Days after a challenging overtime defeat to Kentucky in Seattle, the Gonzaga men's basketball team faced a significant drop in the Associated Press Top 25 poll. Currently ranked at No. 8, this setback has sparked discussions about their championship aspirations.

Recent History and Contenders

Despite the 90-89 loss at Climate Pledge Arena, the Bulldogs (7-2) remain among the top contenders. Since 2004, every national championship-winning team has been ranked in the top 12 during Week 6 of the AP Poll. This season, they join a prestigious list that includes No. 1 Tennessee, No. 2 Auburn, No. 3 Iowa State, No. 4 Duke, No. 5 Kentucky, No. 6 Marquette, No. 7 Alabama, No. 9 Florida, No. 10 Kansas, No. 11 Purdue, and No. 12 Oregon.The current college basketball landscape is marked by parity, making it possible for the 2025 national champion to emerge from outside the top 12. No. 15 Houston (5-3), for instance, ranks fifth at KenPom.com despite early season losses and a tough nonconference schedule that included away games against Auburn, Alabama, and San Diego State. Two of these games went into overtime.No. 18 UConn (7-3) has rebounded with consecutive victories over Baylor and Texas. Their 76-72 win over Baylor without Alex Karaban in the lineup, followed by a 76-65 triumph over Texas, propelled them up seven spots in the rankings. Karaban's 21 points led UConn to its first true road win of the season.Baylor (5-3), on the other hand, finds itself just outside the top 25 after its third nonleague loss.

Future Opponents and Their Performances

A future Gonzaga opponent, UCLA, entered the AP Poll's rankings less than 24 hours after its thrilling 73-71 win at Oregon on Sunday. The Bruins (8-1) have been strong defensively during their seven-game win streak, highlighted by Sunday night's victory. Junior guard Dylan Andrews' 3-pointer with 0.4 seconds on the clock gave the Ducks their first loss of the season, while UCLA rose to No. 24.Back near the top of the poll, Kentucky (8-1) was bumped down one spot despite its comeback win over Gonzaga. Interestingly, the team in front of them at No. 4 - Duke (7-2) - lost to Kentucky, 77-72, in the Champions Classic.The Volunteers (8-0) received 58 of the 62 first-place votes and claimed the No. 1 position for the first time since 2018-19. They moved up two spots after preseason No. 1 Kansas lost back-to-back games to unranked foes, and Auburn fell to the Blue Devils. Six of the top 10 teams suffered losses last week.AP Top 25 poll (Week 6):1. Tennessee (8-0)2. Auburn (8-1)3. Iowa State (7-1)4. Duke (7-2)5. Kentucky (8-0)6. Marquette (9-1)7. Alabama (7-2)8. Gonzaga (7-2)9. Florida (9-0)10. Kansas (7-2)11. Purdue (8-2)12. Oregon (9-1)13. Oklahoma (9-0)14. Michigan (8-1)15. Houston (5-3)16. Clemson (9-1)17. Texas A&M (8-2)18. UConn (7-3)19. Ole Miss (8-1)20. Wisconsin (8-2)21. Michigan State (8-2)22. Cincinnati (7-1)23. San Diego State (6-2)24. UCLA (8-1)25. Mississippi State (8-1)Others receiving votes: Baylor 150, Arizona St 143, Memphis 123, Missouri 119, Penn St. 90, Arkansas 89, Drake 67, Pittsburgh 62, Utah St. 57, Illinois 47, St. John’s 43, Maryland 39, Dayton 38, Creighton 32, Indiana 30, West Virginia 30, North Carolina 24, Georgia 21, Saint Mary’s 20, Texas 8, Rhode Island 3, Loyola Chicago 1.Continue to follow our Gonzaga coverage on social media by liking us on Facebook and following us on Instagram and Twitter.