1985–86 NCAA Division I men's basketball rankings

November 2025 August 2023 1985 NCAA logo.svg Georgia Tech Louisville The 1985–86 NCAA Division I men's preseason basketball rankings was made up of two human polls, the AP Poll and the Coaches Poll, in addition to various other preseason polls. The Louisville Cardinals would finish the season ranked at the top of both polls after winning the National Championship. 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 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 Final  ESPN College Basketball Encyclopedia: The Complete History of the Men's Game Random House 932–933 2009 978-0-345-51392-2 Nov. 25 Dec. 2 Dec. 9 Dec. 16 Dec. 23 Dec. 30 Jan. 6 Jan. 13 Jan. 20 Jan. 27 Feb. 3 Feb. 10 Feb. 17 Feb. 24 Mar. 3 Mar. 10 Georgia Tech North Carolina Michigan Syracuse Kansas Duke Illinois Georgetown Louisville Auburn Kentucky Notre Dame Oklahoma LSU Memphis State UAB NC State UNLV Maryland т t Navy т North Carolina (1–0) u Georgia Tech (0–0) d Michigan (2–0) Syracuse (1–0) Kansas (2–0) Duke (2–0) Illinois (0–0) Georgetown (1–0) Louisville (2–0) Kentucky (1–0) u Notre Dame (1–0) u LSU (1–0) u Oklahoma (1–0) Memphis State (0–0) u NC State (0–0) u UNLV (1–0) u Maryland (1–0) u St. John's (2–0) npr Auburn (0–1) d UAB (1–1) d Navy North Carolina (5–0) (45) Michigan (4–0) (12) u Duke (6–0) (4) u Syracuse (3–0) Georgia Tech (2–1) d Georgetown (2–0) (1) u Kansas (3–1) d Oklahoma (5–0) u Kentucky (3–0) u Notre Dame (2–0) (1) u LSU (5–0) u Illinois (2–1) d Memphis State (2–0) u UNLV (4–1) u St. John's (3–1) u Louisville (2–2) d UAB (2–1) u Iowa (4–0) npr Auburn (1–1) Indiana (1–0) npr NC State Maryland North Carolina (6–0) (47) Michigan (6–0) (13) Duke (8–0) (4) Syracuse (5–0) Georgetown (4–0) т (1) tu Georgia Tech (4–1) т Kansas (6–1) Oklahoma (6–0) Kentucky (5–0) Illinois (5–1) u LSU (6–0) Memphis State (5–0) u UNLV (5–1) u St. John's (6–1) u Louisville (3–2) u UAB (5–1) u Notre Dame (3–1) d Indiana (2–1) u DePaul (3–0) npr Ohio State (5–0) npr Iowa Auburn North Carolina (7–0) (45) Michigan (9–0) (14) Duke (8–0) (4) Syracuse (6–0) Georgetown (6–0) (1) Kansas (8–1) u Georgia Tech (4–1) d Oklahoma (8–0) LSU (8–0) u Memphis State (7–0) u St. John's (8–1) u UNLV (5–1) u Kentucky (5–1) d UAB (8–1) u Illinois (5–2) d Louisville (5–2) d Indiana (4–1) u DePaul (4–0) Notre Dame (4–1) d Virginia Tech (7–1) npr Ohio State North Carolina (10–0) Michigan (10–0) Duke (9–0) Syracuse (7–0) Georgetown (8–0) Kansas (9–1) Georgia Tech (7–1) Oklahoma (9–0) LSU (11–0) Memphis State (8–0) St. John's (9–1) UNLV (7–1) Kentucky (7–1) UAB (11–1) Louisville (6–2) u Illinois (7–2) d Indiana (6–2) Notre Dame (5–1) u Virginia Tech (8–1) u DePaul (6–2) d North Carolina (12–0) Michigan (12–0) Duke (11–0) Syracuse (8–0) Kansas (12–1) u Georgia Tech (10–1) u Oklahoma (11–0) u LSU (12–0) u Memphis State (11–0) u St. John's (12–1) u Georgetown (9–1) d Kentucky (9–1) u UNLV (10–2) d Illinois (9–2) u Indiana (8–2) u UAB (12–2) d Notre Dame (6–1) u Louisville (6–3) d UTEP (11–1) npr Virginia Tech (8–2) d DePaul North Carolina (14–0) Michigan (14–0) Duke (12–0) Syracuse (10–0) Georgia Tech (10–1) u Memphis State (12–0) u Oklahoma (13–0) LSU (14–0) Kansas (12–2) d St. John's (14–1) Kentucky (10–1) u UNLV (13–2) u Georgetown (10–2) d UAB (13–2) u UTEP (13–1) u Notre Dame (7–1) u Louisville (7–3) u Illinois (10–3) d Virginia Tech (10–2) u Purdue (13–2) npr Indiana North Carolina (16–0) Michigan (16–0) Duke (15–0) Syracuse (13–0) Georgia Tech (14–1) Memphis State (15–0) Oklahoma (15–0) Kansas (14–2) u St. John's (15–2) u UNLV (15–2) u Kentucky (12–2) UAB (16–2) u Notre Dame (9–2) u LSU (15–2) d Georgetown (11–3) d Virginia Tech (12–2) u UTEP (14–2) d Louisville (9–4) d Purdue (14–3) u Bradley (16–1) npr Illinois North Carolina (19–0) Duke (16–1) u Memphis State (17–0) u Georgia Tech (15–1) u Oklahoma (17–0) u Michigan (17–1) d Kansas (16–2) u St. John's (17–2) u Syracuse (13–2) d UNLV (17–2) Kentucky (14–2) Georgetown (13–3) u Louisville (11–4) u LSU (16–2) Purdue (16–3) u Notre Dame (10–2) d Bradley (18–1) u UAB (16–4) d UTEP (15–3) d Virginia Tech (14–3) d North Carolina (21–0) Memphis State (20–0) u Georgia Tech (16–2) u Kansas (19–2) u Duke (18–2) d Oklahoma (18–1) d St. John's (19–2) u Kentucky (16–2) u Michigan (17–2) d UNLV (19–2) Syracuse (15–2) d Georgetown (16–3) Bradley (20–1) u Notre Dame (12–3) u Indiana (13–4) npr Virginia Tech (16–4) u LSU (16–3) d Louisville (11–6) d UTEP (17–3) Richmond (16–2) npr Purdue (16–5) UAB North Carolina (22–1) Georgia Tech (17–2) u Memphis State (20–1) d Duke (20–2) u Oklahoma (20–1) u Kansas (20–3) d Michigan (19–2) u Syracuse (17–2) u UNLV (21–2) u St. John's (20–3) d Georgetown (17–3) u Kentucky (18–3) d Bradley (22–1) Notre Dame (14–3) Virginia Tech (18–4) u Louisville (13–6) u UTEP (18–3) u Indiana (14–5) d Western Kentucky (17–3) npr Alabama (15–4) npr LSU Richmond North Carolina (24–1) Duke (22–2) u Kansas (22–3) u Memphis State (22–2) d Georgia Tech (18–4) d UNLV (24–2) u St. John's (23–3) u Oklahoma (21–2) d Georgetown (19–4) u Michigan (20–3) d Kentucky (20–3) u Syracuse (18–3) d Bradley (24–1) Notre Dame (16–4) UTEP (21–3) u Indiana (16–5) u NC State (17–6) npr Alabama (17–4) u Louisville (16–7) d Virginia Tech (18–6) d Western Kentucky North Carolina (25–1) Duke (25–2) Kansas (24–3) Memphis State (23–2) Georgia Tech (19–4) St. John's (24–3) u Michigan (22–3) u Kentucky (22–3) u Syracuse (20–3) u Oklahoma (23–3) d UNLV (24–3) d Bradley (26–1) u Georgetown (19–5) d Notre Dame (17–5) Indiana (17–5) u Louisville (18–7) u Navy (20–4) npr Virginia Tech (19–6) u Michigan State (17–6) npr NC State (17–8) d UTEP (21–5) Alabama (17–6) Duke (27–2) u Kansas (27–3) u North Carolina (25–3) d Georgia Tech (21–4) u Kentucky (24–3) u Syracuse (22–3) u Memphis State (24–3) d St. John's (25–4) d UNLV (27–3) u Michigan (23–4) d Bradley (28–1) u Notre Dame (19–5) u Louisville (22–7) u Oklahoma (23–6) d Georgetown (20–6) d Indiana (18–6) d Michigan State (18–6) u NC State (18–9) u Navy (23–4) d Purdue (21–7) npr Virginia Tech Duke (29–2) (62) Kansas (28–3) (1) Kentucky (26–3) u North Carolina (26–4) d St. John's (27–4) u Georgia Tech (23–5) d Michigan (25–4) u Syracuse (23–4) d Bradley (29–1) u Memphis State (25–4) d Louisville (24–7) u Notre Dame (21–5) UNLV (28–4) d Georgetown (22–6) u Oklahoma (24–6) d Indiana (20–6) Michigan State (20–6) Navy (25–4) u Illinois (20–8) npr NC State (18–11) d Purdue Duke (32–2) Kansas (31–3) Kentucky (29–3) St. John's (30–4) u Michigan (27–4) u Georgia Tech (25–6) Louisville (26–7) u North Carolina (26–5) d Syracuse (25–5) d Notre Dame (23–5) u UNLV (31–4) u Memphis State (27–5) d Georgetown (23–7) u Bradley (31–2) d Oklahoma (26–8) Indiana (21–7) Navy (27–4) u Michigan State (21–7) d Illinois (21–9) UTEP (27–5) npr NC State (18–12) Coaches Poll 0 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 Final   Dec. 2 Dec. 9 Dec. 16 Dec. 23 Dec. 30 Jan. 6 Jan. 13 Jan. 20 Jan. 27 Feb. 3 Feb. 10 Feb. 17 Feb. 24 Mar. 3 Mar. 10 Michigan Georgia Tech North Carolina Kansas Duke Syracuse Illinois Georgetown LSU Louisville Auburn Kentucky Notre Dame NC State т t Iowa т UAB Washington UNLV DePaul UCLA North Carolina (5–0) u Michigan (4–0) d Duke (6–0) u Georgia Tech (2–1) d Syracuse (3–0) u Kansas (3–1) d Georgetown (2–0) u Kentucky (3–0) u UNLV (4–1) u Oklahoma (5–0) npr LSU (5–0) u Illinois (2–1) d Notre Dame (2–0) St. John's (2–0) npr Louisville (2–2) d Memphis State (2–0) npr UAB (2–1) d Auburn (1–1) d Iowa (4–0) d Indiana (1–0) npr NC State Washington DePaul UCLA North Carolina (6–0) Michigan (6–0) Duke (8–0) Kansas (6–1) u Syracuse (5–0) Georgia Tech (4–1) d Georgetown (4–0) Kentucky (5–0) Oklahoma (6–0) u UNLV (5–1) d Illinois (5–1) u LSU (6–0) d St. John's (6–1) u Louisville (3–2) u Memphis State (5–0) u Notre Dame (3–1) т td Indiana (2–1) т u UAB (5–1) d Ohio State (5–0) npr DePaul (3–0) npr Auburn Iowa North Carolina (7–0) Michigan (9–0) Duke (8–0) Kansas (8–1) Syracuse (6–0) Georgetown (6–0) u Georgia Tech (4–1) d Oklahoma (8–0) u St. John's (8–1) u UNLV (5–1) LSU (8–0) т u Memphis State (7–0) т u Illinois (5–2) d Kentucky (5–1) d UAB (8–1) u Indiana (4–1) Louisville (5–2) d DePaul (4–0) u Notre Dame (4–1) d Pepperdine (6–1) npr Ohio State North Carolina (10–0) Michigan (10–0) Duke (9–0) Kansas (9–1) Syracuse (7–0) Georgia Tech (7–1) u Georgetown (8–0) d LSU (11–0) u Oklahoma (9–0) d Kentucky (7–1) u St. John's (9–1) d UNLV (7–1) d Memphis State (8–0) d Louisville (6–2) u Illinois (7–2) d Indiana (6–2) Notre Dame (5–1) u DePaul (6–2) UTEP (8–1) npr Washington (6–2) npr UAB Pepperdine North Carolina (12–0) Michigan (12–0) Duke (11–0) Kansas (12–1) Syracuse (8–0) Georgia Tech (10–1) Oklahoma (11–0) u St. John's (12–1) u LSU (12–0) d Kentucky (9–1) Georgetown (9–1) d Memphis State (11–0) u UNLV (10–2) d Illinois (9–2) u Indiana (8–2) u UTEP (11–1) u UAB (12–2) npr Louisville (6–3) d Notre Dame (6–1) d NC State (7–3) npr DePaul Washington North Carolina (14–0) Michigan (14–0) Duke (12–0) Syracuse (10–0) Georgia Tech (10–1) u Memphis State (12–0) u LSU (14–0) u Oklahoma (13–0) d Kansas (12–2) d St. John's (14–1) d Kentucky (10–1) d UNLV (13–2) u UAB (13–2) u UTEP (13–1) u Georgetown (10–2) d Notre Dame (7–1) u Louisville (7–3) u Purdue (13–2) npr Illinois (10–3) т td Bradley (12–1) т npr Indiana NC State North Carolina (16–0) Michigan (16–0) Duke (15–0) Syracuse (13–0) Georgia Tech (14–1) Memphis State (15–0) Oklahoma (15–0) u Kansas (14–2) u St. John's (15–2) u UNLV (15–2) u Kentucky (12–2) UAB (16–2) u Notre Dame (9–2) u LSU (15–2) d UTEP (14–2) d Georgetown (11–3) d Purdue (14–3) u Louisville (9–4) d Bradley (16–1) Virginia Tech (12–2) npr Illinois North Carolina (19–0) Duke (16–1) u Georgia Tech (15–1) u Michigan (17–1) d Memphis State (17–0) u Oklahoma (17–0) u Kansas (16–2) u St. John's (17–2) u Kentucky (14–2) u UNLV (17–2) Syracuse (13–2) d Georgetown (13–3) u LSU (16–2) u Louisville (11–4) u Notre Dame (10–2) d Purdue (16–3) u Bradley (18–1) u UTEP (15–3) d UAB (16–4) d Pepperdine (14–3) npr Virginia Tech (14–3) North Carolina (21–0) Memphis State (20–0) u Georgia Tech (16–2) Duke (18–2) d Kansas (19–2) u Oklahoma (18–1) St. John's (19–2) u Michigan (17–2) d Kentucky (16–2) Syracuse (15–2) u UNLV (19–2) d Georgetown (16–3) Bradley (20–1) u UTEP (17–3) u Louisville (11–6) d Indiana (13–4) npr LSU (16–3) d Notre Dame (12–3) d Virginia Tech (16–4) npr Pepperdine (16–3) тPurdue (16–5) т UAB North Carolina (22–1) Georgia Tech (17–2) т tu Duke (20–2) т u Memphis State (20–1) d Kansas (20–3) Oklahoma (20–1) Syracuse (17–2) u Michigan (19–2) UNLV (21–2) u St. John's (20–3) d Georgetown (17–3) u Kentucky (18–3) d Bradley (22–1) UTEP (18–3) Virginia Tech (18–4) u Louisville (13–6) d Notre Dame (14–3) u Indiana (14–5) d NC State (14–6) npr Virginia (14–5) npr LSU Pepperdine (17–4) Purdue North Carolina (24–1) Duke (22–2) Kansas (22–3) u UNLV (24–2) u Georgia Tech (18–4) d Memphis State (22–2) d St. John's (23–3) u Kentucky (20–3) u Michigan (20–3) d Oklahoma (21–2) d Georgetown (19–4) Bradley (24–1) u Syracuse (18–3) d Notre Dame (16–4) т tu UTEP (21–3) т d Indiana (16–5) u Alabama (17–4) npr NC State (17–6) u Louisville (16–7) т td Pepperdine (19–4) т npr Virginia Tech (18–6) Virginia North Carolina (25–1) Duke (25–2) Kansas (24–3) Memphis State (23–2) u Georgia Tech (19–4) St. John's (24–3) u Kentucky (22–3) u Michigan (22–3) u Oklahoma (23–3) u Syracuse (20–3) u UNLV (24–3) d Bradley (26–1) Georgetown (19–5) d Indiana (17–5) u Notre Dame (17–5) d Louisville (18–7) u NC State (17–8) u Alabama (17–6) d UTEP (21–5) d Pepperdine (20–4) d Duke (27–2) u Kansas (27–3) u North Carolina (25–3) т td Georgia Tech (21–4) т u Kentucky (24–3) u Syracuse (22–3) u UNLV (27–3) u Memphis State (24–3) d Bradley (28–1) u St. John's (25–4) d Michigan (23–4) d Notre Dame (19–5) u Oklahoma (23–6) d Louisville (22–7) u Georgetown (20–6) d Indiana (18–6) d Michigan State (18–6) npr NC State (18–9) d Alabama (19–6) d Pepperdine (22–4) UTEP Duke (29–2) Kansas (28–3) North Carolina (26–4) Kentucky (26–3) u St. John's (27–4) u Georgia Tech (23–5) d Michigan (25–4) u Syracuse (23–4) d Bradley (29–1) Memphis State (25–4) d UNLV (28–4) d Louisville (24–7) u Notre Dame (21–5) d Indiana (20–6) u Georgetown (22–6) Oklahoma (24–6) d UTEP (24–5) npr Michigan State (20–6) d Illinois (20–8) npr Pepperdine (24–4) NC State (18–11) Alabama Duke (32–2) Kansas (31–3) St. John's (30–4) u Kentucky (29–3) Michigan (27–4) u Georgia Tech (25–6) Louisville (26–7) u North Carolina (26–5) d Syracuse (25–5) d UNLV (31–4) u Notre Dame (23–5) u Memphis State (27–5) d Bradley (31–2) d Indiana (21–7) Georgetown (23–7) UTEP (27–5) u Oklahoma (26–8) d Michigan State (21–7) Alabama (22–8) npr Illinois (21–9) d Pepperdine References Rankings Category:College men's basketball rankings in the United States