2024 College Basketball Power Rankings

College basketball season is back, which means it’s time to search for betting edges on the hardwood. 

Below, you’ll find FTN’s college basketball power rankings for the 2024 season. These will be updated every week after games, adjusting for results, news and injuries. We can use these ratings to create a point spread between any two teams in the country on a neutral court. Just subtract the lower team’s rating from the higher-ranked team’s rating. If you compare that number to the spread of a particular game, you can find situations where FTN identifies a betting edge. We will also keep track of teams that are trending up or down, helping to further identify value compared to the public’s perception on media polls.

Make sure to take advantage of our early-season offer to join FTN Fantasy by using the promo code POWER to save 10% on a subscription to our Bets+ or VIP annual packages. 

Here is the latest iteration of the FTN College Basketball Power Rankings for the 2024-2025 season!

Key Takeaways 

• Houston remains the top team in our CBB Power Rankings despite its three losses against a brutal non-conference schedule. The Cougars battled Auburn throughout their matchup and suffered two overtime losses to Alabama and San Diego State. Those overtime losses are relatively fluky, reinforcing our belief in the Cougars at the top spot. Houston still ranks 11th overall in offense and third overall in defense, per KenPom. 
• Tennessee and Duke are now No. 2 and No. 3, respectively, in our FTN CBB Power Rankings, boasting a combined record of 15-2. Duke’s two losses to Kentucky and Kansas were games decided in the final possessions. Tennessee is a perfect 8-0 overall but will be tested next Saturday in a true road game at Illinois. 
• The power rankings have started to back Baylor, as the Bears rose three spots to No. 9 overall in our rankings. Baylor has three losses, including last Wednesday’s true road loss at Connecticut. The Bears lost Jeremy Roach (concussion) during that game but battled until the final possession. Baylor has three winnable games until opening the Big 12 conference season on December 31 at home against Utah. 
• Florida rose four spots this week to No. 13 overall in our power rankings. They are a perfect 9-0 but will be tested with Arizona State in a neutral-court battle in Atlanta and a semi-away matchup against North Carolina in the next week. 
• The big riser of the week is Michigan State, sitting at No. 23 overall. The Spartans have improved greatly since their 77-69 loss to Kansas on November 12. They have won six of their last seven games, with three straight victories over North Carolina, Minnesota and Nebraska. They are up 15 spots in our power rankings from last week. 
• Our biggest faller is Ohio State, which dropped eight spots to No. 32 overall. The Buckeyes lost two of their last three games, including a 24-point blowout at Maryland. Things do not get easier for the Buckeyes as they battle Auburn in Atlanta on Saturday.