Most of the past NCAA Tournament champions were ranked in the top 12 of the AP poll 7 weeks before the first week of the tournament. Since the tournament expanded to 64 teams in 1985, only 5 out of 34 eventual champions were not ranked so. And if we ignore the first four crazy years, only 2 of the last 30 champions were not in the top 12 seven weeks before the tournament.
The following table shows the AP Poll rank for the championship team each week leading up to the post-season.
| Year | Champ | T-7 | T-6 | T-5 | T-4 | T-3 | T-2 | T-1 |
| 2018 | Villanova | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 2 |
| 2017 | North Carolina | 9 | 12 | 8 | 10 | 8 | 5 | 6 |
| 2016 | Villanova | 6 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 3 |
| 2015 | Duke | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 2 |
| 2014 | Connecticut | NR | 22 | 24 | 21 | NR | 19 | 21 |
| 2013 | Louisville | 12 | 11 | 12 | 10 | 10 | 8 | 4 |
| 2012 | Kentucky | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 2011 | Connecticut | 5 | 6 | 10 | 13 | 14 | 16 | 21 |
| 2010 | Duke | 8 | 10 | 8 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 4 |
| 2009 | North Carolina | 5 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 1 |
| 2008 | Kansas | 2 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 6 | 5 | 4 |
| 2007 | Florida | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 6 |
| 2006 | Florida | 5 | 8 | 7 | 10 | 12 | 17 | 11 |
| 2005 | North Carolina | 3 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| 2004 | Connecticut | 6 | 5 | 5 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 9 |
| 2003 | Syracuse | 24 | 19 | 17 | 15 | 15 | 12 | 11 |
| 2002 | Maryland | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 4 |
| 2001 | Duke | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 3 |
| 2000 | Michigan State | 8 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 7 | 5 | 2 |
| 1999 | Connecticut | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 3 |
| 1998 | Kentucky | 7 | 7 | 8 | 7 | 8 | 7 | 7 |
| 1997 | Arizona | 11 | 10 | 14 | 11 | 13 | 15 | 12 |
| 1996 | Kentucky | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| 1995 | UCLA | 4 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| 1994 | Arkansas | 5 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 1993 | North Carolina | 3 | 6 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 1 |
| 1992 | Duke | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 1991 | Duke | 9 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 7 | 8 | 6 |
| 1990 | UNLV | 5 | 12 | 9 | 7 | 4 | 2 | 3 |
| 1989 | Michigan | 10 | 11 | 10 | 13 | 13 | 10 | 8 |
| 1988 | Kansas | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR |
| 1987 | Indiana | 3 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
| 1986 | Louisville | 13 | 18 | 16 | 19 | 16 | 13 | 11 |
| 1985 | Villanova | 14 | 18 | 19 | 16 | NR | NR | NR |
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