A fun race has evolved for the No. 1 seeds

Four, five, even six teams had valid claims and evidence they should be No. 1 in today's polls.

But that's a vapid, empty debate which means nothing in regard to what's really important: who's lining themselves up for a 1-seed. Regardless, the chatter of the rankings is ironically inevitable at a time of year when rankings couldn't mean less. It's already happened for the duration of the past 24 hours in preparation for the polls' release. And I've been cranky about the wasted talk on No. 1 before. So let me do my best to steer the conversation toward March — anybody home? Selection Sunday is 20 days away — where we've got quite a horse race developing for the overall No. 1 seed and the other three that will join atop the quadrants.
This is turning into a really fun chase for the top seeds. Let's look at the evidence collected and compare resumes.
San Diego State (27-1). The only one-loss team left in college basketball. I love when a non-Big Six team makes a run (and gets) a 1-seed. Fortunately, no one considers SDSU a fraud, which is refreshing. You know the only loss is to Brigham Young. The best wins are against Gonzaga, Wichita State, Saint Mary's and a sweep of UNLV. Strength of schedule is 41 and it is 3-1 against the top 50.
Brigham Young (27-2). The Aztecs and the Jimmers meet this Saturday to decide who gets the inauguration for the 1-seed bid out of the Mountain West. If SDSU wins and remains a one-loss team, the Cougars will play for a 2 at best, one they can get if the win the MWC tournament. BYU's SOS: 31. Record against the top 50: 6-1. Utah State, Saint Mary's, Arizona, a sweep of UNLV and that win over SDSU is what this team boasts; other loss is to UCLA. Saturday's going to be great. Parrish will be on site to write about it.
Duke (25-2). Duke's been expectantly slashing teams (exception: North Carolina) since it was humbled in a public, uncomfortable fashion against St. John's three weeks ago. Its SOS is 43rd, and it's 6-2 against the top 50, but only has one top-25 game. Nolan Smith (above) and the Blue Devils definitely aren't a shoo-in right now. Their win tally over notable teams reads like a standard bubble watch: Marquette, Kansas State, Michigan State, Butler, UAB, Maryland, Boston College, North Carolina.
Ohio State (25-2). No doubt OSU's still a 1-seed as of today. That's across-the-board thinking, right? The Buckeyes' two losses have come to teams who haven't dropped a home game this season. Way to pick your spots, guys. Wins over likely/possible tournament teams include Florida, Morehead State, Florida State, Oakland, Illinois, Purdue, Michigan State (who hasn't beaten MSU?) and a sweep of Minnesota. That 24-0 start has tremendous shelf life. It's going to take four losses, minimum, for the Bucks to bump to the 2 line. SOS: 28; 9-2 vs. top 50.
Kansas (25-2). Jayhawks lose at home to Texas and on the road to K-State and somehow they're lost in the shuffle, don't you feel? Bill Self's team has defeated Arizona, UCLA, Missouri ... oh, and not much else. And I now we see why. Memphis, Valpo, Colorado State and middling Big 12 teams are cast across KU's slate. 'Hawks are 7-2 against the top 50, but won two of only three games against top 25 foes. It's still plenty 1-seed-worthy, don't get me wrong, but other teams have better cases as of today, even if Kansas is rated at the top in the overrated RPI. Good news is, KU's in no danger of dropping below 2; it shoots the ball better than anyone in the country. Teams don't lose that ability late in the year, in terms of multi-game stretches.
Pittsburgh (24-3). The Panthers have beaten more quality teams than anyone in the field, and they remain above the toughest conference in the country — that's why they're still a 1 as of today. Pitt's gone 10-3 against the top 50 and 7-1 against top-25 teams. Its strength of schedule is only 26th, but that's the second-highest of any team listed here. The win over 1-seed contender Texas is the most vital. No bad losses also will be handy.
Texas (23-4). Funny how so many still consider a four-loss team to be the best in the nation right now. Nothing wrong with it, but I am a bit surprised. Would I have Texas as a 1 today? That's a tough call. I think your seeding should be as much about what you did, who you beat, what you proved, how you tested yourself (and needed to almost universally pass those tests) as it is how good you are as of Selection Sunday. Texas' SOS is 39th with a 7-3 record against the top 100. Losses to Pittsburgh, Connecticut and Nebraska are by an average of two points. The 73-56 loss to USC defines aberration. Illinois, Michigan State, at Kansas, a sweep of A&M and beating Missouri is Texas' scalp collection. This is a team more impressive in numbers and on-screen domination than schedule.
Purdue (22-5). Oh, you better believe it. Now, the Boilermakers are the furthest out in the 1-seed solar system, but that win over Ohio State puts them in this conversation, my conversation. Previous to that win was a beatdown of Wisconsin. Well-played, Matt Painter. Oakland, Virginia Tech, Alabama and Valpo are all non-con conquests for Purdue. They're also all bubble teams. But the Boilers have the 11th-toughest schedule in the country, putting them tops in these digs. Purdue is 7-5 against the top 50 and 2-3 against the top 25. Only Pittsburgh's taken on a higher dose of respectable opponents. It'll take other teams falling around them, but the Boilermakers are now in position to make a late-season sprint toward a 1. A Big Ten tournament title is definitely part of the equation.