College Basketball Rankings: Gonzaga is the New No. 1 Team

The Gonzaga Bulldogs are the new No. 1 team in the nation in the latest AP top 25 poll. The opening was there for the Zags to rise up after the Kansas Jayhawks did what every No. 1 team has done this year: promptly lost.

The fluctuation at the top is one of the overall themes of this season, so it makes sense that Gonzaga joins the fray. Regardless of the specific numeral attached to their name, Gonzaga has established themselves as one of the best, if not the best, teams in the nation so far this season. The Zags own wins over three top 25 teams and the North Carolina Tar Heels, and their one loss is to the Michigan Wolverines. Not a bad resume.

Hopefully, the No. 1 jinx won’t hit Gonzaga like it has hit almost every other No. 1 squad this season. Gonzaga finishes out the non-conference schedule against the Detroit Mercy Tigers and then opens WCC play. Of the Zags traditional harder games, Gonzaga won’t face BYU at home until mid January.

Ignoring the fact that, yes, it is true, the AP rankings mean absolutely nothing, they do mean something for the players. It has to be one of the cooler feelings to see “No. 1” attached to your name, and the Zags have earned it this year. The last time Gonzaga was No. 1, you only have to creep back towards the final regular season poll of last season. This new era of Gonzaga Bulldogs basketball is a fantastic brand of high-caliber, high-quality games to watch. Let’s take a moment to appreciate that.

Here is the AP Top 25.