College basketball is still more than two months away, yet rankings continue to flood everyone’s timeline, with just about everyone and their mother coming out with a list of their own.
With each one, I’m here to help spread the word.
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It’s always interesting to see what people are thinking at this way-too-early point in time. Before any games have even been played, outside of schedule releases and practices just getting underway, many already have an idea of what these teams should be and where they’ll finish. Others take a different approach, putting together power rankings that evaluate the top teams in college basketball rather than trying to predict final standings.
That’s where this article comes into play, as College Basketball Report has released its top 40 power rankings. Moving down the list from its initial way-too-early top 25 is Michigan State‘s in-state rival, the Michigan Wolverines.
With the loss of Dusty May, question marks surrounding the current athletic director, and one player opting to leave the program following May’s departure, the Wolverines have dropped three spots from their original No. 4 ranking in CBKReport’s 2026-27 power rankings.
The drop still keeps Michigan ahead of several other top-10 teams, including No. 10 Arizona, which jumped Arkansas for the final spot in the top 10. No. 9 Houston fell one spot, while No. 8 Virginia climbed two places.
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The top three teams remained unchanged, with Florida holding onto the No. 1 spot, followed by two teams the Spartans will see a combined three times this season: No. 2 Duke and Big Ten favorite No. 3 Illinois.
With the Wolverines falling three spots, the team that eliminated Michigan State in last season’s Sweet 16 and will once again face the Spartans in an exhibition game for the second consecutive year, UConn, moved up one spot to No. 4.
Jumping Michigan State from No. 7 to No. 5 is Texas.
Then, right there at No. 6 in the nation, are Tom Izzo’s beloved Michigan State Spartans.
It’s a bit surprising to see the Spartans get passed by the Longhorns, but a lot of that probably has to do with the talent Texas has been able to bring in through NIL. Last season, Texas reportedly had one of the highest NIL investments in college basketball, and it certainly showed during its NCAA Tournament run.
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Beyond that, I think it’s difficult for many analysts to put Michigan State inside the top five. Even with Jeremy Fears Jr. leading the Wooden Award odds and the high-flying, highlight-producing Coen Carr returning, there are still legitimate questions. Just how far can four incoming freshmen and one transfer from Providence take a Spartans team that still needs more consistent perimeter shooting and additional offensive firepower?
It almost feels like basketball analysts can’t decide whether they truly believe in Izzo’s Spartans or simply expect them to be good enough to hang around, win a few marquee games, and ultimately fall short around the Sweet 16. Unfortunately for Michigan State fans, that’s been the story for much of the last decade.
The days when Michigan State felt like an automatic Final Four contender have slowly faded, and that reputation is something this program is looking to reclaim. Skepticism is understandable, but the Spartans will have every opportunity to prove they belong among the nation’s top five teams once the season tips off.
Until then, we’ll all keep watching the latest way-too-early rankings roll in, debating every movement up and down the list, and creating some beautiful water cooler conversations along the way.
