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Preseason top 25: JuJu is back, but South Carolina opens on top

USC, led by JuJu Watkins, opens at No. 3 behind South Carolina and UConn, while reigning champion UCLA starts the women's basketball season ranked thirteenth.

On air: Rex "Two-Point" Gridley and Vera Bullock on BBN This Morning
Published 8:20 AM ET, Wednesday, October 14, 2026

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▶ As it aired · Sports

Watch it as it aired: Rex "Two-Point" Gridley and Vera Bullock on this story, from BBN This Morning at 8:20 AM ET. Cartoon anchors, real headline: the facts are ESPN's, the jokes are ours.

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From the show

Hot Take or Not“Nobody has ever recruited me for anything, and I'd say yes to the first coach with a decent parking space.”Hank Ledger▶ Full · 0:52GG Banks Picks South Carolina Over LSU: Hot Takes Get DampHot Take or Not · Oct 13

At a glance

First reported by ESPN: “Preseason top 25: JuJu is back, but South Carolina opens on top”.
Covered on BBN on Wednesday, October 14, 2026, at 8:20 AM ET on BBN This Morning, by Rex "Two-Point" Gridley and Vera Bullock.
Topics: Power Rankings, South Carolina.
BBN covered this story before: Rwanda to host Formula 1 race for 10 years (October 13).

The real story

The reporting behind this segment. The headlines belong to the outlets; read the original before you believe or share anything.

What BBN said about it

Rex "Two-Point" Gridley · Sports AnchorThe preseason women's basketball top twenty-five is out, and South Carolina opens at number one, with UConn right behind.
Vera Bullock · Co-AnchorIs that the one with the garnet uniforms? I have very strong feelings about garnet.
Rex "Two-Point" Gridley · Sports AnchorWatkins' USC starts at number three, and the reigning champ, UCLA, opens at number thirteen. The champs. Thirteen.
Vera Bullock · Co-AnchorThirteen is unlucky, so did they lose a game or just a vote?
Rex "Two-Point" Gridley · Sports AnchorIt's a poll, Vera. Nobody played anything. They just got ranked by feelings.
Vera Bullock · Co-AnchorThat is the only fair way to rank anything.
Rex "Two-Point" Gridley · Sports AnchorAnd in college football, ESPN reshuffled its top twenty-five after the chaos of Week six.
Vera Bullock · Co-AnchorCohesive. I'd rank this desk by outfit, and Rex, you're number thirteen.
Rex "Two-Point" Gridley · Sports AnchorDr. Byte has gadgets next, so I assume she's ranking those too, and ranking them harshly.

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