With the college basketball season just a week away, attention often gravitates toward perennial powerhouses. However, the true magic of the sport lies in mid-major basketball teams, where unexpected contenders rise, defy expectations and deliver thrilling, successful seasons.
While college football follows a clear structure with automatic-qualifying and non-qualifying conferences for the College Football Playoff, the term “mid-major” in basketball is more subjective. For clarity and consistency, MidMajorBasketball.com defines mid-majors as teams from conferences outside the ACC, Big Ten, Big 12, SEC and Big East.
Below is a look at the preseason Mid-Major Basketball Mid-Major Top 25 Poll.
Top 25 Poll
| Rank | Team |
|---|---|
| 1. | Gonzaga |
| 2. | Grand Canyon |
| 3. | Boise State |
| 4. | Memphis |
| 5. | Dayton |
| 6. | Saint Mary’s |
| 7. | San Diego State |
| 8. | VCU |
| 9. | New Mexico |
| 10. | Loyola Chicago |
| 11. | San Francisco |
| 12. | McNeese |
| 13. | Saint Louis |
| 14. | Nevada |
| 15. | Arkansas State |
| 16. | Princeton |
| 17. | UAB |
| 18. | Bradley |
| 19. | Ohio |
| 20. | High Point |
| 21. | Milwaukee |
| 22. | Utah State |
| 23. | Colorado State |
| 24. | Florida Atlantic |
| 25. | Vermont |
Teams that just missed the cut (in no particular order): North Texas, UNLV, Little Rock, Santa Clara, Saint Joseph’s, Western Kentucky, UC Irvine, Yale, South Florida, Towson.
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