Kansas is 6th in AP preseason basketball poll. The Jayhawks’ first opponent is No. 1
Kansas, which finished last season as the No. 1 team in the final Associated Press college basketball poll, will start the 2020-21 campaign rated No. 6.
Gonzaga, which was No. 2 to close last season, opens at No. 1 in the AP preseason poll, followed by Baylor, Villanova, Virginia and Iowa. KU is followed by Wisconsin, Illinois, Duke, Kentucky, Creighton, Tennessee, Michigan State, Texas Tech, West Virginia, North Carolina, Houston, Arizona State, Texas, Oregon, Florida State, UCLA, Ohio State, Rutgers and Michigan.
KU will open the season against Gonzaga at 12:30 p.m. Central time on Thanksgiving Day in Fort Myers, Florida.
It’s the 15th time in the 18-year Bill Self era that Kansas enters the season ranked seventh or higher in the AP poll. This is the 23rd time since the 1992-93 season that Kansas will enter the season No. 7 or higher.
The No. 1 Bulldogs received 28 first-place votes. No. 2 Baylor had 24 firsts and No. 3 Villanova 11 firsts. No. 4 Virginia (one) was the only other team to receive a first-place vote.
AP preseason men’s college basketball poll
1. Gonzaga
2. Baylor
3. Villanova
4. Virginia
5. Iowa
6. Kansas
7. Wisconsin
8. Illinois
9. Duke
10. Kentucky
11. Creighton
12. Tennessee
13. Michigan State
14. Texas Tech
15. West Virginia
16. North Carolina
17. Houston
18. Arizona State
19. Texas
20. Oregon
21. Florida State
22. UCLA
23. Ohio State
24. Rutgers
25. Michigan
Others receiving votes: LSU 146, Memphis 69, Florida 69, Alabama 50, Indiana 48, Louisville 41, Richmond 40, Stanford 14, Providence 9, Saint Louis 8, Auburn 8, San Diego State 6, Connecticut 6, BYU 4, Loyola Chicago 3, Seton Hall 2, UNC Greensboro 1, Northern Iowa 1
This story was originally published November 9, 2020 at 11:38 AM with the headline "Kansas is 6th in AP preseason basketball poll. The Jayhawks’ first opponent is No. 1."
