College Basketball Excitement Builds as 2025-26 Season Approaches

The last few days in college basketball have been a whirlwind of anticipation, off-court drama, and the first glimpses of what’s to come as programs gear up for the 2025-26 season. Right now, the conversation always seems to start with Florida. After their remarkable 36-4 run last season, they’ve managed to hold onto the number one ranking in both the AP and Coaches Poll, and their consistency at the top has made them a team everyone’s watching as schedules for early nonconference games start to emerge. Not far behind, Houston and Duke have solidified their positions in the national conversation—Houston, riding that deep defense and efficiency, and Duke boasting top spots in offensive and defensive ratings according to KenPom.

Auburn isn’t being left out of the top tier either. Coming off a 32-6 record and expected to feature in one of the most anticipated nonconference clashes, Auburn will meet Purdue on December 20 in Indianapolis. That matchup is creating plenty of early buzz, with Auburn’s speedy guards going toe-to-toe with Purdue’s size and the dynamic playmaking of Braden Smith. Purdue, coming off a 24-12 season and entering at number fourteen in ESPN’s rankings, is looking to see how its new two-big lineup fares in real game action.

Of course, team news hasn’t been limited to the court. The coaching carousel keeps spinning—just this week, Sports Illustrated detailed some of the recent high-profile shifts, including Duke assistant Jai Lucas preparing to step in as Miami head coach after the regular season. Utah has also made headlines by pulling in Dallas Mavericks assistant Alex Jensen for its top job. After the dramatic retirement of Tony Bennett at Virginia and the unfortunate passing of Amir Abdur-Rahim at South Florida, several programs have found themselves with new interim leaders, and speculation continues over more changes as programs look for fresh starts.

We’re also on the cusp of the Players Era Festival, which has expanded to include eighteen men’s teams this year. The competition kicks off in late November, and if last year’s Oregon-Alabama final is any indication, we’re in for a set of high-stakes, high-drama matchups where up-and-comers will try to upset the powerhouses.

So as summer winds down, all eyes are on the practice courts, the transfer portal, and conference schedules. The excitement is starting to build, not just for who sits atop the rankings, but for the next wave of stars and the programs ready to rise. Thank you for tuning in—and don’t forget to subscribe for the latest in college basketball. This has been a quiet please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai.