# 1979–80 NCAA Division I men's basketball rankings

The 1979–80 NCAA Division I men's basketball rankings were 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

The final writers' poll was released on Tuesday, March 4.
| | Preseason | Week 1 Dec. 3 | Week 2 Dec. 10 | Week 3 Dec. 17 | Week 4 Dec. 24 | Week 5 Dec. 31 | Week 6 Jan. 7 | Week 7 Jan. 14 | Week 8 Jan. 21 | Week 9 Jan. 28 | Week 10 Feb. 4 | Week 11 Feb. 11 | Week 12 Feb. 18 | Week 13 Feb. 25 | Final Mar. 3 | |
| 1. | Indiana | Indiana (1–0) | Indiana (3–0) | Duke (6–0) | Duke (8–0) | Duke (10–0) | Duke (12–0) | DePaul (12–0) | DePaul (15–0) | DePaul (17–0) | DePaul (19–0) (59) | DePaul (20–0) | DePaul (23–0) | DePaul (25–0) | DePaul (26–1) | 1. |
| 2. | Kentucky | Duke (3–0) | Duke (5–0) | Ohio State (5–0) | Kentucky (10–1) | Kentucky (11–1) | DePaul (11–0) | Ohio State (11–1) | Oregon State (17–1) | Oregon State (18–1) | Syracuse (20–1) | Syracuse (21–1) | Louisville (25–2) | Kentucky (26–4) | Louisville (28–3) | 2. |
| 3. | Duke | Ohio State (1–0) | Ohio State (3–0) | Kentucky (7–1) | Notre Dame (7–0) | DePaul (8–0) | Ohio State (9–1) | Syracuse (14–0) | Duke (15–2) | Kentucky (17–3) | Louisville (19–2) | Louisville (21–2) | Kentucky (24–4) | Syracuse (24–3) | LSU (24–5) | 3. |
| 4. | Ohio State | Notre Dame (1–0) | Notre Dame (4–0) | Notre Dame (6–0) | DePaul (7–0) | LSU (8–0) | Kentucky (12–2) | Oregon State (15–1) | Ohio State (12–2) | Syracuse (17–1) | Oregon State (20–2) | Oregon State (22–2) | Syracuse (22–2) | Louisville (26–3) | Kentucky (28–5) | 4. |
| 5. | Notre Dame | Kentucky (3–1) | Kentucky (5–1) | Indiana (4–1) | LSU (6–0) | Ohio State (7–1) | Syracuse (11–0) | Duke (12–2) | Kentucky (15–3) | Duke (16–3) | Kentucky (19–4) | Kentucky (21–4) | LSU (20–4) | LSU (21–5) | Oregon State (26–3) | 5. |
| 6. | North Carolina | LSU (1–0) | LSU (3–0) | DePaul (4–0) | North Carolina (5–1) | North Carolina (5–1) | LSU (9–2) | Kentucky (13–3) | Syracuse (15–1) | Ohio State (14–3) | LSU (16–4) | LSU (18–4) | Oregon State (23–3) | Oregon State (24–3) | Syracuse (25–3) | 6. |
| 7. | LSU | UCLA (2–0) | UCLA (3–0) | LSU (4–0) | Ohio State (6–1) | Notre Dame (7–1) | Notre Dame (7–1) | Louisville (12–2) | Louisville (13–2) | Louisville (16–2) | Maryland (16–3) | St. John's (21–2) | St. John's (21–3) | Maryland (21–5) | Indiana (20–7) | 7. |
| 8. | UCLA | North Carolina (1–1) | North Carolina (3–1) | North Carolina (4–1) | Purdue (6–1) | Purdue (7–1) | Virginia (12–1) | Notre Dame (9–2) | Notre Dame (11–2) | Notre Dame (13–2) | St. John's (19–2) | Maryland (17–4) | North Carolina (19–5) | St. John's (23–3) | Maryland (23–6) | 8. |
| 9. | DePaul | St. John's (2–0) | Purdue (4–0) | Purdue (5–0) | Syracuse (6–0) | Syracuse (8–0) | Oregon State (13–1) | North Carolina (8–3) | St. John's (14–1) | St. John's (17–1) | Notre Dame (15–3) | Ohio State (16–5) | Maryland (19–5) | Ohio State (19–6) | Notre Dame (22–5) | 9. |
| 10. | Louisville | DePaul (0–0) | Syracuse (4–0) | Syracuse (5–0) | Indiana (5–2) | Iowa (9–0) | Purdue (8–2) | St. John's (11–1) | Missouri (14–2) | LSU (13–4) | Duke (17–4) | Clemson (17–5) | Notre Dame (19–4) | North Carolina (20–6) | Ohio State (20–7) | 10. |
| 11. | Purdue | Syracuse (1–0) | DePaul (2–0) | Louisville (5–0) | Iowa (8–0) | Indiana (7–2) | Louisville (10–2) | Purdue (10–3) | LSU (11–4) | North Carolina (12–4) | North Carolina (16–4) | North Carolina (16–5) | Ohio State (17–6) | Missouri (22–4) | Georgetown (24–5) | 11. |
| 12. | Syracuse | Purdue (1–0) | Louisville (3–0) | Virginia (5–0) | Louisville (6–1) | Missouri (10–0) | Iowa (10–1) | Virginia (12–2) | Clemson (12–3) | Maryland (14–3) | Purdue (14–5) | Notre Dame (16–4) | Clemson (18–6) | BYU (22–4) | BYU (24–4) | 12. |
| 13. | Virginia | Virginia (2–0) | Virginia (4–0) | Iowa (6–0) | Missouri (10–0) | Virginia (9–1) | Missouri (11–1) | Iowa (11–2) | North Carolina (10–4) | Virginia (16–4) | Ohio State (14–5) | BYU (18–4) | Missouri (20–4) | Indiana (18–7) | St. John's (24–4) | 13. |
| 14. | Texas A&M | Louisville (1–0) | Oregon State (5–0) | UCLA (3–2) | Virginia (7–1) | Oregon State (11–1) | St. John's (9–1) | LSU (9–3) | Purdue (11–4) | Missouri (15–3) | BYU (17–4) | Missouri (18–4) | BYU (20–4) | Notre Dame (20–5) | Duke (22–8) | 14. |
| 15. | BYU | Oregon State (2–0) | St. John's (3–1) | St. John's (5–1) | St. John's (6–1) | Louisville (8–2) | North Carolina (6–3) | Missouri (12–2) | Maryland (13–2) | Weber State (18–1) | Missouri (16–4) | Purdue (15–6) | Purdue (16–7) | Arizona State (20–5) | North Carolina (21–7) | 15. |
| 16. | St. John's | Marquette (1–0) | Georgetown (2–0) | Missouri (8–0) | UCLA (5–2) | UCLA (7–2) | UCLA (8–3) | NC State (11–1) | Indiana (11–4) | Clemson (13–4) | Clemson (15–5) | Duke (17–6) | Weber State (23–2) | Weber State (24–2) | Missouri (23–5) | 16. |
| 17. | Oregon State | Georgetown (1–0) | Iowa (4–0) | Georgetown (4–1) | Georgetown (7–1) | St. John's (8–1) | BYU (11–3) | Clemson (11–2) | Virginia (13–2) | Purdue (12–5) | Weber State (19–2) | Weber State (21–2) | Duke (18–7) | Clemson (19–7) | Weber State (26–2) | 17. |
| 18. | Marquette | BYU (1–1) | BYU (3–1) | BYU (6–1) | Oregon State (8–1) | Georgetown (8–2) | Clemson (10–1) | BYU (12–3) | Weber State (17–1) | Indiana (12–5) | Virginia (16–6) | Arizona State (17–5) | Arizona State (19–5) | Purdue (17–8) | Arizona State (21–6) | 18. |
| 19. | Georgetown | Kansas (1–0) | Missouri (6–0) | Oregon State (6–1) | Arkansas (6–1) | BYU (9–3) | Indiana (7–4) | Indiana (9–4) | Tennessee (12–4) | BYU (15–4) | Arizona State (16–4) | Kansas State (18–4) | Indiana (16–7) | NC State (20–6) | Iona (28–4) | 19. |
| 20. | Kansas | Iowa (1–0) | Arkansas (4–0) | Arkansas (5–0) | BYU (7–2) | Illinois (10–2) | Georgetown (9–3) | Tennessee (11–3) | BYU (13–4) | Kansas State (15–3) | Indiana (13–6) | Iowa (16–5) | Washington State (19–4) | Georgetown (21–5) | Purdue (18–9) | 20. |
| | Preseason | Week 1 Dec. 3 | Week 2 Dec. 10 | Week 3 Dec. 17 | Week 4 Dec. 24 | Week 5 Dec. 31 | Week 6 Jan. 7 | Week 7 Jan. 14 | Week 8 Jan. 21 | Week 9 Jan. 28 | Week 10 Feb. 4 | Week 11 Feb. 11 | Week 12 Feb. 18 | Week 13 Feb. 25 | Final Mar. 3 | |
| | | Dropped: Texas A&M | Dropped: MarquetteKansas | None | None | Dropped: Arkansas | Dropped: Illinois | Dropped: UCLAGeorgetown | Dropped: Iowa (11–4)NC State | Dropped: Tennessee | Dropped: Kansas State (16–4) | Dropped: VirginiaIndiana | Dropped: Kansas StateIowa (16–7) | Dropped: DukeWashington State | Dropped: ClemsonNC State | |

## UPI Poll

The final coaches' poll was released on Tuesday, March 4.
| | Preseason | Week 1 Dec. 3 | Week 2 Dec. 10 | Week 3 Dec. 17 | Week 4 Dec. 24 | Week 5 Dec. 31 | Week 6 Jan. 7 | Week 7 Jan. 14 | Week 8 Jan. 21 | Week 9 Jan. 28 | Week 10 Feb. 4 | Week 11 Feb. 11 | Week 12 Feb. 18 | Week 13 Feb. 25 | Final Mar. 3 | |
| 1. | Indiana | Indiana (1–0) | Indiana (3–0) | Duke (6–0) | Duke (8–0) | Duke (10–0) | Duke (12–0) | DePaul (12–0) | DePaul (15–0) | DePaul (17–0) | DePaul (19–0) | DePaul (20–0) | DePaul (23–0) | DePaul (25–0) | DePaul (26–1) (36) | 1. |
| 2. | Ohio State | Duke (3–0) | Duke (5–0) | Ohio State (5–0) | Kentucky (10–1) | Kentucky (11–1) | DePaul (11–0) | Ohio State (11–1) | Oregon State (17–1) | Oregon State (18–1) | Syracuse (20–1) | Syracuse (21–1) | Syracuse (22–2) | Syracuse (24–2) | LSU (24–5) | 2. |
| 3. | Notre Dame | Ohio State (1–0) | Ohio State (3–0) | Kentucky (7–1) | Notre Dame (7–0) | DePaul (8–0) | Ohio State (9–1) | Syracuse (14–0) | Duke (15–2) | Syracuse (17–1) | Louisville (19–2) | Louisville (21–2) | Louisville (25–2) | Kentucky (26–4) | Kentucky (28–5) (1) | 3. |
| 4. | North Carolina | Notre Dame (1–0) | Notre Dame (4–0) | Indiana (4–1) | North Carolina (5–1) | North Carolina (5–1) | Kentucky (12–2) | Oregon State (15–1) | Ohio State (12–2) | Ohio State (14–3) | Oregon State (20–2) | Oregon State (22–2) | Kentucky (24–4) | Louisville (26–3) | Louisville (28–3) (1) | 4. |
| 5. | Kentucky | LSU (1–0) | Kentucky (5–1) | Notre Dame (6–0) | DePaul (7–0) | Ohio State (7–1) | Syracuse (11–0) | Duke (12–2) | Syracuse (15–1) | Louisville (16–2) | Maryland (16–3) | Kentucky (21–4) | Oregon State (23–3) | Oregon State (24–3) | Oregon State (26–3) | 5. |
| 6. | Duke | Kentucky (3–1) | UCLA (3–0) | LSU (4–0) | LSU (6–0) | LSU (8–0) | LSU (9–2) | Louisville (12–2) | Louisville (13–2) | Kentucky (17–3) | Kentucky (19–4) | LSU (18–4) | LSU (20–4) | LSU (21–5) | Syracuse (25–3) | 6. |
| 7. | UCLA | North Carolina (1–1) | LSU (3–0) | DePaul (4–0) т | Ohio State (6–1) | Purdue (7–1) | Oregon State (13–1) | Notre Dame (9–2) | St. John's (14–1) | Duke (16–3) | LSU (16–4) | Maryland (17–4) | Maryland (19–5) | Maryland (21–5) | Indiana (20–7) | 7. |
| 8. | LSU | UCLA (2–0) | North Carolina (3–1) | Purdue (5–0) т | Indiana (5–2) | Notre Dame (7–1) | Notre Dame (7–1) | St. John's (11–1) | Notre Dame (11–2) | St. John's (17–1) | St. John's (19–2) | St. John's (21–2) | North Carolina (19–5) | St. John's (23–3) | Maryland (23–6) | 8. |
| 9. | DePaul т | Purdue (1–0) | Purdue (4–0) | North Carolina (4–1) | Purdue (6–1) | Iowa (9–0) | Purdue (8–2) | Kentucky (13–3) | Kentucky (15–3) | Notre Dame (13–2) | Notre Dame (15–3) | Ohio State (16–5) | Missouri (20–4) | North Carolina (20–6) т | Ohio State (20–7) | 9. |
| 10. | Virginia т | DePaul (0–0) | DePaul (2–0) | Syracuse (5–0) | Iowa (8–0) | Syracuse (8–0) | Virginia (12–1) | North Carolina (8–3) | Missouri (14–2) | LSU (13–4) | Purdue (14–5) | Missouri (18–4) | Notre Dame (19–4) | Missouri (22–4) т | Georgetown (24–5) | 10. |
| 11. | Purdue | St. John's (2–0) | Syracuse (4–0) | Louisville (5–0) | Syracuse (6–0) | Indiana (7–2) | Iowa (10–1) | Purdue (10–3) | LSU (11–4) | North Carolina (12–4) | North Carolina (16–4) | North Carolina (16–5) | St. John's (21–3) т | Ohio State (19–6) | Notre Dame (22–5) | 11. |
| 12. | Syracuse | Syracuse (1–0) | Oregon State (5–0) | UCLA (3–2) | Louisville (6–1) | Oregon State (11–1) | Louisville (10–2) | Iowa (11–2) | North Carolina (10–4) | Missouri (15–3) | Duke (17–4) | Purdue (15–6) | Ohio State (17–6) U | Indiana (18–7) | BYU (24–4) | 12. |
| 13. | Texas A&M | Virginia (2–0) | Louisville (3–0) | Iowa (6–0) | Georgetown (7–1) | St. John's (8–1) | St. John's (9–1) | Missouri (12–2) | Clemson (12–3) | Maryland (14–3) | Ohio State (14–5) | Notre Dame (16–4) | Indiana (16–7) | BYU (22–4) | St. John's (24–4) | 13. |
| 14. | Louisville | Oregon State (2–0) | Iowa (4–0) | Virginia (5–0) | Missouri (10–0) | Missouri (10–0) | Missouri (11–1) | Clemson (11–2) | Maryland (13–2) | Virginia (16–4) | BYU (17–4) | BYU (18–4) | BYU (20–4) | Arizona State (20–5) | Missouri (23–5) | 14. |
| 15. | St. John's | Louisville (1–0) | St. John's (3–1) | St. John's (5–1) | UCLA (5–2) | Louisville (8–2) | North Carolina (6–3) | Virginia (12–2) | Purdue (11–4) | Weber State (18–1) | Missouri (16–4) | Weber State (21–2) | Purdue (16–7) | Notre Dame (20–5) | North Carolina (21–7) | 15. |
| 16. | Oregon State | Marquette (1–0) т | Georgetown (2–0) | Missouri (8–0) | St. John's (6–1) | UCLA (7–2) | Clemson (10–1) | NC State (11–1) | Indiana (11–4) т | Indiana (12–5) | Arizona State (16–4) | Clemson (17–5) | Weber State (23–2) | Weber State (24–2) | Duke (22–8) | 16. |
| 17. | BYU | Georgetown (1–0) т | Virginia (4–0) | Georgetown (4–1) | Oregon State (8–1) | Virginia (9–1) | Indiana (7–4) | LSU (9–3) | Weber State (17–1) т | Clemson (13–4) | Weber State (19–2) | Kansas State (18–4) | Arizona State (19–5) | NC State (20–6) | Weber State (26–2) | 17. |
| 18. | Iowa | BYU (1–0) т | BYU (3–1) | BYU (6–1) | Virginia (7–1) | Weber State (11–1) | Tennessee (9–1) | Tennessee (11–3) | Tennessee (12–4) | BYU (15–4) | Indiana (13–6) | Arizona State (17–5) | Clemson (18–6) | Texas A&M (22–7) | Texas A&M (24–7) | 18. |
| 19. | Marquette | Kansas (1–0) т | Arkansas (4–0) | Arkansas (5–0) | Arkansas (6–1) | Illinois (10–2) | UCLA (8–3) | Weber State (15–1) | Virginia (13–2) | Kansas State (15–3) | Kansas State (16–4) | Duke (17–6) | Washington State (19–4) | Clemson (19–7) | Arizona State (21–6) | 19. |
| 20. | UNLV | Arkansas (1–0) | USC (4–0) | Oregon State (6–1) | BYU (7–2) | Georgetown (8–2) | Weber State (12–1) | BYU (12–3) | Arizona State (12–4) | Purdue (12–5) | Texas A&M (17–5) | NC State (16–5) | NC State (18–6) | Georgetown (21–5) т Iona (25–4) т | Kansas State (21–8) | 20. |
| | Preseason | Week 1 Dec. 3 | Week 2 Dec. 10 | Week 3 Dec. 17 | Week 4 Dec. 24 | Week 5 Dec. 31 | Week 6 Jan. 7 | Week 7 Jan. 14 | Week 8 Jan. 21 | Week 9 Jan. 28 | Week 10 Feb. 4 | Week 11 Feb. 11 | Week 12 Feb. 18 | Week 13 Feb. 25 | Final Mar. 3 | |
| | | Dropped: Texas A&MIowa (1–0)UNLV | Dropped: MarquetteKansas | Dropped: USC | None | Dropped: ArkansasBYU (8–3) | Dropped: IllinoisGeorgetown | Dropped: Indiana (9–4)UCLA | Dropped: Iowa (11–4)NC StateBYU (13–4) | Dropped: TennesseeArizona State | Dropped: Virginia (16–6)Clemson (15–5) | Dropped: IndianaTexas A&M | Dropped: Kansas StateDuke (18–7) | Dropped: Purdue (17–8)Washington State | Dropped: NC StateClemsonIona (28–4) | |