# 1955–56 NCAA men's basketball rankings

The 1955–56 NCAA men's basketball rankings was made up of two human polls, the AP Poll and the Coaches Poll.

## 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

| | Week 1 Dec. 5 | Week 2 Dec. 12 | Week 3 Dec. 19 | Week 4 Dec. 26 | Week 5 Jan. 2 | Week 6 Jan. 9 | Week 7 Jan. 16 | Week 8 Jan. 23 | Week 9 Jan. 30 | Week 10 Feb. 6 | Week 11 Feb. 13 | Week 12 Feb. 20 | Week 13 Feb. 27 | Week 14 Mar. 5 | Final Mar. 12 | |
| 1. | San Francisco (2–0) | San Francisco (3–0) | San Francisco (5–0) | San Francisco (7–0) | San Francisco (10–0) | San Francisco (11–0) | San Francisco (13–0) | San Francisco (13–0) | San Francisco (14–0) | San Francisco (15–0) | San Francisco (18–0) | San Francisco (20–0) | San Francisco (21–0) | San Francisco (24–0) | San Francisco (25–0) | 1. |
| 2. | Kentucky (1–0) | NC State (4–0) | NC State (7–0) | Dayton (8–0) | NC State (11–0) | Dayton (11–0) | Dayton (12–0) | Dayton (14–0) | Dayton (14–1) | Dayton (16–1) | Dayton (18–1) | Illinois (16–1) | Illinois (17–2) | NC State (24–3) | NC State (24–3) | 2. |
| 3. | NC State (2–0) | Utah (3–0) | Utah (5–0) | NC State (8–0) | Dayton (9–0) | NC State (11–1) | NC State (12–1) | Kentucky (10–2) | Vanderbilt (14–1) | Vanderbilt (15–1) | Illinois (14–1) | Louisville (21–2) | Dayton (22–2) | Dayton (23–3) | Dayton (23–3) | 3. |
| 4. | Iowa (1–0) | Iowa (2–0) | Dayton (6–0) | North Carolina (5–0) | Vanderbilt (7–1) | Vanderbilt (8–2) | Kentucky (9–2) | NC State (13–2) | NC State (14–2) | NC State (16–2) | Louisville (19–2) | Dayton (20–2) | Alabama (18–3) | Alabama (20–3) | Iowa (17–5) | 4. |
| 5. | Utah (1–0) | Alabama (4–0) | BYU (6–0) | Vanderbilt (6–1) | North Carolina (7–1) | Kentucky (7–2) | Vanderbilt (12–1) | Illinois (10–1) | Louisville (16–1) | Louisville (18–1) | NC State (18–2) | Vanderbilt (18–2) | NC State (21–3) | Iowa (16–5) | Alabama (21–3) | 5. |
| 6. | Alabama (2–0) | Duquesne (3–0) | North Carolina (6–0) | Iowa (3–1) | Kentucky (6–2) | Duke (9–2) | Illinois (10–1) | Temple (11–0) | Illinois (11–1) | Illinois (12–1) | Vanderbilt (16–2) | NC State (19–3) | Louisville (22–3) | Louisville (26–3) | Louisville (26–3) | 6. |
| 7. | Dayton (2–0) | Dayton (4–0) | Holy Cross (5–0) | Utah (5–2) | George Washington (9–1) | Ohio State (8–1) | Duke (12–2) | Vanderbilt (13–1) | Temple (13–0) | Kentucky (13–3) | Kentucky (15–3) | Alabama (16–3) | Vanderbilt (19–3) | Illinois (18–3) | SMU (22–2) | 7. |
| 8. | Illinois (0–0) | BYU (4–0) | Vanderbilt (4–0) | Duke (6–0) | Iowa State (9–1) | Illinois (7–1) | Temple (10–0) | North Carolina (13–2) | Kentucky (10–3) | Duke (13–3) | Alabama (14–3) | Kentucky (16–4) | North Carolina (17–4) | SMU (22–2) | UCLA (19–5) | 8. |
| 9. | Duquesne (1–0) | Vanderbilt (4–0) | Kentucky (4–1) | Illinois (5–1) | Illinois (6–1) | North Carolina (8–2) | North Carolina (12–2) | Louisville (15–1) | North Carolina (13–2) | Temple (14–1) | Temple (17–1) | North Carolina (16–3) | SMU (21–2) | Kentucky (19–5) | Kentucky (19–5) | 9. |
| 10. | BYU (2–0) | Holy Cross (3–0) | Iowa (3–1) | Oklahoma City (6–0) | Ohio State (7–1) | Temple (8–0) | Louisville (13–1) | Duke (12–2) | Duke (12–2) | Alabama (12–3) | North Carolina (15–3) | Temple (19–1) | Iowa (14–5) | UCLA (19–5) | Illinois (18–4) | 10. |
| 11. | Holy Cross (1–0) | Temple (3–0) | George Washington (6–0) | Louisville (7–0) | Duke (8–1) | Holy Cross (9–2) | Ohio State (9–2) | Holy Cross (13–2) | Saint Louis (12–2) | Saint Louis (14–2) | Duke (15–4) | Duke (16–5) | Duke (18–6) | Vanderbilt (19–4) | Oklahoma City (18–6) | 11. |
| 12. | Oklahoma City (2–0) | Kentucky (1–1) | Temple (5–0) | George Washington (6–1) | Memphis State (7–0) | Indiana (8–1) | Holy Cross (11–2) | Alabama (10–3) | Alabama (11–3) | North Carolina (13–3) | SMU (17–2) | SMU (19–2) | Kentucky (17–5) | Holy Cross (22–4) | Vanderbilt (19–4) | 12. |
| 13. | George Washington (1–0) | George Washington (3–0) | Marquette (5–1) | Kentucky (5–2) | Indiana (6–1) | Louisville (10–1) | Alabama (9–3) | Iowa (6–5) | St. Francis Brooklyn (13–0) | Holy Cross (16–2) | St. Francis Brooklyn (16–0) | Iowa (12–5) | UCLA (17–5) | Temple (21–3) | North Carolina (18–5) | 13. |
| 14. | Marquette (1–0) т | Cincinnati (3–0) | Duke (5–0) | Holy Cross (5–1) | Holy Cross (7–2) | George Washington (9–3) | Oklahoma City (10–2) | Cincinnati (12–3) | Holy Cross (13–2) | Oklahoma City (15–4) | Oklahoma City (16–4) | Houston (18–3) | Temple (20–3) | West Virginia (21–8) | Holy Cross (22–4) | 14. |
| 15. | West Virginia (1–0) т | West Virginia (3–0) | Oklahoma City (4–0) | Ohio State (6–1) | Tulsa (10–1) | Iowa State (8–2) | Memphis State (11–1) | St. Francis Brooklyn (11–0) | Oklahoma City (13–4) | SMU (16–2) | Iowa (10–5) | UCLA (15–5) | Holy Cross (21–4) | North Carolina (18–5) | Temple (23–3) | 15. |
| 16. | UCLA (0–2) т | North Carolina (3–0) | Alabama (4–2) | Michigan State (4–0) | Temple (6–0) | Oklahoma City (9–1) | Utah (11–3) | Oklahoma City (12–4) | Memphis State (13–2) | St. Francis Brooklyn (15–0) | Holy Cross (17–3) | St. Francis Brooklyn (18–1) | Oklahoma City (17–6) | Oklahoma City (18–6) | Wake Forest (19–9) | 16. |
| 17. | Ohio State (1–1) т | Saint Louis (3–0) | Illinois (3–1) | Rice (8–0) т | Alabama (6–3) | Memphis State (9–1) | Saint Louis (10–2) | Saint Louis (11–2) | SMU (14–2) | Iowa (8–5) | Saint Louis (14–4) | Holy Cross (19–4) | Kansas State (15–6) | Houston (19–5) | Duke (19–7) | 17. |
| 18. | La Salle (1–1) | Kansas (3–0) | Indiana (3–1) т | Temple (5–0) т | Rice (9–1) | Wake Forest (8–5) | UCLA (8–5) | SMU (13–2) | Marshall (13–2) | UCLA (11–5) | Houston (17–3) | Oklahoma City (16–5) | Houston (19–4) | Wake Forest (19–9) | Utah (21–5) | 18. |
| 19. | Stanford (2–0) | Indiana (2–0) | Memphis State (5–0) т | Alabama (5–2) | West Virginia (7–2) | Alabama (7–3) | SMU (13–2) | Memphis State (12–2) | Iowa (7–5) | George Washington (12–4) | Memphis State (17–3) | George Washington (17–5) | Saint Louis (17–5) | Duke (19–7) | Oklahoma A&M (18–8) | 19. |
| 20. | Minnesota (1–0) | Oklahoma City (2–0) | Duquesne (4–2) | BYU (6–2) | Michigan State (5–1) т Cincinnati (7–2) т | Cincinnati (8–2) т Utah (8–3) т | Iowa (5–5) т Oklahoma A&M (11–3) т | Oklahoma A&M (11–2) | UCLA (9–5) | Cincinnati (13–3) | UCLA (13–5) | Iowa State (16–3) | Wake Forest (17–8) | Utah (21–5) | West Virginia (21–8) | 20. |
| | Week 1 Dec. 5 | Week 2 Dec. 12 | Week 3 Dec. 19 | Week 4 Dec. 26 | Week 5 Jan. 2 | Week 6 Jan. 9 | Week 7 Jan. 16 | Week 8 Jan. 23 | Week 9 Jan. 30 | Week 10 Feb. 6 | Week 11 Feb. 13 | Week 12 Feb. 20 | Week 13 Feb. 27 | Week 14 Mar. 5 | Final Mar. 12 | |
| | | Dropped: Illinois (1–1)Marquette (1–1)UCLA (2–2)Ohio State (1–1)La Salle (1–1)Stanford (1–1)Minnesota (1–1) | Dropped: Saint Louis (4–1)Cincinnati (3–2)West Virginia (3–2)Kansas (3–2) | Dropped: Marquette (5–2)Indiana (5–1)Memphis State (5–0) | Dropped: Iowa (3–4)Oklahoma City (7–1)Louisville (8–1)BYU (7–3) | Dropped: RiceMichigan State (6–2) | Dropped: Iowa State (9–3)George Washington (9–4) | Dropped: Utah (12–3)UCLA (8–5) | Dropped: Cincinnati (12–3) | Dropped: Memphis State (14–3)Marshall (14–3) | Dropped: George Washington (13–5)Cincinnati (14–4) | Dropped: Memphis State (18–4) | Dropped: Iowa State (17–4) | Dropped: Kansas State (15–8)Saint Louis (17–6) | Dropped: Houston (19–6) | |

## UP Poll

| | Preseason | Week 2 Dec. 6 | Week 3 Dec. 13 | Week 4 Dec. 20 | Week 5 Dec. 27 | Week 6 Jan. 3 | Week 7 Jan. 10 | Week 8 Jan. 17 | Week 9 Jan. 24 | Week 10 Jan. 31 | Week 11 Feb. 7 | Week 12 Feb. 14 | Week 13 Feb. 21 | Week 14 Feb. 28 | Final Mar. 6 | |
| 1. | San Francisco | San Francisco (2–0) | San Francisco (3–0) | San Francisco (5–0) | San Francisco (7–0) | San Francisco (10–0) | San Francisco (11–0) | San Francisco (13–0) | San Francisco (13–0) | San Francisco (14–0) | San Francisco (15–0) | San Francisco (18–0) | San Francisco (20–0) | San Francisco (21–0) | San Francisco (24–0) | 1. |
| 2. | Kentucky | Kentucky (1–0) | NC State (4–0) | Utah (5–0) | Dayton (8–0) | Dayton (9–0) | Dayton (11–0) | Dayton (12–0) | Dayton (14–0) | Dayton (14–1) | Dayton (16–1) | Dayton (18–1) | Illinois (16–1) | Dayton (22–2) | NC State (24–3) | 2. |
| 3. | Utah | NC State (2–0) | Utah (3–0) | NC State (7–0) | NC State (8–0) | NC State (11–0) | NC State (11–1) | NC State (12–1) | Illinois (10–1) | Illinois (11–1) | Illinois (12–1) | Illinois (14–1) | Dayton (20–2) | Illinois (17–2) | Dayton (23–3) | 3. |
| 4. | NC State | Utah (1–0) | Iowa (2–0) | Dayton (6–0) | North Carolina (5–0) | North Carolina (7–1) | Kentucky (7–2) | Illinois (10–1) | Kentucky (10–2) | NC State (14–2) | NC State (16–2) | NC State (18–2) | Louisville (21–2) | NC State (21–3) | Iowa (16–5) | 4. |
| 5. | Iowa | Iowa (1–0) | Alabama (4–0) | BYU (6–0) | Iowa (3–1) | Illinois (6–1) | Illinois (7–1) | Kentucky (9–2) | NC State (13–2) | Vanderbilt (14–1) | Louisville (18–1) | Louisville (19–2) | NC State (19–3) | Louisville (22–3) | Alabama (20–3) | 5. |
| 6. | Dayton | Dayton (2–0) | Duquesne (3–0) | Iowa (3–1) | Utah (5–2) | Kentucky (6–2) | Indiana (8–1) | Vanderbilt (12–1) | North Carolina (13–2) | Louisville (16–1) | Vanderbilt (15–1) | Vanderbilt (16–2) | Vanderbilt (18–2) | Alabama (18–3) | SMU (22–2) | 6. |
| 7. | Illinois т | Illinois (0–0) | Dayton (4–0) | Holy Cross (5–0) | Holy Cross (5–1) | Iowa State (8–1) | SMU (12–2) | Duke (12–2) т | Temple (11–0) | Temple (13–0) | Kentucky (13–3) | Kentucky (15–3) | SMU (19–2) | SMU (21–2) | Louisville (26–3) | 7. |
| 8. | UCLA | Duquesne (1–0) | BYU (4–0) | North Carolina (6–0) | Illinois (5–1) т | Utah (6–3) | Vanderbilt (8–2) т | SMU (13–2) т | Vanderbilt (13–1) | North Carolina (13–2) | Temple (14–1) | SMU (17–2) | Temple (19–1) | North Carolina (17–4) | Illinois (18–3) | 8. |
| 9. | Duquesne | Holy Cross (1–0) | Vanderbilt (4–0) | Kentucky (4–1) | Louisville (7–0) т | Holy Cross (7–2) | Duke (9–2) т | Temple (10–0) | SMU (13–2) | Kentucky (10–3) | SMU (16–2) | Temple (17–1) | North Carolina (16–3) | Iowa (14–5) | UCLA (19–5) | 9. |
| 10. | George Washington | BYU (2–0) | Holy Cross (3–0) | Marquette (5–1) | Marquette (5–2) | George Washington (9–1) т | North Carolina (8–2) | Louisville (13–1) | Louisville (15–1) | SMU (14–2) | Duke (13–3) | North Carolina (15–3) | Kentucky (16–4) | UCLA (17–5) | Vanderbilt (19–4) | 10. |
| 11. | Holy Cross | George Washington (1–0) | Temple (3–0) | George Washington (6–0) | BYU (6–2) | SMU (10–2) т | Holy Cross (9–2) | North Carolina (12–2) | Duke (12–2) | Duke (12–2) | Saint Louis (14–2) | Alabama (14–3) | Alabama (16–3) | Vanderbilt (19–3) | North Carolina (18–5) | 11. |
| 12. | Marquette | Indiana (1–0) | Kentucky (1–1) | SMU (6–1) | Kentucky (5–2) | Louisville (9–1) | Utah (8–3) | Utah (11–3) | Utah (12–3) | Iowa (7–5) | North Carolina (13–3) | UCLA (13–5) | Iowa (12–5) | Temple (20–3) | Kentucky (19–5) | 12. |
| 13. | Fordham | Saint Louis (1–0) | George Washington (3–0) | Illinois (3–1) т | Vanderbilt (6–1) | Rice (9–1) | Louisville (10–1) | Holy Cross (11–2) | Holy Cross (13–2) т | UCLA (9–5) | UCLA (11–5) | Iowa (10–5) | UCLA (15–5) | Kentucky (17–5) | Utah (21–5) | 13. |
| 14. | Washington | UCLA (0–2) | Cincinnati (3–0) | Saint Louis (4–1) т | Rice (8–0) | Indiana (6–1) т | Temple (8–0) | UCLA (8–5) | Iowa (6–5) т | Saint Louis (12–2) | Alabama (12–3) т | Duke (15–4) | Houston (18–3) | Utah (19–5) | Temple (21–3) | 14. |
| 15. | Alabama | Marquette (1–0) | West Virginia (3–0) | Louisville (6–0) | Duke (6–0) | UCLA (4–5) т | Ohio State (8–1) | Ohio State (9–2) | UCLA (8–5) | Holy Cross (13–2) | Holy Cross (16–2) т | Saint Louis (14–4) | Holy Cross (19–4) т | Duke (18–6) т | Holy Cross (22–4) | 15. |
| 16. | Indiana т | Stanford (2–0) | North Carolina (3–0) | Temple (5–0) т | Saint Louis (6–2) | Iowa (3–4) | Iowa State (8–2) | BYU (11–3) | Cincinnati (12–3) | Utah (14–3) | Iowa (8–5) | Holy Cross (17–3) | Utah (17–5) т | Saint Louis (17–5) т | Oklahoma City (18–6) | 16. |
| 17. | Saint Louis т | Kansas (0–0) | Saint Louis (3–0) | Duquesne (4–2) т | Indiana (5–1) | Tulsa (10–1) | UCLA (6–5) | Iowa State (9–3) т | Saint Louis (11–2) | Alabama (11–3) | BYU (13–5) | BYU (14–6) т | St. Francis Brooklyn (18–1) | Cincinnati (16–5) т | Saint Louis (17–6) | 17. |
| 18. | Oregon State т | Alabama (2–0) | Kansas (3–0) | Ohio State (5–1) т | Alabama (5–2) | Duke (8–1) | Marquette (8–4) т | Stanford (10–1) т | Alabama (10–3) т | St. Francis Brooklyn (13–0) | St. Francis Brooklyn (15–0) | Utah (16–5) т | Iowa State (16–3) | Houston (19–4) | Duke (19–7) | 18. |
| 19. | SMU т | Seton Hall (2–0) | Indiana (2–0) | Vanderbilt (4–0) | George Washington (6–1) т | Temple (6–0) | Saint Louis (8–2) т | Saint Louis (10–2) т | Marquette (10–4) т | BYU (11–5) | Utah (14–5) | Houston (17–3) | Cincinnati (15–4) т | Kansas State (15–6) | Canisius (17–6) | 19. |
| 20. | Kansas | Louisville (1–0) | Oklahoma City (2–1) | Indiana (3–1) | SMU (7–1) т | Stanford (6–0) | Michigan (5–4) | Marquette (10–4) т | Stanford (11–2) | Canisius (9–5) т Cincinnati (12–3) т | Stanford (13–2) | Cincinnati (14–4) т Iowa State (15–3) т Xavier (12–7) т | Xavier (13–9) т | Holy Cross (21–4) т Ohio State (15–5) т | Seattle (17–9) | 20. |
| | Preseason | Week 2 Dec. 6 | Week 3 Dec. 13 | Week 4 Dec. 20 | Week 5 Dec. 27 | Week 6 Jan. 3 | Week 7 Jan. 10 | Week 8 Jan. 17 | Week 9 Jan. 24 | Week 10 Jan. 31 | Week 11 Feb. 7 | Week 12 Feb. 14 | Week 13 Feb. 21 | Week 14 Feb. 28 | Final Mar. 6 | |
| | | Dropped: FordhamWashingtonOregon StateSMU | Dropped: Illinois (1–1)UCLA (2–2)Marquette (1–1)Stanford (1–1)Louisville | Dropped: AlabamaCincinnatiWest Virginia (3–2)KansasOklahoma City | Dropped: Temple (5–0)DuquesneOhio State (6–1) | Dropped: MarquetteBYUVanderbiltSaint LouisAlabama | Dropped: George WashingtonRiceIowa (4–5)TulsaStanford | Dropped: IndianaMichigan | Dropped: Ohio StateBYUIowa State | Dropped: MarquetteStanford | Dropped: CanisiusCincinnati | Dropped: St. Francis BrooklynStanford | Dropped: DukeSaint LouisBYU | Dropped: Iowa StateXavier | Dropped: Cincinnati (17–6)Houston (19–5)Kansas State (16–7)Ohio State (16–6) | |