“Hunter Dickinson, it’s time to graduate, you’re pushing 30”: College hoops fans react as Kansas’ 80-week run in AP Top 25 comes to an end

For the first time since February 2021, the Kansas Jayhawks are not nationally ranked on the AP Top 25. This week's rankings were released on Monday, and to the surprise of many, the Bill Self-coached squad was nowhere to be found after spending 80 weeks in the poll.

Perhaps the Jayhawks bowing out of the poll can be attributed to their recent 34-point drubbing at the hands of the No. 25-ranked BYU Cougars on Feb. 18 on the road. The 91-57 loss handed them their seventh defeat in Big 12 play, ninth overall.

Several college basketball fans and spectators placed the blame solely on fifth-year center Hunter Dickinson, who some deemed could be going through a slump in play.

"Hunter Dickinson, it’s time to graduate buddy, you're pushing 30," one user said.

(image credits: @br_hoops on Instagram)

"Hunter Dickinson, it’s time to get on Linkedin," another user shared.

(image credits: @br_hoops on Instagram)

"The Dickinson effect," another claimed.

(image credits: @br_hoops on Instagram)

"Hunter Dickinson, YOU are a Shanghai Shark," a user wrote.

(image credits: @br_hoops on Instagram)

Some were quick to defend the Jayhawks, indicating that they would ramp up their play come the postseason.

"They were unranked in that late into the 2021 szn, but ended as a 3 seed?" one user questioned.

(image credits: @br_hoops on Instagram)

"I’m betting on all the underdogs the first day of March Madness. +5000 I don’t care," another commented.

(image credits: @br_hoops on Instagram)

"None of this matter see y’all in March," a user posted.

(image credits: @br_hoops on Instagram)

The Jayhawks have returned to winning ways since their BYU loss as they are on a two-game streak against unranked programs with a 96-64 triumph over the Oklahoma State Cowboys on Saturday, and a 71-64 victory over the Colorado Buffaloes on Monday.

But they will have another big test up next when they take on the No. 10-ranked Texas Tech Red Raiders back at home on Saturday for the first of three straight ranked opponents to cap off the 2024-2025 regular season.

Kansas Jayhawks are aiming to reclaim the national title after three years

Before the UConn Huskies took over the men's college basketball landscape with two straight national titles in 2023 and 2024, it was Hunter Dickinson and the rest of the Kansas Jayhawks who rose to the occasion and won it all in 2022. With this, them no longer being in the national ranking conversation is a big surprise to many.

If the Jayhawks find their footing in the postseason, they may still inch into the national tournament and surprise even some of the best programs of the season, given they have the national stage experience to get to the mountaintop.