With NCAA men’s basketball nearing March Madness, it’s becoming increasingly obvious that there is no clear number one team. Before the season started, Gonzaga was the number one team in the nation, but they dropped below the top 5 before making it back to the top again. Michigan was ranked 6th before the season started; now thankfully they’ve completely fallen out of the top 25. Michigan State was unranked going into the season, got to number 12 in the nation, and are now also out of the top 25. Earlier this year, Purdue snatched the number 1 spot for the first time ever only to lose it the next day after a last-second shot by Ron Harper Jr sealed Rutgers upset victory. With all of this turmoil within the top 25, people are wondering who are the real favorites to win the national championship?

Gonzaga: The Zags went undefeated last year only to lose to Baylor in the national championship game 86 to 70. At the start of this season, they were the number one team, but they lost to Duke and Alabama. They still are the favorite for a lot of people and have a very good chance of winning it all.

Baylor: The reigning national champions were a bit underestimated going into the season ranked at 8th. They worked their way up to number 1 overall. Even with the loss of their star player Davion Mitchell, who was drafted 9th overall in this year’s NBA draft,  The Baylor Bears have proven that they are very much in contention of raising the trophy two years in a row. They currently sit at number 10. 

Duke: The Blue Devils came into the season 9th overall most likely due to a disappointing 2020-2021 season. They rose all the way to 2nd overall after a big win over Gonzaga, and after climbing to number one, they went on the road to Ohio State where they lost in a close affair. Duke is the most popular college basketball team in the country and is a heavy favorite for the championship. They are currently ranked 7th.

Purdue: The Boilermakers went into the season ranked 7th overall and at one point were the number one team in the country, but sadly only held that title for one day. They suffered a loss to Rutgers after a game winning shot and have been slowly falling back down in the rankings. Purdue’s almost always a good team and are for sure a contender for the national championship. They are currency ranked 4th. 

Michigan State: Michigan State is the best basketball team in the nation. They are clearly the number one favorite for the national championship and the other teams aren’t even close to competing with them. If you don’t have them number one then there has to be something wrong with you. Go Green!