Florida is No. 1 in preseason AP men's basketball poll ahead of Duke, Illinois
In short
Florida was named No. 1 in the preseason Associated Press Top 25 men's college basketball poll, receiving 47 of 59 first-place votes. Duke was second with 10 first-place votes and Illinois third with the other two. Coach Todd Golden said the Gators have been No. 1 before and want the program to expect that.
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Florida was named No. 1 in the preseason Associated Press Top 25 men's college basketball poll on Monday, the Boston Globe and Newsweek reported. The Gators received 47 of the 59 first-place votes from a panel of national media. Duke received 10 first-place votes and was second, and Illinois received the other two and was third. Reuters's headline described Florida as the runaway No. 1 team. [ 2 , 3 , 4 ]
Newsweek reported that UConn and Arizona round out the top five. Michigan State is No. 6, followed by Texas, Tennessee, Virginia and Houston to complete the top 10. Newsweek described Michigan as the defending national champion and said it enters the season at No. 16, with Kansas at No. 17 and Kentucky at No. 23. [ 4 ]
The Boston Globe said it is the first time coach Todd Golden's team has been on top since the final poll in 2025, after it beat Houston to give the school its third national championship. Newsweek said it is the first time since 2006 that the program has opened a season atop the national rankings. Golden said of the ranking: "It's cool, but like, we've been No. 1 before. We won a national championship before. That's what I want our program to expect." [ 3 , 4 ]
The Gators started last season at No. 3 but fell out of the poll entirely by early January, the Globe reported. They then won the Southeastern Conference regular-season championship, but Iowa beat them in the second round of the NCAA Tournament, where they were a No. 1 seed. Newsweek said Florida won 27 games in 2025-26. Golden said he thinks the team is more prepared this year for early-season expectations than it was last year. [ 3 , 4 ]
Thomas Haugh, Alex Condon, Rueben Chinyelu and Denzel Aberdeen all played on the national title team, the Globe said. Aberdeen returns after a year at Kentucky and is among the players the courts have granted another season of eligibility. The Globe also said some teams still do not know who will be eligible as court cases play out. Newsweek listed Boogie Fland among the returning contributors and said Duke returns several key players from a team that earned a No. 1 seed last season, while Illinois is looking to build on its first Final Four appearance since 2005. [ 3 , 4 ]
Why it matters
The poll sets the starting rankings for the 2026-27 college basketball season. Coverage notes that roster turnover is common and that some teams still do not know who will be eligible while court cases play out.
Key facts
- Florida was named No. 1 in the preseason AP Top 25 men's college basketball poll. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]
- The Gators received 47 of the 59 first-place votes from a panel of national media. [ 3 , 4 ]
- Duke was second with 10 first-place votes, and Illinois was third with the other two. [ 3 , 4 ]
- UConn and Arizona round out the top five, followed by Michigan State at No. 6, Newsweek reported. [ 4 ]
- Florida won the SEC regular-season title last season but lost to Iowa in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. [ 3 , 4 ]
- Thomas Haugh, Alex Condon, Rueben Chinyelu and Denzel Aberdeen all played on Florida's 2025 national title team. [ 3 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- Florida is No. 1 in the preseason AP Top 25 men's college basketball poll. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]
- Duke is second and Illinois third; Florida received 47 of 59 first-place votes, Duke 10 and Illinois two. [ 3 , 4 ]
- Florida won the SEC title last season and was eliminated by Iowa in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. [ 3 , 4 ]
Still unclear
- How long it has been since Florida last held the top spot. The Boston Globe says it is the first time Golden's team has been on top since the final poll in 2025, while Newsweek says it is the first time since 2006 that the program opened a season atop the rankings; each is a single-outlet statement.
- Which players will be eligible for some teams this season. The Boston Globe says some teams still do not know who will be eligible as court cases play out.