Purdue Boilermakers Lead Preseason Favorites for 2025-26 College Basketball

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — The Purdue Boilermakers enter the 2025-26 college basketball season as the top team in the preseason Associated Press poll and the favorite to win the national championship.

Ranked first for the first time ever in the preseason poll, Purdue boasts odds of +850 at ESPN BET, making it the consensus pick among bookmakers. Following closely are last season’s runners-up, the Gonzaga Bulldogs, at +1000 odds, with teams like Kansas, Duke, and Alabama rounding out the top five.

Purdue emerged as a strong contender following a productive offseason. The team is led by Wooden Award contender Zach Edey, who has significantly contributed to the team’s growing popularity. “There’s been a lot of offseason buzz around Purdue with them bringing three players back and addressing some weaknesses in the portal,” said Caesars college basketball trader Patrick Berbert.

The transfer portal has played a crucial role in shaping preseason odds, according to ESPN BET’s Adrian Horton. “You can have a team that did well last season completely re-tooled with new faces, but we need to see it in game action,” Horton noted.

Meanwhile, the Duke Blue Devils have seen their odds lengthen, as they lost all five starters to the NBA draft. They currently sit as third in the betting market with only 8.1% backing from bettors. In contrast, Houston remains a strong contender with a solid 13.6% of the bets placed in their favor.

Defending national champions, the Florida Gators, have made a notable jump from +6000 odds last season to +1600 this year. However, their current standing has attracted only moderate bets.

The Alabama Crimson Tide, entering the season with considerable expectations, currently stands at +3000 odds for the national title and is tied for ninth with Tennessee. As for securing the SEC regular season title, Alabama’s odds are placed at +650, sitting third in the conference behind Florida and Kentucky.

Purdue opens its season on November 4 against Evansville at Mackey Arena, after an exhibition game against UIndy. Fans are eager to see how the new additions, including Oscar Cluff and Omer Mayer, will impact the team’s performance.

As the excitement builds for the new season, expectations are high for Purdue and its talented roster as they aim for a national championship.