Where does Nate Oats' Alabama rank in Week 13 AP Poll ranking? Exploring the jumps and declines of top teams

Nate Oats’ Alabama Crimson Tide continued to rise in national prominence, moving up one spot to No. 3 in the latest Associated Press Top 25 poll released on Monday. The Crimson Tide (19-3, 8-1 SEC) extended their winning streak to five games last week, including a decisive victory over then-No. 14 Mississippi State.

Alabama’s ascent in the rankings also came as a result of then-No. 3 Iowa State suffering back-to-back losses. Now ranked behind only No. 1 Auburn and No. 2 Duke, the Tide has positioned itself as a top contender heading into the final month of the regular season.

Alabama is set to return to action on Saturday, with a challenging road game against Arkansas. The Razorbacks recently pulled off an impressive upset over then-No. 12 Kentucky, highlighting their capabilities as a tough opponent.

“I think we’ve got the toughest second half in the league,” Oats said during his postgame appearance on the Crimson Tide Sports Network following their win over Georgia.

Oats stands on the brink of a historic milestone for Alabama basketball. With 25 career victories over top-25 opponents, he is currently tied with Wimp Sanderson for the most in program history. One more win would give him sole possession of the record in just his sixth season as coach.

This week’s college basketball action brought thrilling games and notable shifts in the rankings, as several teams solidified their positions while others struggled to maintain momentum.

Here’s a closer look at some of the key highlights and movements in the AP Top 25 rankings.

NCAA Basketball: North Carolina at Duke - Source: Imagn

Auburn and Duke maintain their spots as first and second, respectively, with Tennessee jumping four spots to fourth with an 18-4 record. Houston is right behind in fifth, moving one spot while Florida dropped one spot to finish the week in sixth.

Purdue jumped three places to end the week in seventh with a 17-5 record, while Iowa State dropped five places but remained in the top 10 in eighth. Michigan State dropped two places to end the week in ninth, while Texas A&M rounded up the top 10 after rising three places.

The Marquette’s Golden Eagles (18-4) dropped two spots to No. 11 after falling to UConn in a 77-69 road loss. Despite the setback, Marquette remains a strong contender in the Big East. The St. John’s Red Storm (19-3) climbed three spots to No. 12 after narrowly defeating Providence in a 68-66 thriller. Their consistent performances make them a team to watch in the Big East.

The Texas Tech Red Raiders (17-4) made the biggest jump of the week, moving up nine spots to No. 13 following a dramatic 82-81 road victory over Houston. Their resilience in tight games continues to pay off.

The Kentucky Wildcats (15-6) slid two spots to No. 14 after a tough 89-79 loss to Arkansas, while Missouri’s Tigers (17-4) surged five spots to No. 15 with an impressive 88-61 road victory over Mississippi State.

NCAA Basketball: Iowa State at Kansas - Source: Imagn

Furthermore, the Kansas Jayhawks (15-6) dropped five spots to No. 16 after a tough 81-70 loss to Baylor. The Big 12 powerhouse will need to regroup quickly to avoid further slips in the rankings. Memphis (18-4) rose two spots to No. 17 after edging Rice 86-83, and Maryland’s Terrapins (17-5) held steady at No. 18 with a solid 76-68 win over Wisconsin.

The UConn’s Huskies (16-6) jumped six spots to No. 19 after their victory over Marquette, while. Arizona (15-6) held steady at No. 20 after defeating Arizona State 81-72. Mississippi State (16-6) fell eight spots to No. 22 after a crushing 88-61 loss to Missouri. Meanwhile, Illinois (15-7), Michigan (16-5) and Ole Miss (16-6) rounded out the top 25 with mixed results, including Ole Miss’s 92-82 loss to Auburn.

As the season progresses, the race for conference titles and NCAA Tournament positioning is heating up, promising more drama in the weeks ahead.

Nate Oats and Alabama are using their week off to recharge

Nate Oats and Alabama are making the most of its week off following Saturday’s victory over Georgia. The Crimson Tide won’t play again until they face Arkansas on Saturday. On Monday, coach Nate Oats highlighted using the break to help his Tide physically and mentally reset.

“It’s huge for a physical reset,” Oats said via AL.com. “We’ve got a lot of guys banged up, so we’ve adjusted our original plan. We were going to have two intense practices, but now we’re only doing one hard practice, and it’ll be more controlled than a typical game scenario.”

On Monday, Oats surprised the team with a lighter agenda. What began as what players thought would be a grueling day ended with an hour-long practice followed by a fun outing, mini-golf.

“I didn’t get the final tally,” Oats added of the golf competition. “Grant [Nelson] beat me by one, so I guess Grant must have won. I don’t think anyone else on the team would have beaten me, though.”

After their time off, Alabama will face Arkansas on Saturday, followed by a midweek game on Feb. 12 against Texas. What follows is a grueling seven-game slate against ranked opponents, including two showdowns with top-ranked Auburn.