Where Is Arkansas Basketball Ranked In Preseason AP Top 25 Poll?

FAYETTEVILLE — The Arkansas Razorbacks will begin the 2026-27 season ranked in the AP Top 25 poll for the sixth consecutive season and third time under Naismith Hall of Fame coach John Calipari, coming in at No. 12 nationally.

That is one spot ahead of last year's preseason ranking of No. 13, finishing the season with a 28-9 overall record (13-5 SEC), an SEC Basketball Tournament Championship, No. 4 seed in the NCAA Tournament and a second straight Sweet 16 appearance before falling to Arizona in San Jose.

Calipari's squad enters the season with plenty hype surrounding the program after signing the consensus No. 1 overall recuriting class that is headlined by a quartet of 5-star true freshmen. Reigning Gatorade National Player of the Year Jordan Smith Jr. arrives as the No. 2 overall signee along with shooting guard JJ Andrews, wing Abdou Toure and power forward Miikka Muurinen.

Other notable SEC teams included in the top 25 include No. Florida, No. 7 Texas, No. 8 Tennessee, No. 20 Alabama, No. 23 Kentucky and No. 24 Vanderbilt. Other conference foes that received votes were Missouri, Texas A&M and reining NIT Champions Auburn.

The Razorbacks set set to play a loaded non-conference slate that includes No. 5 Arizona (Dec. 19), No. 6 Michigan State (Nov. 26), and No. 9 Virginia (Nov. 8). Neither North Carolina or Indiana are ranked to begin the season, which is the first time that's happened since the 1972-73 season.

The Hogs will play at least 10 games against ranked opponents this season, including conference games against Florida, Texas, Vanderbilt, Kentucky, Tennessee and Alabama (2) in SEC play.

Calipari opted to return to his old ways this offseason by building his roster around some of the top freshmen in the country. Other notable youngsters are 4-star guard Davion Thompson, 4-star center Caleb Ourigou, and 4-star forward Maper Maker.

A pair of transfers in shooting guard Jeremiah Wilkinson (Georgia) and Cooper Bowser (Furman) are expected to be starters or key parts of the rotation.

Arkansas will open exhibition play this Saturday, Oct. 24 at Bud Walton Arena against Gonzaga with tipoff scheduled for 3 p.m. CT and will be streamed on the SEC Network+. The Razorbacks season opener is set for Nov. 3 against in-state foe Pine Bluff at 7 p.m. CT and will also be streamed by the SEC Network+.

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