After a four-week hiatus from occupying the No. 1 spot, Houston (16-1) is back atop the AP poll after decisive victories over SMU and Cincinnati.
Purdue, who held the No. 1 spot over the past four weeks, dropped down to No. 3 after falling to Rutgers, its first loss of the season, on Jan. 2.
The Cougars previously held the No. 1 spot from Nov. 28 until the morning of Dec. 12, marking just the third time in program history that UH had occupied the top spot in the AP poll.
UH has won seven straight games since it suffered its only loss of the season to then ranked No. 8 Alabama.