Who Wants To Be Number One Next Week?

Anytime a No. 1 loses in college basketball, we must immediately make judgments about their successor who will then most-likely lose the following week so we do this all again.  But until then, your candidate (and their odds of being No. 1) are...

Kansas (Even) - Currently No. 2 in both polls, they're the obvious choice to rise back up.  The Jawhawks are coming off an extremely strong win over Mizzou.  If they win on Saturday over No. 11 Kansas State, you'd be hard pressed to say they didn't deserve it.

Villanova (5:1) - The Wildcats have been flying under the radar in a sense.  Everyone's talking about Kentucky/Kansas/Texas nationally and they even get overshadowed in their own conference.  You almost forget that they're 18-1 (7-0).  Their only game this week is a Wednesday tilt with Notre Dame. 

Syracuse (7:1) - As the resident SU blogger I'm viciously-biased, but the Orange continue to make their case.  They blasted No. 7 Georgetown on Monday and hold the No. 1 ranking in the RPI.   A Saturday game against lowly DePaul won't move the meter, or move them over Nova in both polls.

Kentucky (20:1) - Hey, if Kansas loses to Kansas State and Villanova doesn't wow anyone on Wednesday, there's always the possibility that Kentucky still gets enough love from the wacky voters to remain No. 1.  Stranger things have happened (I think).