Florida is set to snag that coveted preseason No. 1 spot for the first time since way back in 2006, and man, this college hoops season is already wild before it even tips off. The Gators are looking like the team to beat, period. They’re bringing back four starters from a squad that not only earned a No. 1 seed in the 2026 NCAA Tournament but also won the whole national title the year before that. Yeah, you read that right: champions.
The Gators Are Loaded and Ready to Roll
You want to talk talent? Florida is stacked. Boogie Fland, Thomas Haugh, Alex Condon, Rueben Chinyelu, and Urban Klavzar are all back after winning 27 games last season. That’s a lineup that demands respect. And get this: Denzel Aberdeen, who pulled off a wild transfer from Florida to Kentucky and then back to Florida this offseason, is eligible to play after getting a temporary injunction last month. With Aberdeen in the mix, their starting five is arguably the most talented in all of college basketball. They’re going to pull in a majority of those first-place votes, no question.
Eligibility Headaches Are Making Preseason Predictions a Nightmare
But here’s where things get wild, and why this preseason poll is a total headache to nail down. This 2026-27 season is especially crazy because so many teams have key players whose eligibility is up in the air due to pending “five-for-five” lawsuits. Keeping track of who’s in and who’s out, sometimes changing day-by-day, has been an absolute nightmare. Take Texas Tech for example. If Donovan Atwell, Darrion Williams, and Jamichael Stillwell all get granted their fifth year, the Red Raiders are easily a consensus top 10 team. But because of that eligibility drama, they’re projected way down at No. 23. Who knows how the voters will even factor that kind of uncertainty into their decisions? Texas Tech isn’t alone either, this eligibility limbo is swinging teams a half-dozen spots in projections all over the place. Despite all that, Duke and Illinois are still widely expected to lock down the No. 2 and No. 3 spots right behind Florida.
We know the official AP preseason Top 25 poll is dropping on Monday, and it’s going to kick off what should be a seriously exciting college basketball season. You absolutely need to be ready for it.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by CBS Sports.
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