Overview
- Michigan stayed No. 1 in the Dec. 29 USA TODAY/Coaches Poll, holding the spot after a 102–50 win over La Salle and an eight-game streak of 18-point-plus victories.
- Arizona remains undefeated and is No. 1 in the latest AP Top 25, bolstered by nonconference wins over Florida, UConn and Alabama with most marquee results away from Tucson.
- The Coaches Poll showed minimal changes over the holiday break, with only a handful of teams moving a single spot and Duke edging back into the top five.
- Six teams entered Week 9 unbeaten: Arizona, Iowa State, Michigan, Miami (OH), Nebraska and Vanderbilt, keeping the national picture unsettled.
- Key dates ahead include Michigan’s Big Ten restart against USC on Jan. 2 after a McNeese State tune-up and Arizona’s Big 12 opener versus Utah on Jan. 3.