Gonzaga Stays Atop the Throne in Latest AP Poll

The Gonzaga Bulldogs are the top team in the nation according to the AP Poll for the sixth-consecutive week, including the preseason.

The Zags also increased their first-place vote total in the process. Last week, Baylor received three votes.

Although it is early, with the meat of the non-conference schedule over, we are at the point of the year in which the “Will Gonzaga go undefeated?” question emerges. It is a fair question. Gonzaga is the first team in history to defeat four AP top 20 opponents in their first seven games, an arbitrary sort history-made stat, but impressive nonetheless.

It will be interesting going forward to see how voters work with the WCC vs. the other better league conundrum. The argument throughout college hoops this year is that Gonzaga and Baylor are a cut above the rest. For the most part, Gonzaga has been able to showcase that, while Baylor, outside of a rampage over Illinois, was stuck with a rather lackluster non-conference slate.

The stages will flip when conference play begins. Gonzaga will play six games against KenPom sub-100 teams all conference, San Francisco, BYU, and Saint Mary’s. Baylor will play 15. Usually, the math on the AP Top 25 is simple: win and move up, lose and move down. With regards to the Zags and Baylor this year, it might not be so simple.

Here is the full poll: