Six Big 12 Conference schools will begin the 2026-27 season in the Associated Press Preseason Top 25 rankings.
In a statement released from Irving, Texas, the Associated Press identified the preseason leaders for the upcoming college basketball season.
Defending Big 12 Champion Arizona is ranked No. 5 and will open the season as the highest-ranked team in the league. Houston follows at No. 10, followed by Kansas at No. 17, Iowa State at No. 18, Texas Tech at No. 19, and BYU at No. 25. TCU also received votes in the initial AP Top 25 poll.
The Big 12 has maintained at least six schools in every AP Preseason Top 25 poll since expanding to 16 schools ahead of the 2024-25 season. With Arizona and Houston both entering the year in the top 10, the conference has extended its streak of having multiple teams in the preseason top 10 to seven consecutive seasons.
The 2026-27 Monster Energy Big 12 Men’s Basketball season is scheduled to open on Monday, Nov. 2, featuring 15 of the league’s 16 teams.
