# 1975–76 NCAA Division I men's basketball rankings

The 1975–76 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 Dec. 1 | Week 2 Dec. 8 | Week 3 Dec. 15 | Week 4 Dec. 22 | Week 5 Dec. 29 | Week 6 Jan. 5 | Week 7 Jan. 12 | Week 8 Jan. 19 | Week 9 Jan. 26 | Week 10 Feb. 2 | Week 11 Feb. 9 | Week 12 Feb. 16 | Week 13 Feb. 23 | Week 14 Mar. 1 | Week 15 Mar. 8 | Final Mar. 15 | |
| 1. | Indiana (30) | Indiana (1–0) | Indiana (1–0) | Indiana (3–0) | Indiana (6–0) | Indiana (8–0) | Indiana (10–0) | Indiana (12–0) | Indiana (14–0) (62) | Indiana (16–0) | Indiana (18–0) (60) | Indiana (19–0) | Indiana (21–0) | Indiana (23–0) | Indiana (25–0) | Indiana (26–0) (51) | Indiana (28–0) (47) | 1. |
| 2. | UCLA (13) | Maryland (1-0) | Maryland (3–0) | Maryland (5–0) | Maryland (6–0) | Maryland (7–0) | Maryland (10–0) | Maryland (11–1) | UNLV (18–0) (1) | Marquette (14–1) | Marquette (16–1) | Marquette (18–1) | Marquette (19–1) | Marquette (22–1) | Marquette (23–1) | Marquette (25–1) (1) | Marquette (26–1) (2) | 2. |
| 3. | Maryland | Marquette (0-0) | Marquette (2–0) | Marquette (3–0) | North Carolina (5–0) | North Carolina (6–0) | UCLA (10–1) | Marquette (9–1) | Maryland (13–1) | UNLV (20–0) | UNLV (23–0) (1) | North Carolina (18–2) | North Carolina (20–2) | Rutgers (23–0) | Rutgers (25–0) | Rutgers (28–0) (1) | UNLV (29–1) (1) | 3. |
| 4. | Marquette | North Carolina (1-0) | North Carolina (3–0) | North Carolina (4–0) | UCLA (3–1) | UCLA (6–1) | Marquette (8–1) | UNLV (16–0) | Marquette (11–1) | North Carolina (12–2) | North Carolina (15–2) | Maryland (17–3) | Rutgers (21–0) | North Carolina (22–2) | North Carolina (24–2) | UNLV (28–1) (1) | Rutgers (29–0) (2) | 4. |
| 5. | North Carolina | UCLA (0-1) | UCLA (2–1) | Notre Dame (5–1) | Notre Dame (5–1) | Notre Dame (5–1) | UNLV (13–0) | Wake Forest (11–1) | North Carolina (12–1) | Rutgers (15–0) | Maryland (15–3) | Rutgers (19–0) | UCLA (19–3) | UNLV (26–1) | UNLV (26–1) | North Carolina (25–3) | UCLA (24–4) | 5. |
| 6. | Kentucky (2) | Louisville (1-0) | Louisville (2–0) | UCLA (2–1) | Cincinnati (7–0) | Marquette (5–1) | North Carolina (7–1) | Washington (13–0) | UCLA (13–2) | Washington (16–1) | Washington (17–1) | UCLA (17–3) | UNLV (24–1) | Notre Dame (20–4) | Alabama (20–3) | UCLA (23–4) | Alabama (22–4) | 6. |
| 7. | Notre Dame | Kentucky (0-1) | Tennessee (3–0) | Cincinnati (6–0) | Marquette (5–1) | Cincinnati (8–1) | Wake Forest (10–0) | North Carolina (10–1) | Rutgers (13–0) | Maryland (13–2) | Rutgers (16–0) | UNLV (23–1) | Maryland (18–4) | Alabama (19–3) | UCLA (22–4) | Notre Dame (22–5) | Notre Dame (23–5) | 7. |
| 8. | Louisville | Tennessee (0-0) | Notre Dame (3–0) | Alabama (4–0) | Alabama (6–0) | Alabama (6–0) | Washington (11–0) | UCLA (11–2) | Washington (14–1) | NC State (13–2) | Tennessee (14–2) | Tennessee (16–2) | Notre Dame (17–4) | Washington (21–3) | Notre Dame (21–5) | Alabama (21–4) | North Carolina (25–4) | 8. |
| 9. | Tennessee (1) | Notre Dame (1-0) | Cincinnati (4–0) | NC State (4–0) | NC State (5–0) | NC State (7–0) | Tennessee (8–1) | Tennessee (9–1) | St. John's (13–1) | Tennessee (12–2) | UCLA (15–3) | Washington (18–2) | Tennessee (17–3) | UCLA (20–4) | Maryland (21–5) | Tennessee (21–5) | Michigan (22–6) | 9. |
| 10. | Cincinnati | Cincinnati (2-0) | Arizona (4–0) | Louisville (3–1) | Tennessee (6–1) | UNLV (11–0) | Alabama (8–1) | Rutgers (11–0) | Tennessee (10–2) | Notre Dame (11–3) | NC State (14–3) | Notre Dame (14–4) | Alabama (17–3) | Maryland (19–5) | Washington (22–4) | Missouri (24–4) | Western Michigan (25–2) | 10. |
| 11. | Arizona | Arizona (1-0) | Alabama (3–0) | Tennessee (4–1) | Louisville (5–1) | Louisville (7–1) | NC State (8–1) | Alabama (10–1) | NC State (11–2) | Alabama (13–2) | Notre Dame (12–4) | Alabama (15–3) | Washington (19–3) | Tennessee (18–4) | Michigan (20–5) | Washington (22–5) | Maryland (22–6) | 11. |
| 12. | Alabama | San Francisco (1-0) | San Francisco (3–0) | Washington (5–0) | UNLV (8–0) | Tennessee (7–1) | Rutgers (10–0) | St. John's (11–1) | Alabama (11–2) | UCLA (14–3) | St. John's (15–2) | NC State (16–4) | NC State (18–4) | Missouri (22–3) | Tennessee (19–5) | Maryland (22–6) | Cincinnati (24–6) | 12. |
| 13. | NC State | NC State (1-0) | NC State (3–0) | UNLV (6–0) | Washington (7–0) | Washington (8–0) | Notre Dame (5–3) | NC State (10–1) | Oregon State (11–4) | Missouri (15–2) | Missouri (17–2) | Cincinnati (17–3) | Cincinnati (18–3) | Michigan (18–5) | Cincinnati (21–4) | Virginia (18–11) | Tennessee (21–6) | 13. |
| 14. | Kansas State | Alabama (1-0) | Kentucky (0–1) | San Francisco (5–1) | San Francisco (7–1) | Rutgers (7–0) | St. John's (10–1) | Cincinnati (11–2) | Wake Forest (11–3) | St. John's (14–2) | Alabama (13–3) | Missouri (18–3) | Missouri (20–3) | St. John's (20–3) | Western Michigan (22–1) | Michigan (21–6) | Missouri (25–4) | 14. |
| 15. | San Francisco | Providence (1-0) | Washington (4–0) | Rutgers (6–0) | Rutgers (7–0) | St. John's (9–0) | Cincinnati (9–2) | Notre Dame (6–3) | Notre Dame (9–3) | Michigan (12–3) | Princeton (12–3) | Western Michigan (18–0) | Michigan (16–5) | NC State (19–5) | Missouri (22–4) | Cincinnati (23–5) | Arizona (23–8) | 15. |
| 16. | Michigan | Michigan (1-0) | UNLV (4–0) | Michigan (3–1) | Michigan (5–1) | Minnesota (8–0) | Louisville (7–2) | Michigan (9–3) | Cincinnati (13–2) | Oregon State (12–5) | Cincinnati (15–3) | Michigan (14–5) | St. John's (18–3) | Western Michigan (20–1) | St. John's (21–4) | Western Michigan (24–2) | Texas Tech (25–5) | 16. |
| 17. | Providence | Auburn (1-0) | Auburn (2–0) | Auburn (3–0) | St. John's (7–0) | Michigan (5–1) | Minnesota (8–1) | Oregon State (9–4) | Michigan (11–3) | Princeton (11–3) | Western Michigan (16–0) | St. John's (17–3) | Western Michigan (20–1) | Oregon (17–9) | NC State (19–7) | St. John's (23–5) | DePaul (20–8) | 17. |
| 18. | Arizona State | Kansas State (1-1) | Michigan (1–1) | St. John's (6–0) | Kentucky (4–3) | Centenary (8–1) | USC (11–1) | Centenary (14–2) | Missouri (14–2) | Cincinnati (13–3) | Centenary (18–3) | Virginia Tech (18–3) | Virginia Tech (19–4) | Cincinnati (19–4) | Florida State (20–5) | Arizona (22–8) | Virginia (18–12) | 18. |
| 19. | Memphis State т Auburn т | Arizona State (0-0) | Arizona State (3–0) | Arizona State (5–0) | Centenary (7–1) | San Francisco (9–2) | Michigan (7–2) | West Texas State (10–1) | West Texas State (12–1) | Centenary (16–3) | Virginia Tech (15–3) | Centenary (20–3) | Louisville (17–4) | Centenary (22–4) | Texas A&M (21–5) | Texas Tech (24–5) | Centenary (23–5) | 19. |
| 20. | Syracuse | Washington (2-0) | Missouri (4–0) | Kentucky (2–2) | Minnesota (5–0) | La Salle (7–0) | San Francisco (10–3) | Missouri (11–2) | Virginia Tech (12–2) | West Texas State (13–2) | North Texas (16–2) | North Texas (16–2) | Centenary (20–4) | Texas A&M (20–5) | Centenary (23–5) | Centenary (23–5) | Pepperdine (22–5) | 20. |
| | Preseason | Week 1 Dec. 1 | Week 2 Dec. 8 | Week 3 Dec. 15 | Week 4 Dec. 22 | Week 5 Dec. 29 | Week 6 Jan. 5 | Week 7 Jan. 12 | Week 8 Jan. 19 | Week 9 Jan. 26 | Week 10 Feb. 2 | Week 11 Feb. 9 | Week 12 Feb. 16 | Week 13 Feb. 23 | Week 14 Mar. 1 | Week 15 Mar. 8 | Final Mar. 15 | |
| | | Dropped: Memphis StateSyracuse | Dropped: ProvidenceKansas State (2–2) | Dropped: Arizona (5–2)Missouri | Dropped: AuburnArizona State | Dropped: Kentucky | Dropped: CentenaryLa Salle | Dropped: LouisvilleMinnesotaUSCSan Francisco | Dropped: Centenary | Dropped: Wake Forest (11–5)Virginia Tech | Dropped: Michigan (13–4)Oregon State (12–6)West Texas State | Dropped: Princeton (14–4) | Dropped: North Texas | Dropped: Virginia TechLouisville (18–5) | Dropped: Oregon | Dropped: NC StateFlorida State (20–6)Texas A&M | Dropped: WashingtonSt. John's | |

## UPI Poll

| | Week 2 Dec. 8 | Week 3 Dec. 15 | Week 4 Dec. 22 | Week 5 Dec. 29 | Week 6 Jan. 5 | Week 7 Jan. 12 | Week 8 Jan. 19 | Week 9 Jan. 26 | Week 10 Feb. 2 | Week 11 Feb. 9 | Week 12 Feb. 16 | Week 13 Feb. 23 | Week 14 Mar. 1 | Final Mar. 8 | |
| 1. | Indiana (1–0) | Indiana (3–0) | Indiana (6–0) | Indiana (8–0) | Indiana (10–0) | Indiana (12–0) | Indiana (14–0) | Indiana (16–0) | Indiana (18–0) | Indiana (19–0) | Indiana (21–0) | Indiana (23–0) | Indiana (25–0) | Indiana (26–0) | 1. |
| 2. | Marquette (2–0) | Marquette (3–0) | Maryland (6–0) | Maryland (7–0) | Maryland (10–0) | Marquette (9–1) | Marquette (11–1) | Marquette (14–1) | Marquette (16–1) | Marquette (18–1) | Marquette (19–1) | Marquette (22–1) | Marquette (23–1) | Marquette (25–1) | 2. |
| 3. | Maryland (3–0) | Maryland (5–0) | North Carolina (5–0) | North Carolina (6–0) | UCLA (10–1) | Washington (13–0) | Maryland (13–1) | UNLV (20–0) | North Carolina (15–2) | North Carolina (18–2) | North Carolina (20–2) | North Carolina (22–2) | North Carolina (24–2) | Rutgers (28–0) | 3. |
| 4. | North Carolina (3–0) | North Carolina (4–0) | UCLA (3–1) | UCLA (6–1) | Marquette (8–1) | Maryland (11–1) | North Carolina (12–1) | North Carolina (12–2) | UNLV (23–0) | Maryland (17–3) | UCLA (19–3) | Rutgers (23–0) | Rutgers (25–0) | UNLV (28–1) | 4. |
| 5. | UCLA (2–1) | UCLA (2–1) | Marquette (5–1) | Marquette (5–1) | Washington (11–0) | Wake Forest (11–1) | UNLV (18–0) | Washington (16–1) | Washington (17–1) | Rutgers (19–0) | Rutgers (21–0) | UNLV (26–1) | UNLV (26–1) | UCLA (23–4) | 5. |
| 6. | Tennessee (3–0) | Notre Dame (5–1) | Notre Dame (5–1) | Notre Dame (5–1) | UNLV (13–0) | UNLV (16–0) | Washington (14–1) | Rutgers (15–0) | Maryland (15–3) | UCLA (17–3) | UNLV (24–1) | Notre Dame (20–4) | UCLA (22–4) | North Carolina (25–3) | 6. |
| 7. | Louisville (2–0) | Alabama (4–0) | Alabama (6–0) | Alabama (6–0) | Wake Forest (10–0) | North Carolina (10–1) | UCLA (13–2) | Maryland (13–2) | Rutgers (17–0) | Tennessee (16–2) | Maryland (18–4) | UCLA (20–4) | Alabama (20–3) | Alabama (21–4) | 7. |
| 8. | Notre Dame (3–0) | UNLV (6–0) | UNLV (8–0) | NC State (7–0) | North Carolina (7–1) | UCLA (11–2) | Rutgers (13–0) | Alabama (13–2) | Tennessee (14–2) | UNLV (23–1) | Washington (19–3) | Maryland (19–5) | Maryland (21–5) | Notre Dame (22–5) | 8. |
| 9. | Arizona (4–0) | Cincinnati (6–0) | Cincinnati (7–0) | UNLV (11–0) т | Alabama (8–1) | Alabama (10–1) | Alabama (11–2) | Tennessee (12–2) | UCLA (15–3) | Washington (18–2) | Tennessee (17–3) | Washington (21–3) | Michigan (20–5) | Michigan (21–6) | 9. |
| 10. | Alabama (2–0) | Tennessee (4–1) | Louisville (5–1) | Louisville (7–1) т | St. John's (10–1) | Tennessee (9–1) | St. John's (13–1) | UCLA (14–3) | NC State (14–3) т | Notre Dame (14–4) | Notre Dame (17–4) | Alabama (19–3) | Notre Dame (21–5) | Washington (22–5) | 10. |
| 11. | Cincinnati (4–0) т | Washington (5–0) | Michigan (5–1) | St. John's (9–0) | Rutgers (10–0) | Rutgers (11–0) | Oregon State (11–4) | Notre Dame (11–3) | Missouri (17–2) т | Michigan (14–5) | Michigan (16–5) | Michigan (18–5) | Washington (22–4) | Missouri (24–4) | 11. |
| 12. | UNLV (4–0) т | Michigan (3–1) | NC State (5–0) | Washington (8–0) | Tennessee (8–1) | St. John's (11–1) | Tennessee (10–2) | NC State (13–2) | Notre Dame (12–4) | Alabama (15–3) | Missouri (20–3) | Tennessee (18–4) | Florida State (20–5) | Arizona (22–8) | 12. |
| 13. | Washington (4–0) | NC State (4–0) | Washington (7–0) | Tennessee (7–1) | Michigan (7–2) | Michigan (9–3) | NC State (11–2) | Michigan (12–3) | St. John's (15–2) | Missouri (18–3) | Alabama (17–3) | Missouri (22–3) | Tennessee (19–5) | Maryland (22–4) | 13. |
| 14. | San Francisco (3–0) | Rutgers (6–0) | Tennessee (6–1) | Cincinnati (8–1) | Notre Dame (5–3) | NC State (10–1) | Michigan (11–3) | Missouri (15–2) | Michigan (13–4) | Utah (16–4) | Louisville (17–4) | St. John's (20–3) | Missouri (22–4) | Tennessee (21–5) | 14. |
| 15. | USC (4–0) | Louisville (3–1) | Rutgers (7–0) | Michigan (5–1) | USC (11–1) | Missouri (11–2) | Missouri (14–2) | Oregon State (12–5) | Alabama (13–3) | NC State (16–4) | NC State (18–4) | Louisville (18–5) | Arizona (21–8) | Virginia (18–11) | 15. |
| 16. | Kentucky (0–1) | San Francisco (5–1) | San Francisco (7–1) | Rutgers (7–0) | NC State (8–1) | Notre Dame (6–3) | Notre Dame (9–3) | St. John's (14–2) | Utah (14–4) | Louisville (16–4) | St. John's (18–3) | Texas (20–5) | St. John's (21–4) | Cincinnati (23–5) т | 16. |
| 17. | Rutgers (3–0) | St. John's (6–0) | St. John's (7–0) | San Francisco (9–2) | Louisville (7–2) т | Arizona State (8–1) т | Wake Forest (11–3) | Utah (12–4) | Louisville (13–4) | Western Michigan (18–0) | Cincinnati (18–3) т | Florida State (18–5) | Louisville (19–6) | Florida State (20–6) т | 17. |
| 18. | NC State (3–0) | Arizona State (5–0) | Kentucky (4–3) | Iowa (9–0) | Missouri (10–2) т | DePaul (9–2) т | West Texas State (12–1) | West Texas State (13–2) | Oregon State (12–6) | St. John's (17–3) | San Francisco (21–4) т | NC State (19–5) | Cincinnati (21–4) | St. John's (23–5) | 18. |
| 19. | Michigan (1–1) | Arizona (5–2) | Arizona State (6–1) т | Minnesota (8–0) | Kentucky (5–4) | West Texas State (10–1) | Utah (11–4) | Princeton (11–3) | Princeton (12–3) | Cincinnati (17–3) т | Utah (17–5) | Cincinnati (19–4) | Western Michigan (22–1) | Western Michigan (24–2) т | 19. |
| 20. | Kansas State (2–2) | Wichita State (3–0) | Kansas State (5–0) т USC (7–1) т | Duquesne (5–1) | Iowa (10–1) | Oregon State (9–4) | Cincinnati (13–2) | Wake Forest (11–5) | Cincinnati (15–3) | West Texas State (15–3) т | Texas A&M (17–5) | Arizona (19–8) | NC State (19–7) | Princeton (22–4) т | 20. |
| | Week 2 Dec. 8 | Week 3 Dec. 15 | Week 4 Dec. 22 | Week 5 Dec. 29 | Week 6 Jan. 5 | Week 7 Jan. 12 | Week 8 Jan. 19 | Week 9 Jan. 26 | Week 10 Feb. 2 | Week 11 Feb. 9 | Week 12 Feb. 16 | Week 13 Feb. 23 | Week 14 Mar. 1 | Final Mar. 8 | |
| | | Dropped: USCKentuckyKansas State | Dropped: ArizonaWichita State | Dropped: KentuckyArizona StateKansas StateUSC | Dropped: CincinnatiSan FranciscoMinnesota (8–1)Duquesne | Dropped: USCLouisvilleKentuckyIowa | Dropped: Arizona StateDePaul | Dropped: Cincinnati (13–3) | Dropped: West Texas StateWake Forest | Dropped: Oregon StatePrinceton | Dropped: Western Michigan (20–1)West Texas State | Dropped: San FranciscoUtah | Dropped: Texas A&M (21–5) | Dropped: NC StateCentenary (23–5) | |