NCAA Basketball

College Basketball Top 25 Rankings: RantSports’ Week 8 Poll

College Basketball Top 25 Rankings: RantSports’ Week 8 Poll

John Calipari
Jamie Rhodes-USA TODAY Sports

This week's college basketball top 25 rankings feature some movement at the top, as Louisville and Arizona both picked up losses. VCU, Northern Iowa and Colorado State also continue to make an appearance, but with conference play looming we can expect many changes soon. Here is are the top 25 college basketball rankings for Week 8.

No. 25 Oklahoma Sooners

OU Hoops
Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports

No. 25 Oklahoma Sooners

OU Hoops
Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports

The Sooners’ best wins have looked like above-average wins this week after Washington, Butler and UCLA have all taken steps backwards.

No. 24 Northern Iowa Panthers

UNI Basketball
Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports

No. 24 Northern Iowa Panthers

UNI Basketball
Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports

Northern Iowa continues to win. This team should make the tournament with ease.

No. 23 VCU Rams

Shaka smart
Amber Searls-USA TODAY Sports

No. 23 VCU Rams

Shaka smart
Amber Searls-USA TODAY Sports

VCU just keeps winning. The Rams are quietly becoming one of the most dangerous teams in college basketball.

No. 22 Baylor Bears

Baylor Basketball
Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

No. 22 Baylor Bears

Baylor Basketball
Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

Baylor has struggled against bad teams all season long. Their 11 wins look good now, but is this just a schedule fluke?

No. 21 Ohio State Buckeyes

OSU Hoops
Joe Maiorana-USA TODAY Sports

No. 21 Ohio State Buckeyes

OSU Hoops
Joe Maiorana-USA TODAY Sports

Ohio State still have no impressive wins. We’ll know more about this team after they face Iowa on Tuesday.

No. 20 Washington Huskies

UW Hoops
James Snook-USA TODAY Sports

No. 20 Washington Huskies

UW Basketball
James Snook-USA TODAY Sports

The Huskies looked bad against Stony Brook. The good news is that not many PAC 12 teams except Arizona and Utah have looked that great to start the season. Washington still looks like a team to watch moving forward.

No. 19 Colorado State Rams

CSU Basketball
Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports

No. 19 Colorado State Rams

CSU Basketball
Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports

Their schedule doesn’t matter; a record of 13 – 0 is still 13 – 0.

No. 18 North Carolina Tar Heels

UNC Basketball
Rob Kinnan-USA TODAY Sports

No. 18 North Carolina Tar Heels

UNC Basketball
Rob Kinnan-USA TODAY Sports

UNC looks either really good or really bad. They need to find consistency, and fast.

No. 17 Wichita State Shockers

Wichita State Basketball
Marco Garcia-USA TODAY Sports

No. 17 Wichita State Shockers

Wichita State basketball
Marco Garcia-USA TODAY Sports

Wichita State are not the unbeatable juggernaut they were last season, but they still have top-25 talent.

No. 16 West Virginia Mountaineers

WVU Hoops
Adam Hunger-USA TODAY Sports

No. 16 West Virginia Mountaineers

WVU Basketball
Adam Hunger-USA TODAY Sports

Their lone one-point loss to LSU looks better and better as the Tigers find ways to keep winning games. WVU is a very good team and should compete in the Big 12.

No. 15 St. John’s Red Storm

St. John's Basketball
Anthony Gruppuso-USA TODAY Sports

No. 15 St. John’s Red Storm

St. John's Basketball
Anthony Gruppuso-USA TODAY Sports

The Red Storm are 11 – 1, but have to produce in conference play. They have no marquee wins from their non-conference schedule.

No. 14 Notre Dame Fighting Irish

Notre Dame Basketball
Matt Cashore-USA TODAY Sports

No. 14 Notre Dame Fighting Irish

Notre Dame basketball
Matt Cashore-USA TODAY Sports

Notre Dame is 12 – 1 with their lone loss by one to Providence, but still haven’t played any elite teams. Circle your calendar for January 10 when they face UVA.

No. 13 Kansas Jayhawks

KU hoops
John Geliebter-USA TODAY Sports

No. 13 Kansas Jayhawks

Kansas BAsketball
John Geliebter-USA TODAY Sports

Kansas had an off night and got hammered by Temple 77 – 52. The Jayhawks lack an identity and need to find it soon.

No. 12 Texas Longhorns

Texas BAsketball
Soobum Im-USA TODAY Sports

No. 12 Texas Longhorns

Texas Basketball
Soobum Im-USA TODAY Sports

The loss to Stanford hurts, but the Longhorns are still one of the most dangerous teams in college basketball.

No. 11 Maryland Terrapins

Maryland Basketball
Evan Habeeb-USA TODAY Sports

No. 11 Maryland Terrapins

Maryland Basketball
Evan Habeeb-USA TODAY Sports

Maryland’s lone loss comes to Virginia, and the Terrapins face Michigan State at MSU on Tuesday. It’s make-or-break time for Maryland.

No. 10 Utah Utes

utah basketball
Chris Nicoll-USA TODAY Sports

No. 10 Utah Utes

Utah Basketball
Chris Nicoll-USA TODAY Sports

Utah shouldn’t be challenged until they meet with Arizona on January 17.

No. 9 Iowa State Cyclones

ISU Basketball
Reese Strickland-USA TODAY Sports

No. 9 Iowa State Cyclones

ISU Basketball
Reese Strickland-USA TODAY Sports

Iowa State has quietly climbed into the top 10. Watch this team moving forward, because the Big 12 is wide open.

No. 8 Arizona Wildcats

zona basketball
Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports

No. 8 Arizona Wildcats

Zona basketball
Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports

The Arizona Wildcats were upset, but are still one of the better teams in the country. One loss shouldn’t slow them down.

No. 7 Gonzaga Bulldogs

Gonzaga coach

No. 7 Gonzaga Bulldogs

Gonzaga coach
Chris Nicoll-USA TODAY Sports

Gonzaga survived what was perhaps the best all-around performance I’ve seen from BYU all season long. The Bulldogs are legitimate National Championship contenders.

No. 6 Wisconsin Badgers

Wisconsin Hoops
Mary Langenfeld-USA TODAY Sports

No. 6 Wisconsin Badgers

Wisconsin Basketball
Mary Langenfeld-USA TODAY Sports

The Badgers are not a top-five team until they can put up 80 on top opposition. I'll say this every week until they do.

No. 5 Louisville Cardinals

UL Hoops
Jamie Rhodes-USA TODAY Sports

No. 5 Louisville Cardinals

UL Hoops
Jamie Rhodes-USA TODAY Sports

The first team to hold Kentucky to a single digit win all season long, the Cardinals’ defense looks ridiculously talented.

No. 4 Villanova Wildcats

Nova Hoops
Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports

No. 4 Villanova Wildcats

Nova Hoops
Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports

Villanova hasn’t been tested by a top team just yet, but face giant-killing Butler on Wednesday.

No. 3 Virginia Cavaliers

UVA Basketball
Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

No. 3 Virginia Cavaliers

UVA Basketball
Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

UVA is quietly moving up in the rankings. Duke and UVA look to be the only true challengers to Kentucky so far this season.

No. 2 Duke Blue Devils

Duke Basketball
Mark Dolejs-USA TODAY Sports

No. 2 Duke Blue Devils

Duke Basketball
Mark Dolejs-USA TODAY Sports

Another game, another win. Get used to this in the ACC, as well.

No. 1 Kentucky Wildcats

UK Hoops
Jamie Rhodes-USA TODAY Sports

No. 1 Kentucky Wildcats

UK Hoops
Jamie Rhodes-USA TODAY Sports

The Wildcats stifled Louisville and survived multiple scoring runs by the Cardinals. Kentucky proved they deserve to be the No. 1 team in the nation.

Taylor Sturm is a Featured Basketball Writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @TSturmRS, like him on Facebook or add him to your network on Google.

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