# 1977–78 NCAA Division I men's basketball rankings

The 1977–78 NCAA Division I men's basketball rankings was made up of two human polls, the AP Poll and the Coaches Poll, in addition to various other preseason polls.

## 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. 28 | Week 2 Dec. 5 | Week 3 Dec. 12 | Week 4 Dec. 19 | Week 5 Dec. 26 | Week 6 Jan. 2 | Week 7 Jan. 9 | Week 8 Jan. 16 | Week 9 Jan. 23 | Week 10 Jan. 30 | Week 11 Feb. 6 | Week 12 Feb. 13 | Week 13 Feb. 20 | Week 14 Feb. 27 | Week 15 Mar. 5 | Final Mar. 12 | |
| 1. | North Carolina | Kentucky (1–0) | Kentucky (1–0) | Kentucky (3–0) | Kentucky (7–0) | Kentucky (7–0) | Kentucky (8–0) | Kentucky (11–0) | Kentucky (12–0) | Kentucky (14–0) | Kentucky (14–1) | Kentucky (16–1) | Arkansas (23–1) | Marquette (21–2) | Kentucky (22–2) | Kentucky (24–2) | Kentucky (26–2) | 1. |
| 2. | Kentucky | North Carolina (1–0) | North Carolina (4–0) | Notre Dame (6–0) | Marquette (5–0) | North Carolina (7–1) | North Carolina (10–1) | North Carolina (12–1) | Marquette (12–1) | Marquette (14–1) | Arkansas (19–1) | Arkansas (21–1) | Marquette (19–2) | Kentucky (20–2) | UCLA (22–2) | UCLA (24–2) | UCLA (26–2) | 2. |
| 3. | Marquette | Notre Dame (1–0) | Notre Dame (3–0) | Marquette (4–0) | North Carolina (6–1) | Arkansas (8–0) | Arkansas (10–0) | Arkansas (13–0) | UCLA (13–1) | North Carolina (15–2) | Marquette (15–2) | Marquette (17–2) | Kentucky (17–2) | UCLA (20–2) | Marquette (22–3) | Marquette (24–3) | DePaul (26–2) | 3. |
| 4. | Notre Dame | Marquette (0–0) | Marquette (2–0) | Arkansas (6–0) | Arkansas (6–0) | Notre Dame (7–1) | Marquette (7–1) | Marquette (10–1) | Indiana State (12–0) | Arkansas (16–1) | Notre Dame (14–3) | Notre Dame (16–3) | UCLA (18–2) | Arkansas (25–2) | Arkansas (27–2) | DePaul (25–2) | Michigan State (24–4) | 4. |
| 5. | San Francisco | San Francisco (1–0) | UCLA (4–0) | North Carolina (5–1) | Notre Dame (6–1) | Marquette (5–1) | Notre Dame (7–2) | Notre Dame (7–2) | North Carolina (13–2) | Notre Dame (11–3) | UCLA (14–2) | UCLA (16–2) | New Mexico (19–2) | New Mexico (21–2) | Kansas (23–3) | New Mexico (24–3) | Arkansas (29–3) | 5. |
| 6. | UCLA | UCLA (2–0) | Arkansas (4–0) | Cincinnati (4–0) | Indiana State (7–0) | Indiana State (7–0) | Indiana State (8–0) | Indiana State (10–0) | Arkansas (14–1) | UCLA (13–2) | North Carolina (16–3) | New Mexico (17–2) | Kansas (20–3) | Kansas (22–3) | DePaul (23–2) | Michigan State (23–4) | Notre Dame (21–6) | 6. |
| 7. | Arkansas | Arkansas (1–0) | Cincinnati (3–0) | Indiana State (5–0) | UCLA (6–1) | Louisville (6–1) | UCLA (9–1) | UCLA (11–1) | Notre Dame (8–3) | Michigan State (14–1) | Michigan State (15–1) | North Carolina (18–4) | Notre Dame (16–4) | DePaul (22–2) | Notre Dame (19–5) | Arkansas (28–3) | Duke (24–6) | 7. |
| 8. | UNLV | Cincinnati (1–0) | San Francisco (2–1) | UCLA (4–1) | Louisville (4–1) | UCLA (8–1) | Syracuse (10–1) | Syracuse (11–1) | Kansas (13–2) | Kansas (15–2) | Kansas (16–3) | Kansas (18–3) | DePaul (20–2) | North Carolina (22–5) | New Mexico (22–3) | Duke (23–6) | Marquette (24–4) | 8. |
| 9. | Cincinnati | Louisville (0–0) | Michigan (3–0) | UNLV (5–0) | UNLV (9–0) | UNLV (11–0) | UNLV (13–0) | Louisville (9–2) | Louisville (10–2) | Providence (15–1) | Louisville (12–3) | Louisville (14–3) | Louisville (16–3) | Notre Dame (17–5) | Michigan State (21–4) | Kansas (24–4) | Louisville (23–6) | 9. |
| 10. | Louisville | UNLV (1–0) | UNLV (3–0) | Louisville (3–1) | Syracuse (8–1) | Syracuse (8–1) | Louisville (7–2) | Kansas (11–2) | Michigan State (12–1) | Syracuse (13–2) | New Mexico (15–2) | Michigan State (16–3) | Michigan State (18–3) | Michigan State (19–4) | North Carolina (23–6) | Notre Dame (19–6) | Kansas (24–5) | 10. |
| 11. | Syracuse | Purdue (1–0) | Indiana State (3–0) | San Francisco (3–1) | San Francisco (6–1) | Cincinnati (6–1) | Indiana (8–1) | UNLV (14–1) | Syracuse (12–2) | Duke (14–3) | Virginia (14–2) | DePaul (18–2) | North Carolina (20–5) | Providence (22–4) | Florida State (21–4) | North Carolina (23–7) | San Francisco (23–5) | 11. |
| 12. | Purdue | Syracuse (1–0) | Maryland (4–0) | Syracuse (6–1) | Cincinnati (5–1) | Holy Cross (6–0) | Cincinnati (7–1) | Michigan State (10–1) | Providence (13–1) | Louisville (11–3) | Texas (16–2) | Texas (18–3) | Texas (19–3) | Florida State (19–4) | Texas (22–4) | Louisville (22–6) | New Mexico (24–4) | 12. |
| 13. | Michigan | Michigan (1–0) | St. John's (4–0) | Holy Cross (5–0) | Holy Cross (5–0) | Providence (6–0) | Virginia (7–0) | Holy Cross (9–1) | Virginia (10–1) | Indiana State (13–2) | DePaul (16–2) | Virginia (15–3) | Providence (18–4) | Duke (19–5) | Illinois State (23–2) | Florida State (23–5) | Indiana (21–7) | 13. |
| 14. | Maryland | Maryland (2–0) | Utah (2–0) | Providence (5–0) | Providence (5–0) | Maryland (7–1) | Kansas (9–2) | Providence (11–1) | Holy Cross (11–1) | New Mexico (13–2) | Georgetown (15–2) | Wake Forest (15–3) | Florida State (18–3) | Texas (21–4) | Syracuse (21–4) | Houston (25–7) | Utah (23–5) | 14. |
| 15. | Alabama | Alabama (0–0) | Holy Cross (2–0) | Michigan (4–1) | Detroit (6–0) | Indiana (6–1) | Maryland (9–1) | Virginia (8–1) | Texas (12–2) | Texas (13–2) | Florida State (15–2) | Illinois State (18–2) | Illinois State (20–2) | Illinois State (21–2) | Duke (20–6) | Utah (22–5) | Florida State (23–6) | 15. |
| 16. | Minnesota | St. John's (2–0) | Louisville (1–1) | Detroit (4–0) | Kansas (6–1) | Virginia (5–0) | Holy Cross (7–1) | NC State (10–1) | UNLV (15–2) | Georgetown (13–2) | Providence (16–2) | Florida State (16–3) | Syracuse (16–4) | Detroit (21–2) | Detroit (23–2) | Texas (22–5) | North Carolina (23–8) | 16. |
| 17. | Wake Forest | Holy Cross (0–0) | Detroit (2–0) | Purdue (4–1) | Utah (5–1) | Kansas (7–2) | Providence (8–1) | Georgetown (10–2) | Duke (12–3) | Florida State (14–2) | Duke (15–4) | Detroit (18–1) | Virginia (17–4) | Syracuse (18–4) | Georgetown (21–5) | Illinois State (24–3) | Texas (23–5) | 17. |
| 18. | Holy Cross | Wake Forest (1–0) | Syracuse (4–1) | Maryland (5–1) | Alabama (4–1) | Florida State (8–0) | Michigan State (8–1) | Indiana (8–2) | DePaul (13–1) | Virginia (12–2) | Syracuse (14–3) | Syracuse (15–4) | Georgetown (17–4) | Georgetown (19–4) | Providence (22–6) | Syracuse (22–5) | Detroit (25–3) | 18. |
| 19. | Detroit | Detroit (0–0) | Kansas (3–0) | Kansas State (5–0) | Virginia (5–0) | San Francisco (6–3) | San Francisco (8–3) | Cincinnati (8–3) | Georgetown (12–2) | DePaul (14–2) | Illinois State (18–2) | Nebraska (18–3) | Detroit (18–2) | Minnesota (16–7) | Utah (21–5) | Detroit (24–3) | Miami (OH) (18–9) | 19. |
| 20. | St. John's | Utah (1–0) | Providence (3–0) | Kansas (5–1) | Maryland (6–1) | Detroit (6–1) | Georgetown (8–2) | DePaul (11–1) | New Mexico (10–2) | Illinois State (16–2) | San Francisco (15–4) | Providence (17–4) | Duke (17–5) | Louisville (16–6) | Louisville (18–6) | San Francisco (22–5) | Penn (20–7) | 20. |
| | Preseason | Week 1 Nov. 28 | Week 2 Dec. 5 | Week 3 Dec. 12 | Week 4 Dec. 19 | Week 5 Dec. 26 | Week 6 Jan. 2 | Week 7 Jan. 9 | Week 8 Jan. 16 | Week 9 Jan. 23 | Week 10 Jan. 30 | Week 11 Feb. 6 | Week 12 Feb. 13 | Week 13 Feb. 20 | Week 14 Feb. 27 | Week 15 Mar. 5 | Final Mar. 12 | |
| | | Dropped: Minnesota | Dropped: Purdue (2–1)AlabamaWake Forest | Dropped: St. John's (5–1)Utah (3–1) | Dropped: Purdue (6–2)St. John's | Dropped: UtahAlabama | Dropped: Florida StateDetroit | Dropped: MarylandSan Francisco | Dropped: NC StateIndianaCincinnati | Dropped: Holy CrossUNLV | Dropped: Indiana State | Dropped: Georgetown (15–4)DukeSan Francisco (17–4) | Dropped: Wake ForestNebraska | Dropped: Virginia | Dropped: Minnesota | Dropped: Georgetown (21–6)Providence | Dropped: HoustonIllinois StateSyracuse | |

## UPI Poll

| | Preseason | Week 2 Dec. 5 | Week 3 Dec. 12 | Week 4 Dec. 19 | Week 5 Dec. 26 | Week 6 Jan. 2 | Week 7 Jan. 9 | Week 8 Jan. 16 | Week 9 Jan. 23 | Week 10 Jan. 30 | Week 11 Feb. 6 | Week 12 Feb. 13 | Week 13 Feb. 20 | Week 14 Feb. 27 | Final Mar. 5 | |
| 1. | North Carolina т | Kentucky (1–0) | Kentucky (3–0) | Kentucky (7–0) | Kentucky (7–0) | Kentucky (8–0) | Kentucky (11–0) | Kentucky (12–0) | Kentucky (14–0) | Kentucky (14–1) | Kentucky (16–1) | Marquette (19–2) | Marquette (21–2) | Kentucky (22–2) | Kentucky (24–2) | 1. |
| 2. | Kentucky т | North Carolina (4–0) | Notre Dame (6–0) | Marquette (5–0) | North Carolina (7–1) | North Carolina (10–1) | North Carolina (12–1) | Marquette (12–1) | Marquette (14–1) | Marquette (15–2) | Marquette (17–2) | Kentucky (17–2) | Kentucky (20–2) | UCLA (22–2) | UCLA (24–2) | 2. |
| 3. | Marquette | Notre Dame (3–0) | Marquette (4–0) | North Carolina (6–1) | Notre Dame (7–1) | Arkansas (10–0) | Arkansas (13–0) | UCLA (13–1) | North Carolina (15–2) | North Carolina (16–3) | Arkansas (21–1) | Arkansas (23–1) | UCLA (20–2) | Marquette (22–3) | Marquette (24–3) | 3. |
| 4. | Notre Dame | Marquette (2–0) | North Carolina (5–1) | Notre Dame (6–1) | Arkansas (8–0) | Marquette (7–1) | Marquette (10–1) | North Carolina (13–2) | Arkansas (16–1) | Arkansas (19–1) | UCLA (16–2) | UCLA (18–2) | Arkansas (25–2) | Arkansas (27–2) | New Mexico (24–3) | 4. |
| 5. | San Francisco | UCLA (4–0) | Arkansas (6–0) | Arkansas (6–0) | Marquette (5–1) | UCLA (9–1) | UCLA (11–1) | Indiana State (12–0) | UCLA (13–2) | Michigan State (15–1) | Notre Dame (16–3) | New Mexico (19–2) | New Mexico (21–2) | Kansas (23–3) | Michigan State (23–4) | 5. |
| 6. | UCLA | Arkansas (4–0) | UCLA (4–1) | UCLA (6–1) | Louisville (6–1) | Notre Dame (7–2) | Notre Dame (7–2) | Arkansas (14–1) | Kansas (15–2) | UCLA (14–2) | Kansas (18–3) | Kansas (20–3) | Kansas (22–3) | New Mexico (22–3) | Arkansas (28–3) | 6. |
| 7. | Purdue | Cincinnati (3–0) | Indiana State (5–0) | Indiana State (7–0) | UCLA (8–1) | Indiana State (8–0) | Indiana State (10–0) | Louisville (10–2) | Michigan State (14–1) | Notre Dame (14–3) | North Carolina (18–4) | Michigan State (18–3) | DePaul (22–2) | DePaul (23–2) | DePaul (25–2) | 7. |
| 8. | Cincinnati | Indiana State (3–0) | Cincinnati (4–0) | Syracuse (8–1) | Indiana State (7–0) | Syracuse (10–1) | Louisville (9–2) | Kansas (13–2) | Notre Dame (11–3) | New Mexico (15–2) | New Mexico (17–2) | North Carolina (20–5) | North Carolina (22–5) | Michigan State (21–4) | Kansas (24–4) | 8. |
| 9. | Arkansas | San Francisco (2–1) | Louisville (3–1) | San Francisco (6–1) | Holy Cross (6–0) | Louisville (7–2) | Syracuse (11–1) | Michigan State (12–1) | Louisville (11–3) | Kansas (16–3) | Louisville (14–3) | Notre Dame (16–4) | Michigan State (19–4) | North Carolina (23–6) | Duke (23–6) | 9. |
| 10. | Louisville | Syracuse (4–1) | Syracuse (6–1) | Louisville (4–1) | Syracuse (8–1) | Indiana (8–1) | Kansas (11–2) | Notre Dame (8–3) | Providence (15–1) | Louisville (12–3) | Michigan State (16–3) | DePaul (20–2) | Florida State (19–4) | Notre Dame (19–5) | North Carolina (23–7) | 10. |
| 11. | Syracuse | Michigan (3–0) | San Francisco (3–1) | Holy Cross (5–0) | Cincinnati (6–1) т | Kansas (9–2) | Michigan State (10–1) | Syracuse (12–2) | Syracuse (13–2) | Georgetown (15–2) | DePaul (18–2) | Louisville (16–3) | Providence (22–4) | Florida State (21–4) | Notre Dame (19–6) | 11. |
| 12. | Michigan | Maryland (4–0) | Holy Cross (5–0) | Cincinnati (5–1) | Indiana (6–1) т | Maryland (9–1) | Georgetown (10–2) | San Francisco (12–4) | New Mexico (13–2) | Florida State (15–2) | Texas (18–3) | Florida State (18–3) | Notre Dame (17–5) т | Texas (22–4) | Florida State (23–5) | 12. |
| 13. | Maryland | Utah (2–0) | Providence (5–0) | Providence (5–0) | Providence (6–0) | Cincinnati (7–1) | Indiana (8–2) | New Mexico (10–2) | Indiana State (13–2) | DePaul (16–2) | Purdue (13–6) | Providence (18–4) | Texas (21–4) т | Utah (21–5) | San Francisco (22–5) | 13. |
| 14. | Wake Forest т | Purdue (2–1) | Michigan (4–1) | Kansas (6–1) | Maryland (7–1) | Virginia (7–0) | Holy Cross (9–1) | Virginia (10–1) | Georgetown (13–2) | San Francisco (15–4) | Florida State (16–3) | Texas (19–3) | Duke (19–5) т | Syracuse (21–4) т | Louisville (22–6) | 14. |
| 15. | St. John's т | St. John's (4–0) т | Utah (3–1) | Utah (5–1) | Florida State (8–0) | Georgetown (8–2) | Providence (11–1) т | Georgetown (12–2) | San Francisco (12–4) | Virginia (14–2) | Georgetown (15–4) | Georgetown (17–4) | Syracuse (18–4) т | Georgetown (21–5) т | Indiana (20–7) | 15. |
| 16. | Indiana State т | Kansas (3–0) т | Purdue (4–1) | Indiana (6–1) | Utah State (5–1) | Michigan State т | New Mexico (9–2) т | Holy Cross (11–1) | Florida State (14–2) | Providence (16–2) | Wake Forest (15–3) т | Virginia (17–4) | Georgetown (19–4) | Providence (22–6) | Houston (25–7) | 16. |
| 17. | Utah т | Providence (3–0) | Kansas (5–1) | Purdue (6–2) | Virginia (5–0) | Utah State (5–1) т | Nebraska (12–1) т | Texas (12–2) | Texas (13–2) | Texas (16–2) | Detroit (18–1) т | Duke (17–5) | Illinois State (21–2) | Duke (20–6) | Utah State (21–6) | 17. |
| 18. | Kansas State | Holy Cross (2–0) т | Maryland (5–1) | Maryland (6–1) | Kansas (7–2) | Holy Cross (7–1) т | NC State (10–1) | Duke (12–3) | Colorado State (12–3) | Duke (15–4) | Nebraska (18–3) | St. John's (16–4) | Utah (19–5) | Georgia Tech (14–11) | Utah (22–5) | 18. |
| 19. | Alabama | Louisville (1–1) т | St. John's (5–1) | Virginia (5–0) | San Francisco (6–3) т | Providence (8–1) т | Cincinnati (8–3) | Providence (13–1) | DePaul (14–2) | Syracuse (14–3) | Virginia (15–3) | Illinois State (20–2) | Louisville (16–6) т | Indiana (18–4) т | Texas (22–5) | 19. |
| 20. | Holy Cross | New Mexico (3–0) | Virginia (5–0) | Alabama (4–1) | Nebraska (9–0) т | San Francisco (8–3) | Texas (10–2) | DePaul (13–1) | Duke (14–3) | Nebraska (16–3) | San Francisco (17–4) | Syracuse (16–4) | Indiana (16–7) т NC State (17–6) т | St. John's (18–6) т | Georgetown (21–6) | 20. |
| | Preseason | Week 2 Dec. 5 | Week 3 Dec. 12 | Week 4 Dec. 19 | Week 5 Dec. 26 | Week 6 Jan. 2 | Week 7 Jan. 9 | Week 8 Jan. 16 | Week 9 Jan. 23 | Week 10 Jan. 30 | Week 11 Feb. 6 | Week 12 Feb. 13 | Week 13 Feb. 20 | Week 14 Feb. 27 | Final Mar. 5 | |
| | | Dropped: Wake ForestKansas StateAlabama | Dropped: New Mexico | Dropped: MichiganSt. John's | Dropped: UtahPurdueAlabama | Dropped: Florida StateNebraska | Dropped: MarylandVirginiaUtah StateSan Francisco | Dropped: IndianaNebraskaNC StateCincinnati | Dropped: VirginiaHoly Cross | Dropped: Indiana StateColorado State | Dropped: ProvidenceDukeSyracuse | Dropped: PurdueWake ForestDetroitNebraskaSan Francisco | Dropped: VirginiaSt. John's | Dropped: Illinois StateLouisvilleNC State | Dropped: Syracuse (22–5)ProvidenceGeorgia TechSt. John's | |