The tip off to the 2025-26 college basketball season is just over a week away.
Last season, the Florida Gators took home their third championship in the past 19 years, defeating the Houston Cougars in a back and forth battle. Despite losing star point guard Walter Clayton Jr. to the draft, the Gators signed former Princeton guard Xavian Lee to fill his absence, hoping to position the team to contend once again.
However, the Purdue Boilermakers, Duke Blue Devils, Houston Cougars and Michigan Wolverines are among some of the favorites looking to stand in their way and take home the trophy this season.
While these powerhouses have the best odds to cut down the nets in April, they are not the only ones ready to compete.
Here are three dark horses that can shock the world that not enough people are talking about as the season gets underway.
Brigham Young University Cougars (BYU)
Last season, the Cougars hired former Suns and 76ers assistant coach Kevin Young, who led the program to 26 wins — the most by a BYU coach in their first season. He also took them to the Sweet Sixteen, becoming only the third coach in program history to do so.
This is a major accomplishment, as BYU has never made it past the Elite Eight, and they haven’t been there since 1981. However, times may be changing ,as the Cougars recently landed the number one overall recruit in the 2025 class — forward AJ Dybantsa.
Dybantsa, who signed a $7 million contract in their NIL agreement to join the program, has a chance to re-write history and take the Cougars farther than they’ve ever gone before.
He made his collegiate debut in a scrimmage vs. Nebraska last Saturday and did not disappoint, racking up 30 points and seven rebounds in the Cougar’s one point loss. Dybantsa is known for his ability to get to the rim and score at will. He is listed as a forward, but is quick off the dribble and a great mid-range shooter, making him a threat from anywhere on the court.
Coach Young is known for his high-powered style of offense. The Cougars averaged over 80 points per game last season — the 24th highest in the entire nation.
But this year, that number could increase.
Adding Dybantsa to a squad with guard Richie Saunders, who averaged 16.5 points per game last season and earned first team all-Big 12 honors, Robert Wright III, sophomore transfer guard from Baylor, as well as dominant senior center Keba Keita, should place the Cougars on everyone’s radar to make a deep run this upcoming season.
University of California Los Angeles Bruins (UCLA)
UCLA is the most accomplished program in college basketball history, having won 11 NCAA national championships, so you may be wondering how it’s possible they can be considered a dark horse? It’s because their most recent title came over 30 years ago — in 1995.
The Bruins are ranked 12th in the pre-season AP poll, and are flying under many people’s radar to win it all this season.
However, this Bruins squad is one of the most talented in recent years. In addition to retaining their leading scorer from last season, senior forward Tyler Bilodeau, the Bruins signed former New Mexico Lobos senior guard Donovan Dent. Dent averaged over 20 ppg last season and led the Lobos to back to back March Madness appearances in 2024 and 2025, earning a first round victory last season over the seventh seed Marquette Golden Eagles, scoring 21 points in the matchup.
Dent brings a veteran presence and elite scoring that the squad was lacking last season. Experience has proven to be a major factor come March, as the Gators 2025 championship winning roster had an average age of 22.2 years old.
Head coach Mick Cronin has taken the Bruins dancing in 4 of his 6 seasons coaching the squad, including a Final Four appearance in 2021. With an elite scoring guard and a physical forward, much like Johnny Juzang and Jaime Jaquez from the 2021 squad, the Bruins hope to replicate their same success and take home their 12th championship in program history.
Michigan State University Spartans (MSU)
The Spartans had a strong campaign in the 2024-25 season, finishing the year ranked eighth in the AP Poll and earning a two seed in the “Big Dance,” ultimately falling short in the Elite Eight to the Auburn Tigers.
Coming into this season, MSU is ranked 22nd in the preseason AP Poll despite their strong finish last year.
A likely reason for this drop is because the Spartans top three leading scorers from last season are no longer on the squad. However, if there is any coach in the country to mesh a new group of young players together, it would be coach Tom Izzo.
This past offseason, the Spartans added to their already talented roster, signing two four-star recruits: forwards Cam Ward and Jordan Scott to try and take them over the hump and back to the Final Four.
The team will also be counting on the leadership and talent of their captains, including junior forward Coen Carr and redshirt sophomore guard Jeremy Fears Jr.. Carr is an explosive, athletic freak who has the opportunity to make plays happen from nothing. Fears is a shifty point guard who looks to take over the duties of former point guard Jase Richardson, who was a first round selection in this year’s NBA Draft.
If Coach Izzo can put the pieces together, this all around talented roster can make some noise in the Big 10 conference and even nationwide.