Men's Hoops Debuts at No. 25 in Week 9 AP Poll

ORLANDO – Riding the best opening stretch of head coach Johnny Dawkins’ tenure, UCF Men’s Hoops has cracked into the Associated Press Top 25 for the first time since 2019, debuting at No. 25 in the Week 9 poll.

The Knights enter Week 9 with a 12-1 record after a statement 81-75 victory over then-No. 17 Kansas this past weekend. The emphatic start is the strongest of Dawkins’ time at UCF and the program’s best in more than a decade, since the 2010-11 team opened the season on a 14-0 run. 

The ranking marks just the sixth week UCF has appeared in the AP Top 25 since the program’s inception in 1969 and the second time under Dawkins.

As of Jan. 5, the Knights rank 32nd in the NCAA NET, having climbed as high as 30th this season, their best NET mark since joining the Big 12. They also sit 43rd in KenPom and are closing in on the program’s all-time high of 34, a ranking the team hasn’t reached since 2019.

Arizona remained No. 1 for the fifth consecutive week, while five other Big 12 (No. 3 Iowa St., No. 7 Houston, No. 9 BYU, No. 14 Texas Tech, and No. 22 Kansas) programs also held spots in the Top 25. The Big 12 has the most Top 25 teams of any conference with seven, while the Big Ten closely trails with six. The complete Week 9 AP Poll is listed below.

Associated Press Top 25 (Jan. 5, 2026)

UP NEXT
Dawkins and his squad will travel to Stillwater, Okla., for their first Big 12 road test of the season, facing the Oklahoma State Cowboys on Jan. 6 in Gallagher-Iba Arena for an 8 PM tipoff. The game will be broadcast on ESPN+, or you can follow along on radio using the link here.

SINGLE GAME AND SEASON TICKETS ON SALE NOW
UCF basketball single-game and season tickets are on sale now. Be sure to catch all the action at Addition Financial Arena as Big 12 play heats up in Orlando. Tickets can be purchased by calling the ticket office at (407) 823-1000 or online here. 

ABOUT UCF ATHLETICS
UCF is a proud member of the Big 12 Conference. Our mission is to positively transform the lives of our students academically, athletically, and personally through a nationally competitive intercollegiate athletics program that enhances the reputation and visibility of the University. We strive to be Florida's preeminent athletic program, representing UCF and our community with distinction on the national stage as "Orlando's Hometown Team". To learn more about UCF and Athletics, please visit our websites at www.ucf.edu and www.ucfknights.com.