# 1985–86 NCAA Division I men's basketball rankings

The 1985–86 NCAA Division I men's preseason basketball rankings was made up of two human polls, the AP Poll and the Coaches Poll, in addition to various other preseason polls. The Louisville Cardinals would finish the season ranked at the top of both polls after winning the National Championship.

## Legend

| | Increase in ranking |
| | Decrease in ranking |
| | New to rankings from previous week |
| Italics | Number of first place votes |
| (#–#) | Win–loss record |
| т | Tied with team above or below also with this symbol |

## AP Poll

| | Preseason | Week 1 Nov. 25 | Week 2 Dec. 2 | Week 3 Dec. 9 | Week 4 Dec. 16 | Week 5 Dec. 23 | Week 6 Dec. 30 | Week 7 Jan. 6 | Week 8 Jan. 13 | Week 9 Jan. 20 | Week 10 Jan. 27 | Week 11 Feb. 3 | Week 12 Feb. 10 | Week 13 Feb. 17 | Week 14 Feb. 24 | Week 15 Mar. 3 | Final Mar. 10 | |
| 1. | Georgia Tech | North Carolina (1–0) | North Carolina (5–0) (45) | North Carolina (6–0) (47) | North Carolina (7–0) (45) | North Carolina (10–0) | North Carolina (12–0) | North Carolina (14–0) | North Carolina (16–0) | North Carolina (19–0) | North Carolina (21–0) | North Carolina (22–1) | North Carolina (24–1) | North Carolina (25–1) | Duke (27–2) | Duke (29–2) (62) | Duke (32–2) | 1. |
| 2. | North Carolina | Georgia Tech (0–0) | Michigan (4–0) (12) | Michigan (6–0) (13) | Michigan (9–0) (14) | Michigan (10–0) | Michigan (12–0) | Michigan (14–0) | Michigan (16–0) | Duke (16–1) | Memphis State (20–0) | Georgia Tech (17–2) | Duke (22–2) | Duke (25–2) | Kansas (27–3) | Kansas (28–3) (1) | Kansas (31–3) | 2. |
| 3. | Michigan | Michigan (2–0) | Duke (6–0) (4) | Duke (8–0) (4) | Duke (8–0) (4) | Duke (9–0) | Duke (11–0) | Duke (12–0) | Duke (15–0) | Memphis State (17–0) | Georgia Tech (16–2) | Memphis State (20–1) | Kansas (22–3) | Kansas (24–3) | North Carolina (25–3) | Kentucky (26–3) | Kentucky (29–3) | 3. |
| 4. | Syracuse | Syracuse (1–0) | Syracuse (3–0) | Syracuse (5–0) | Syracuse (6–0) | Syracuse (7–0) | Syracuse (8–0) | Syracuse (10–0) | Syracuse (13–0) | Georgia Tech (15–1) | Kansas (19–2) | Duke (20–2) | Memphis State (22–2) | Memphis State (23–2) | Georgia Tech (21–4) | North Carolina (26–4) | St. John's (30–4) | 4. |
| 5. | Kansas | Kansas (2–0) | Georgia Tech (2–1) | Georgetown (4–0) т (1) | Georgetown (6–0) (1) | Georgetown (8–0) | Kansas (12–1) | Georgia Tech (10–1) | Georgia Tech (14–1) | Oklahoma (17–0) | Duke (18–2) | Oklahoma (20–1) | Georgia Tech (18–4) | Georgia Tech (19–4) | Kentucky (24–3) | St. John's (27–4) | Michigan (27–4) | 5. |
| 6. | Duke | Duke (2–0) | Georgetown (2–0) (1) | Georgia Tech (4–1) т | Kansas (8–1) | Kansas (9–1) | Georgia Tech (10–1) | Memphis State (12–0) | Memphis State (15–0) | Michigan (17–1) | Oklahoma (18–1) | Kansas (20–3) | UNLV (24–2) | St. John's (24–3) | Syracuse (22–3) | Georgia Tech (23–5) | Georgia Tech (25–6) | 6. |
| 7. | Illinois | Illinois (0–0) | Kansas (3–1) | Kansas (6–1) | Georgia Tech (4–1) | Georgia Tech (7–1) | Oklahoma (11–0) | Oklahoma (13–0) | Oklahoma (15–0) | Kansas (16–2) | St. John's (19–2) | Michigan (19–2) | St. John's (23–3) | Michigan (22–3) | Memphis State (24–3) | Michigan (25–4) | Louisville (26–7) | 7. |
| 8. | Georgetown | Georgetown (1–0) | Oklahoma (5–0) | Oklahoma (6–0) | Oklahoma (8–0) | Oklahoma (9–0) | LSU (12–0) | LSU (14–0) | Kansas (14–2) | St. John's (17–2) | Kentucky (16–2) | Syracuse (17–2) | Oklahoma (21–2) | Kentucky (22–3) | St. John's (25–4) | Syracuse (23–4) | North Carolina (26–5) | 8. |
| 9. | Louisville | Louisville (2–0) | Kentucky (3–0) | Kentucky (5–0) | LSU (8–0) | LSU (11–0) | Memphis State (11–0) | Kansas (12–2) | St. John's (15–2) | Syracuse (13–2) | Michigan (17–2) | UNLV (21–2) | Georgetown (19–4) | Syracuse (20–3) | UNLV (27–3) | Bradley (29–1) | Syracuse (25–5) | 9. |
| 10. | Auburn | Kentucky (1–0) | Notre Dame (2–0) (1) | Illinois (5–1) | Memphis State (7–0) | Memphis State (8–0) | St. John's (12–1) | St. John's (14–1) | UNLV (15–2) | UNLV (17–2) | UNLV (19–2) | St. John's (20–3) | Michigan (20–3) | Oklahoma (23–3) | Michigan (23–4) | Memphis State (25–4) | Notre Dame (23–5) | 10. |
| 11. | Kentucky | Notre Dame (1–0) | LSU (5–0) | LSU (6–0) | St. John's (8–1) | St. John's (9–1) | Georgetown (9–1) | Kentucky (10–1) | Kentucky (12–2) | Kentucky (14–2) | Syracuse (15–2) | Georgetown (17–3) | Kentucky (20–3) | UNLV (24–3) | Bradley (28–1) | Louisville (24–7) | UNLV (31–4) | 11. |
| 12. | Notre Dame | LSU (1–0) | Illinois (2–1) | Memphis State (5–0) | UNLV (5–1) | UNLV (7–1) | Kentucky (9–1) | UNLV (13–2) | UAB (16–2) | Georgetown (13–3) | Georgetown (16–3) | Kentucky (18–3) | Syracuse (18–3) | Bradley (26–1) | Notre Dame (19–5) | Notre Dame (21–5) | Memphis State (27–5) | 12. |
| 13. | Oklahoma | Oklahoma (1–0) | Memphis State (2–0) | UNLV (5–1) | Kentucky (5–1) | Kentucky (7–1) | UNLV (10–2) | Georgetown (10–2) | Notre Dame (9–2) | Louisville (11–4) | Bradley (20–1) | Bradley (22–1) | Bradley (24–1) | Georgetown (19–5) | Louisville (22–7) | UNLV (28–4) | Georgetown (23–7) | 13. |
| 14. | LSU | Memphis State (0–0) | UNLV (4–1) | St. John's (6–1) | UAB (8–1) | UAB (11–1) | Illinois (9–2) | UAB (13–2) | LSU (15–2) | LSU (16–2) | Notre Dame (12–3) | Notre Dame (14–3) | Notre Dame (16–4) | Notre Dame (17–5) | Oklahoma (23–6) | Georgetown (22–6) | Bradley (31–2) | 14. |
| 15. | Memphis State | NC State (0–0) | St. John's (3–1) | Louisville (3–2) | Illinois (5–2) | Louisville (6–2) | Indiana (8–2) | UTEP (13–1) | Georgetown (11–3) | Purdue (16–3) | Indiana (13–4) | Virginia Tech (18–4) | UTEP (21–3) | Indiana (17–5) | Georgetown (20–6) | Oklahoma (24–6) | Oklahoma (26–8) | 15. |
| 16. | UAB | UNLV (1–0) | Louisville (2–2) | UAB (5–1) | Louisville (5–2) | Illinois (7–2) | UAB (12–2) | Notre Dame (7–1) | Virginia Tech (12–2) | Notre Dame (10–2) | Virginia Tech (16–4) | Louisville (13–6) | Indiana (16–5) | Louisville (18–7) | Indiana (18–6) | Indiana (20–6) | Indiana (21–7) | 16. |
| 17. | NC State | Maryland (1–0) | UAB (2–1) | Notre Dame (3–1) | Indiana (4–1) | Indiana (6–2) | Notre Dame (6–1) | Louisville (7–3) | UTEP (14–2) | Bradley (18–1) | LSU (16–3) | UTEP (18–3) | NC State (17–6) | Navy (20–4) | Michigan State (18–6) | Michigan State (20–6) | Navy (27–4) | 17. |
| 18. | UNLV | St. John's (2–0) | Iowa (4–0) | Indiana (2–1) | DePaul (4–0) | Notre Dame (5–1) | Louisville (6–3) | Illinois (10–3) | Louisville (9–4) | UAB (16–4) | Louisville (11–6) | Indiana (14–5) | Alabama (17–4) | Virginia Tech (19–6) | NC State (18–9) | Navy (25–4) | Michigan State (21–7) | 18. |
| 19. | Maryland т | Auburn (0–1) | Auburn (1–1) | DePaul (3–0) | Notre Dame (4–1) | Virginia Tech (8–1) | UTEP (11–1) | Virginia Tech (10–2) | Purdue (14–3) | UTEP (15–3) | UTEP (17–3) | Western Kentucky (17–3) | Louisville (16–7) | Michigan State (17–6) | Navy (23–4) | Illinois (20–8) | Illinois (21–9) | 19. |
| 20. | Navy т | UAB (1–1) | Indiana (1–0) | Ohio State (5–0) | Virginia Tech (7–1) | DePaul (6–2) | Virginia Tech (8–2) | Purdue (13–2) | Bradley (16–1) | Virginia Tech (14–3) | Richmond (16–2) | Alabama (15–4) | Virginia Tech (18–6) | NC State (17–8) | Purdue (21–7) | NC State (18–11) | UTEP (27–5) | 20. |
| | Preseason | Week 1 Nov. 25 | Week 2 Dec. 2 | Week 3 Dec. 9 | Week 4 Dec. 16 | Week 5 Dec. 23 | Week 6 Dec. 30 | Week 7 Jan. 6 | Week 8 Jan. 13 | Week 9 Jan. 20 | Week 10 Jan. 27 | Week 11 Feb. 3 | Week 12 Feb. 10 | Week 13 Feb. 17 | Week 14 Feb. 24 | Week 15 Mar. 3 | Final Mar. 10 | |
| | | Dropped: Navy | Dropped: NC StateMaryland | Dropped: IowaAuburn | Dropped: Ohio State | None | Dropped: DePaul | Dropped: Indiana | Dropped: Illinois | None | Dropped: Purdue (16–5)UAB | Dropped: LSURichmond | Dropped: Western Kentucky | Dropped: UTEP (21–5)Alabama (17–6) | Dropped: Virginia Tech | Dropped: Purdue | Dropped: NC State (18–12) | |

## Coaches Poll

| | Preseason | Week 2 Dec. 2 | Week 3 Dec. 9 | Week 4 Dec. 16 | Week 5 Dec. 23 | Week 6 Dec. 30 | Week 7 Jan. 6 | Week 8 Jan. 13 | Week 9 Jan. 20 | Week 10 Jan. 27 | Week 11 Feb. 3 | Week 12 Feb. 10 | Week 13 Feb. 17 | Week 14 Feb. 24 | Week 15 Mar. 3 | Final Mar. 10 | |
| 1. | Michigan | North Carolina (5–0) | North Carolina (6–0) | North Carolina (7–0) | North Carolina (10–0) | North Carolina (12–0) | North Carolina (14–0) | North Carolina (16–0) | North Carolina (19–0) | North Carolina (21–0) | North Carolina (22–1) | North Carolina (24–1) | North Carolina (25–1) | Duke (27–2) | Duke (29–2) | Duke (32–2) | 1. |
| 2. | Georgia Tech | Michigan (4–0) | Michigan (6–0) | Michigan (9–0) | Michigan (10–0) | Michigan (12–0) | Michigan (14–0) | Michigan (16–0) | Duke (16–1) | Memphis State (20–0) | Georgia Tech (17–2) т | Duke (22–2) | Duke (25–2) | Kansas (27–3) | Kansas (28–3) | Kansas (31–3) | 2. |
| 3. | North Carolina | Duke (6–0) | Duke (8–0) | Duke (8–0) | Duke (9–0) | Duke (11–0) | Duke (12–0) | Duke (15–0) | Georgia Tech (15–1) | Georgia Tech (16–2) | Duke (20–2) т | Kansas (22–3) | Kansas (24–3) | North Carolina (25–3) т | North Carolina (26–4) | St. John's (30–4) | 3. |
| 4. | Kansas | Georgia Tech (2–1) | Kansas (6–1) | Kansas (8–1) | Kansas (9–1) | Kansas (12–1) | Syracuse (10–0) | Syracuse (13–0) | Michigan (17–1) | Duke (18–2) | Memphis State (20–1) | UNLV (24–2) | Memphis State (23–2) | Georgia Tech (21–4) т | Kentucky (26–3) | Kentucky (29–3) | 4. |
| 5. | Duke | Syracuse (3–0) | Syracuse (5–0) | Syracuse (6–0) | Syracuse (7–0) | Syracuse (8–0) | Georgia Tech (10–1) | Georgia Tech (14–1) | Memphis State (17–0) | Kansas (19–2) | Kansas (20–3) | Georgia Tech (18–4) | Georgia Tech (19–4) | Kentucky (24–3) | St. John's (27–4) | Michigan (27–4) | 5. |
| 6. | Syracuse | Kansas (3–1) | Georgia Tech (4–1) | Georgetown (6–0) | Georgia Tech (7–1) | Georgia Tech (10–1) | Memphis State (12–0) | Memphis State (15–0) | Oklahoma (17–0) | Oklahoma (18–1) | Oklahoma (20–1) | Memphis State (22–2) | St. John's (24–3) | Syracuse (22–3) | Georgia Tech (23–5) | Georgia Tech (25–6) | 6. |
| 7. | Illinois | Georgetown (2–0) | Georgetown (4–0) | Georgia Tech (4–1) | Georgetown (8–0) | Oklahoma (11–0) | LSU (14–0) | Oklahoma (15–0) | Kansas (16–2) | St. John's (19–2) | Syracuse (17–2) | St. John's (23–3) | Kentucky (22–3) | UNLV (27–3) | Michigan (25–4) | Louisville (26–7) | 7. |
| 8. | Georgetown | Kentucky (3–0) | Kentucky (5–0) | Oklahoma (8–0) | LSU (11–0) | St. John's (12–1) | Oklahoma (13–0) | Kansas (14–2) | St. John's (17–2) | Michigan (17–2) | Michigan (19–2) | Kentucky (20–3) | Michigan (22–3) | Memphis State (24–3) | Syracuse (23–4) | North Carolina (26–5) | 8. |
| 9. | LSU | UNLV (4–1) | Oklahoma (6–0) | St. John's (8–1) | Oklahoma (9–0) | LSU (12–0) | Kansas (12–2) | St. John's (15–2) | Kentucky (14–2) | Kentucky (16–2) | UNLV (21–2) | Michigan (20–3) | Oklahoma (23–3) | Bradley (28–1) | Bradley (29–1) | Syracuse (25–5) | 9. |
| 10. | Louisville | Oklahoma (5–0) | UNLV (5–1) | UNLV (5–1) | Kentucky (7–1) | Kentucky (9–1) | St. John's (14–1) | UNLV (15–2) | UNLV (17–2) | Syracuse (15–2) | St. John's (20–3) | Oklahoma (21–2) | Syracuse (20–3) | St. John's (25–4) | Memphis State (25–4) | UNLV (31–4) | 10. |
| 11. | Auburn | LSU (5–0) | Illinois (5–1) | LSU (8–0) т | St. John's (9–1) | Georgetown (9–1) | Kentucky (10–1) | Kentucky (12–2) | Syracuse (13–2) | UNLV (19–2) | Georgetown (17–3) | Georgetown (19–4) | UNLV (24–3) | Michigan (23–4) | UNLV (28–4) | Notre Dame (23–5) | 11. |
| 12. | Kentucky | Illinois (2–1) | LSU (6–0) | Memphis State (7–0) т | UNLV (7–1) | Memphis State (11–0) | UNLV (13–2) | UAB (16–2) | Georgetown (13–3) | Georgetown (16–3) | Kentucky (18–3) | Bradley (24–1) | Bradley (26–1) | Notre Dame (19–5) | Louisville (24–7) | Memphis State (27–5) | 12. |
| 13. | Notre Dame | Notre Dame (2–0) | St. John's (6–1) | Illinois (5–2) | Memphis State (8–0) | UNLV (10–2) | UAB (13–2) | Notre Dame (9–2) | LSU (16–2) | Bradley (20–1) | Bradley (22–1) | Syracuse (18–3) | Georgetown (19–5) | Oklahoma (23–6) | Notre Dame (21–5) | Bradley (31–2) | 13. |
| 14. | NC State т | St. John's (2–0) | Louisville (3–2) | Kentucky (5–1) | Louisville (6–2) | Illinois (9–2) | UTEP (13–1) | LSU (15–2) | Louisville (11–4) | UTEP (17–3) | UTEP (18–3) | Notre Dame (16–4) т | Indiana (17–5) | Louisville (22–7) | Indiana (20–6) | Indiana (21–7) | 14. |
| 15. | Iowa т | Louisville (2–2) | Memphis State (5–0) | UAB (8–1) | Illinois (7–2) | Indiana (8–2) | Georgetown (10–2) | UTEP (14–2) | Notre Dame (10–2) | Louisville (11–6) | Virginia Tech (18–4) | UTEP (21–3) т | Notre Dame (17–5) | Georgetown (20–6) | Georgetown (22–6) | Georgetown (23–7) | 15. |
| 16. | UAB | Memphis State (2–0) | Notre Dame (3–1) т | Indiana (4–1) | Indiana (6–2) | UTEP (11–1) | Notre Dame (7–1) | Georgetown (11–3) | Purdue (16–3) | Indiana (13–4) | Louisville (13–6) | Indiana (16–5) | Louisville (18–7) | Indiana (18–6) | Oklahoma (24–6) | UTEP (27–5) | 16. |
| 17. | Washington | UAB (2–1) | Indiana (2–1) т | Louisville (5–2) | Notre Dame (5–1) | UAB (12–2) | Louisville (7–3) | Purdue (14–3) | Bradley (18–1) | LSU (16–3) | Notre Dame (14–3) | Alabama (17–4) | NC State (17–8) | Michigan State (18–6) | UTEP (24–5) | Oklahoma (26–8) | 17. |
| 18. | UNLV | Auburn (1–1) | UAB (5–1) | DePaul (4–0) | DePaul (6–2) | Louisville (6–3) | Purdue (13–2) | Louisville (9–4) | UTEP (15–3) | Notre Dame (12–3) | Indiana (14–5) | NC State (17–6) | Alabama (17–6) | NC State (18–9) | Michigan State (20–6) | Michigan State (21–7) | 18. |
| 19. | DePaul | Iowa (4–0) | Ohio State (5–0) | Notre Dame (4–1) | UTEP (8–1) | Notre Dame (6–1) | Illinois (10–3) т | Bradley (16–1) | UAB (16–4) | Virginia Tech (16–4) | NC State (14–6) | Louisville (16–7) т | UTEP (21–5) | Alabama (19–6) | Illinois (20–8) | Alabama (22–8) | 19. |
| 20. | UCLA | Indiana (1–0) | DePaul (3–0) | Pepperdine (6–1) | Washington (6–2) | NC State (7–3) | Bradley (12–1) т | Virginia Tech (12–2) | Pepperdine (14–3) | Pepperdine (16–3) т Purdue (16–5) т | Virginia (14–5) | Pepperdine (19–4) т | Pepperdine (20–4) | Pepperdine (22–4) | Pepperdine (24–4) | Illinois (21–9) | 20. |
| | Preseason | Week 2 Dec. 2 | Week 3 Dec. 9 | Week 4 Dec. 16 | Week 5 Dec. 23 | Week 6 Dec. 30 | Week 7 Jan. 6 | Week 8 Jan. 13 | Week 9 Jan. 20 | Week 10 Jan. 27 | Week 11 Feb. 3 | Week 12 Feb. 10 | Week 13 Feb. 17 | Week 14 Feb. 24 | Week 15 Mar. 3 | Final Mar. 10 | |
| | | Dropped: NC StateWashingtonDePaulUCLA | Dropped: AuburnIowa | Dropped: Ohio State | Dropped: UABPepperdine | Dropped: DePaulWashington | Dropped: IndianaNC State | Dropped: Illinois | Dropped: Virginia Tech (14–3) | Dropped: UAB | Dropped: LSUPepperdine (17–4)Purdue | Dropped: Virginia Tech (18–6)Virginia | None | Dropped: UTEP | Dropped: NC State (18–11)Alabama | Dropped: Pepperdine | |