Tony PaulThe Detroit News (Detroit, MI)
E-mail: tpaul@detroitnews.com
Twitter: @tonypaul1984
About: A Michigan State grad, Tony Paul has worked in sports departments in Hartford, Conn.; Port Huron, Mich.; Roanoke, Va.; and, for the last 12 years, The Detroit News. At The News, he covers a wide range, including baseball, golf, college athletics and the sports-media industry.


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Feb 16, 2026Week 15 Rankings for Tony Paul
1Michigan (60)
24-1Actual: 1
Highest: 1 - 60 Voters
Lowest: 2 - Jon Wilner
1524
Points
2Duke
23-2Actual: 3
Highest: 2 - 17 Voters
Lowest: 5 - 3 Voters
1397
Points
3UConn
24-2Actual: 5
Highest: 2 - 4 Voters
Lowest: 11 - Seth Davis
1318
Points
4Houston (1)
23-2Actual: 2
Highest: 1 - Jon Wilner
Lowest: 6 - Kevin Sjuts
1402
Points
5Arizona
23-2Actual: 4
Highest: 2 - 8 Voters
Lowest: 6 - Dave Preston
1358
Points
6Iowa State
22-3Actual: 6
Highest: 5 - 3 Voters
Lowest: 9 - Mark Zeigler
1212
Points
7Gonzaga
25-2Actual: 11
Highest: 6 - 2 Voters
Lowest: 17 - 3 Voters
903
Points

EXTREME PICK

This pick is 5+ spots from the actual ranking.
8Virginia
22-3Actual: 14
Highest: 8 - Tony Paul
Lowest: 22 - Andy Greder
730
Points
9Kansas
19-6Actual: 8
Highest: 6 - Jeff Rabjohns
Lowest: 15 - Jackson Payne
1011
Points
10Purdue
21-4Actual: 7
Highest: 6 - 4 Voters
Lowest: 18 - Brice Cherry
1042
Points
11Nebraska
22-3Actual: 9
Highest: 7 - 9 Voters
Lowest: 15 - David Jablonski
982
Points
12Texas Tech
19-6Actual: 13
Highest: 7 - 2 Voters
Lowest: 17 - 3 Voters
822
Points
13North Carolina
20-5Actual: 16
Highest: 7 - Scott Hamilton
Lowest: 23 - 3 Voters
594
Points
14Michigan State
20-5Actual: 15
Highest: 9 - 2 Voters
Lowest: 20 - Scott Hamilton
681
Points

EXTREME PICK

This pick is 5+ spots from the actual ranking.
15Illinois
21-5Actual: 10
Highest: 4 - Seth Davis
Lowest: 18 - Joe Cook
938
Points
16Florida
19-6Actual: 12
Highest: 5 - Toyloy Brown
Lowest: 20 - Brenden Martin
895
Points
17Saint Louis
24-1Actual: 18
Highest: 8 - David Jablonski
Lowest: 25 - Mark Zeigler
468
Points
18Vanderbilt
21-4Actual: 19
Highest: 11 - Parth Upadhyaya
Lowest: 24 - Dave Borges
449
Points
19BYU
19-6Actual: 23
Highest: 18 - 3 Voters
Lowest: NR - 10 Voters
214
Points
20St. John's
20-5Actual: 17
Highest: 10 - Seth Davis
Lowest: 21 - Randy Heitz
590
Points
21Miami (OH)
25-0Actual: 22
Highest: 10 - Brice Cherry
Lowest: NR - 11 Voters
238
Points
22Arkansas
19-6Actual: 20
Highest: 13 - Mark Zeigler
Lowest: NR - 1 Voters
387
Points
23Utah State
22-3Actual: 27
Highest: 21 - Percy Allen
Lowest: NR - 39 Voters
45
Points
24Louisville
19-6Actual: 21
Highest: 15 - Andy Greder
Lowest: NR - 4 Voters
263
Points
25Villanova
20-5Actual: 29
Highest: 21 - 3 Voters
Lowest: NR - 48 Voters
29
Points
Ranked Teams Not on Ballot: 24-Wisconsin25-Alabama