The Associated Press has been doing college basketball polls since 1949. Using a formula based on factors like frequency of being ranked, number of times in the top 10, number of times being ranked No. 1, the AP has compiled its all-time rankings over the last 68 years. It's certainly not a rock-solid, fool-proof formula, but it is a good conversation starter as to the relative overall strength of college hoops programs.
Ohio State, of course, has dipped the last couple years, but overall--is still considered--if you buy into the AP formula--as one of the better programs nationally, coming in No. 12 in the rankings. Here's a snap-shot of what the AP research said about the Buckeyes:
No. 12: Ohio State
Total appearances: 33.1% of all polls
First appearance: Feb. 8, 1949
No.1 ranking: 37
Best full decade: 1960s, appeared in 45.21% of polls, but so far on pace to top that in the 2010s.
Worst full decade: 1950s, appeared in 17.04% of polls.
Poll point: Nearly 40 percent of the Buckeyes’ poll appearances have come since Thad Matta’s arrival as head coach in 2004.
When the rankings were released Wednesday, Ohio State quickly got the word out on social media. The Buckeye program is No. 3 in the Big Ten behind Indiana (No. 6) and Illinois (No. 11). OSU is just ahead of rivals Michigan State and Michigan which are No. 13 and No. 14 respectively.
Interestingly, however, the Buckeyes---according to the AP formula--are not No. 1 in Ohio. That distinction belongs to Cincinnati which checked in at No. 10.
No. 10 Cincinnati
Total appearances: 35.81% of all polls
First appearance: Jan. 18, 1949 (first-ever poll)
No.1 ranking: 45
Best full decade: 1990s, appeared in 61.25% of polls.
Worst full decade: 1980s, didn’t appear in a single poll during the decade.
Poll point: The Bearcats are the top “mid-major” appearing more times than any other program not currently in a Power 5 conference.
How much stock you put into the all-time rankings is up to you--but--for what it's worth, here's the AP's all-time top 25.
1) Kentucky
2) North Carolina
3) Duke
4) UCLA
5) Kansas
6) Indiana
7) Louisville
8) Arizona
9) Syracuse
10) Cincinnati
11) Illinois
12) Ohio State
13) Michigan State
14) Michigan
15) Georgetown
16) Connecticut
17) Maryland
18) Notre Dame
19) Villanova
20) Oklahoma
21) North Carolina State
22) Marquette
23) Iowa
24) Purdue
25) UNLV