Huskies had a bad shooting night (5-24 from beyond the arc) versus Marquette, yet still blew the Golden Eagles out by 16 points. UConn is almost as good as Michigan and Arizona. The Big East is not even close to the quality of the Big 12 or the Big Ten. An undefeated record in conference play is on the table.

2. Arizona Wildcats (14-0)

Previously ranked: 2

The undefeated Wildcats hammered Utah on the road by 19 points. Arizona is a relentless group and my favorite sixth man in the country is Tobe Awaka. The 6-foot-8 forward had 18 points and 12 rebounds off the bench. Arizona owns the third best defense in America.

1. Michigan Wolverines (13-0)

Previously ranked: 1

The Wolverines embarrass teams. Their latest victim was a good USC Trojan team that could barely get a shot off in the first five minutes and trailed 11-0. Michigan won by 30 points… which is its average margin of victory for the season! Forward Yaxel Lendeborg and center Aday Mara are two of the best transfers in the country. Dusty May can really coach, too.

Casey Jacobsen is a national college basketball reporter and analyst for FOX Sports. He was a three-time All-Pac-10 selection at Stanford and a First-Team All-American as a sophomore. Follow him at @cjacobsen23.

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