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About the only thing the pundits agree on is the top four teams. They have them in all different orders, but at least they agree on who they are... for the most part. After that it really falls apart, because let's be honest, no one knows anything about anyone at this point. Well, except that a Travis Ford team doesn't belong in the Top 25. They all agree on that.
Pre-Pre-Season Rankings |
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| # | G. PARRISH CBS | S. GLEESON USA TODAY | S. DAVIS SI | E. BRENNAN ESPN | J. EISENBERG YAHOO | R. DAUSTER NBCSPORTS | D. HANNER REALGM | J. ROTHSTEIN | SBNATION |
| 1 | Duke | Duke | Duke | Arizona | Arizona | Arizona | Arizona | Arizona | Duke |
| 2 | Arizona | Arizona | Wisconsin | Duke | Duke | Duke | Kansas | Kansas | Wisconsin |
| 3 | Wisconsin | Wisconsin | Arizona | Kentucky | Kansas | Wisconsin | Duke | Duke | Arizona |
| 4 | Kansas | Kansas | Villanova | Wisconsin | Wisconsin | Kansas | Wisconsin | Wisconsin | Kansas |
| 5 | Florida | Kentucky | North Carolina | Wichita State | Kentucky | Kentucky | Florida | North Carolina | North Carolina |
| 6 | North Carolina | North Carolina | Kansas | North Carolina | North Carolina | North Carolina | Michigan | Villanova | Kentucky |
| 7 | Kentucky | Florida | Michigan | Virginia | Florida | Virginia | Kentucky | Michigan | Florida |
| 8 | Wichita State | Villanova | Kentucky | Florida | Wichita State | Texas | North Carolina | Florida | Michigan |
| 9 | Texas | Virginia | Colorado | Kansas | Michigan | San Diego State | Connecticut | SMU | Louisville |
| 10 | Virginia | Louisville | Texas | Connecticut | Connecticut | SMU | Virginia | Louisville | Wichita State |
| 11 | Villanova | SMU | Baylor | SMU | Virginia | Oklahoma | Villanova | Syracuse | Villanova |
| 12 | SMU | Texas | Whichita State | Louisville | Villanova | Wichita State | Wichita State | Wichita State | SMU |
| 13 | San Diego State | Wichita State | Connecticut | Villanova | Texas | Harvard | VCU | Colorado | Texas |
| 14 | Iowa State | UCLA | Florida | VCU | SMU | Florida | Louisville | Texas | Ohio State |
| 15 | Gonzaga | San Diego State | Virginia | Gonzaga | San Diego State | Oregon | Syracuse | Virginia | Virginia |
| 16 | Oklahoma | Connecticut | SMU | Iowa State | - | Gonzaga | Ohio St. | Kentucky | VCU |
| 17 | Nebraska | Gonzaga | Michigan State | Michigan | - | VCU | SMU | Oregon | Oregon |
| 18 | VCU | Michigan | Syracuse | Michigan State | - | Villanova | Colorado | Oklahoma | Connecticut |
| 19 | Connecticut | MIchigan State | Iowa State | Texas | - | Iowa | Baylor | Iowa State | Michigan St. |
| 20 | Michigan | Syracuse | Louisville | Oklahoma | - | Michigan | Texas | Ohio State | Oklahoma |
| 21 | Louisville | Oklahoma | Harvard | Syracuse | - | Connecticut | Maryland | San Diego State | Harvard |
| 22 | Ohio State | VCU | Gonzaga | UCLA | - | Syracuse | Iowa | UCLA | San Diego State |
| 23 | Pittsburgh | Stanford | Oregon | Oregon | - | Michigan State | UCLA | VCU | Minnesota |
| 24 | Michigan State | Colorado | Nebraska | Kansas State | - | UNLV | Gonzaga | Gonzaga | UCLA |
| 25 | Stanford | Minnesota | VCU | Iowa | - | Baylor | Utah | Michigan State | Dayton |
Of course the Jayhawks lead the big 12 with an average ranking of 4th. Kansas will lose freshman phenoms Joel Emiid, and Andrew Wiggins to the NBA, but Bill Self always has elite talent coming in. 5-star recruits Cliff Alexander and Kelly Oubre will be joining Perry Ellis and crew, and that's all KU needs to be the perennial Big 12 favorite.
Texas is ranked anywhere from 8th to 20th depending on who's rankings you're looking at, but they are the consensus Big 12 #2. Miles Turner is perhaps the best big man in the 2014-15 class, and while KU and Oklahoma State are making a run at him, the Longhorns are a slight favorite to land the Lone Star talent. Meanwhile four star forward Jordan Barnett has already committed to Rick Barnes and staff.
The Sooners are ranked as high as 11th in the NBC Sports rankings, while two others left them off completely (not including Yahoo's poll which only goes to 15). The Big 12's leading rebounder, Ryan Spangler, will be returning along with junior guard Buddy Hield. Lon Kruger doesn't have a marquee 4-star or 5-star commitment, but Rivals Top 150 recruits Dante Buford and Jamuni McNeace, along with center Khadeem Lattin, will be solid additions.
Iowa State had a fantastic season this year, but not everyone is ready to believe Fred Hoiberg can do it again. The pundits either have them in the Top 20, or not at all. The Cyclones will be a deep team with eight players that have starts in Division 1 ball. JUCO transfer James McKay, and four star guard commit Clayton Cluster also promise to provide big minutes.
Baylor is another Big 12 team that you either like, or you don't. Only three have the Bears in their rankings, but Sports Illustrated has them as the 11th best team in the country. Scott Drew isn't known as a particularly good coach, even though he's taken BU to two Elite Eights. He'll have his work cut out for him this next season trying to replace Isaiah Austin as he takes his talents to the next level. 3-star guards Damiyne Durham and Lester Medford, along with 3-star forwad T.J. Maston have already committed to help where they can.
Kansas State flirted with the Top 25 this season, and Eamonn Brennan snuck K-State into his rankings for next year at 24th. Marcus Foster will look to build on a fantastic freshman campaign, and shooting guard Tre Harris and power forward Stephen Hurt, both 3-star recruits, will help provide some depth.
These rankings are all over the place, but with six teams making the cut, most agree the Big 12 will once again be a pretty tough conference. Travis Ford has his work cut out to get back into the top half of the Big 12. A feat he's only accomplished once. Interestingly enough though, Joe Lunardi has OSU as a 7-seed in his way, way too early 2014-15 bracket predictions.