College basketball is back and in full swing as the season is just about a month in, but who is making the most noise so far as the season begins? Overall, there are many teams early on that have pleaded their case for a possible deep run when the March Madness tournament rolls around. To go with this, college basketball is only getting more and more competitive due to name, image, and likeness (NIL), which tempts current collegiate athletes to transfer to schools for the right price. Even then, some of the nation’s top incoming freshmen, including wing AJ Dybantsa of Brigham Young University (BYU), center Cameron Boozer of Duke, and wing Caleb Wilson of North Carolina, are being paid millions of dollars even before ever stepping on a college court. Besides this, here are five teams that have been successful early on this season and could make a deep March Madness run, or even compete for a national championship.

Arizona Wildcats – Ranked Number 1 in Week 6 Associated Press (AP) Top 25

Arizona currently has one of the most well-rounded teams in the country, with six players averaging above nine points a game, with freshman Koa Peat being the current leading scorer on the team with approximately sixteen points a game. Arizona also has a good amount of veterans on the team, notably including senior guards Jaden Bradley and Anthony Dell’Orso, who both have been huge for the Wildcats in big games. Arizona looks to build off of their so-far undefeated start in hopes of making a deep playoff run, in which they very much have a good chance of doing so.

Michigan Wolverines – Ranked Number 2 in Week 6 AP Top 25

Michigan, safe to say, has been the most dominant team in the country by far. After squeezing out two close games against unranked opponents to begin the season, they have won their last six games by double-digit points. A big part of this has been thanks to three huge pickups in the previous transfer portal: forward Yaxel Lendeborg, guard Elliot Cadeau, and forward Morez Johnson Jr. Michigan, undefeated, will look to grow as the season progresses, as their tons of experience will allow them to be a dangerous team later on.

Duke Blue Devils – Ranked Number 3 in Week 6 AP Top 25

Duke, year in and year out, continues to be one of the nation’s top teams, and there is truly no way to get rid of them, as they only get better by the year. Last season, they were led by freshman sensation Cooper Flagg; this year, it is forward Cameron Boozer who is leading the charge for the Blue Devils. Duke also returns many players, including guards Isaiah Evans and Caleb Foster, who were a part of Duke’s team last season and were just one game away from the national championship. The Blue Devils will inevitably go far, but how far can their stars take them this season?

BYU Cougars – Ranked Number 10 in Week 6 AP Top 25

BYU was a team that made some noise last season by making a run all the way to the Sweet Sixteen in the March Madness tournament. Now, they return top guard Richie Saunders, while also adding the number one-rated freshman in his class, forward AJ Dybantsa, along with talented guard Robert Wright III, who transferred from Baylor University. Those three alone are a talented core, and with other solid role players to go along with the depth on the team, BYU surely looks to be a team to watch out for. They are currently 8–1, with their only loss coming to the University of Connecticut (UConn).

Florida Gators – Ranked Number 18 in Week 6 AP Top 25

The Florida Gators are the defending national champions, and although they have started shaky, this is a team to still watch out for come March. The Gators lost two of their stars from their previous season, guards Walter Clayton Jr. and Will Richard, to the National Basketball Association (NBA) draft. Even with this, they acquired transfers Xaivian Lee and Boogie Fland, both talented guards who look to fulfill the role left from the previous season. They have begun the season 5–4, with all four losses coming within six points or less, showing how this team is likely a couple of crucial plays away from being a top-five team in the country. To say the least, Florida has very talented guards and forwards, such as Thomas Haugh and Alex Condon, who are heavy contributors. Overall, the Gators have a fantastic shot of repeating as champions once they are able to develop true chemistry with one another.