Top five favorites to win the national title in men's college basketball

With just over a month to go in the men's college basketball 2025-26 season, teams are jockeying for position within their conferences and for seeding in this spring's NCAA Tournament.

There are plenty of high-quality programs that could vie for a Final Four journey in March Madness, although five squads appear to be in the best shape to potentially cut down the nets when all is said and done.

Things could ebb and flow in the coming weeks based on league battles and postseason conference tournaments, but at this juncture, there are five leading candidates to capture the 2026 title.

Arizona Wildcats

21-0 overall
AP top 25 ranking: No. 1
NCAA NET ranking: No. 1
KenPom ranking: No. 1

Only two teams remain undefeated in men's hoops, and Arizona is one of them. The Big 12 Conference powerhouse is rolling through its schedule, sporting a 9-0 record in Quadrant 1 games and a 6-0 mark against Associated Press top-25 foes. The Wildcats are extremely well-balanced, with a top-five ranking in adjusted offensive and adjusted defensive efficiency, via KenPom.

Duke Blue Devils

19-1 overall
AP top 25 ranking: No. 4
NCAA NET ranking: No. 2
KenPom ranking: No. 3

Duke is the clear favorite in the Atlantic Coast Conference to win that league's crown, and the Blue Devils possess the country's best player in freshman big man Cameron Boozer. Duke's only blemish this season is by one point to a top-15 Texas Tech group at a neutral site. Plus, the Blue Devils join Arizona as the only squads that boast top-five offenses and defenses, according to KenPom.

Michigan Wolverines

19-1 overall
AP top 25 ranking: No. 3
NCAA NET ranking: No. 3
KenPom ranking: No. 2

On Tuesday night at home, Michigan snuck past No. 5 Nebraska, 75-72, to hand the Cornhuskers their first loss of the 2025-26 campaign. That result also pushed the Wolverines' record to 4-0 against ranked opponents, with multiple blowout triumphs. 

Michigan, 5-0 in Quadrant 1 encounters, has a top-10 offense, per KenPom, and the Wolverines' adjusted defensive efficiency rating is No. 2 around the country. On Jan. 30, Michigan will travel to East Lansing in a huge Big Ten Conference showdown against in-state rival Michigan State, which is another big-time national championship contender.

Connecticut Huskies

20-1 overall
AP top 25 ranking: No. 2
NCAA NET ranking: No. 8
KenPom ranking: No. 13

Since falling by four points to Arizona in Storrs in November, UConn has rattled off 16 consecutive victories. Head coach Dan Hurley, who won national titles with the Huskies in 2023 and 2024, has his program primed for another deep March Madness run. 

Defense wins championships, and the Huskies are No. 5 in adjusted defensive efficiency, according to KenPom. UConn allows just 64.3 points per game, which hovers around the top 10 nationwide.

Michigan State Spartans

19-2 overall
AP top 25 ranking: No. 7
NCAA NET ranking: No. 9
KenPom ranking: No. 6

The Spartans are on a roll, having won seven in a row. Michigan State's only two setbacks this season are against top-five teams Duke and Nebraska by a combined eight points. In Quadrant 1/Quadrant 2 contests, the Spartans are a solid 10-2. 

Over at KenPom, Michigan State is No. 1 around the country in adjusted defensive efficiency. More than anything else, though, the Spartans are led by head coach Tom Izzo, who is one of the best coaches ever in terms of his March Madness success.