Florida keeps showing up in the same place.
No. 1.
The Gators topped Blue Ribbon's newly released preseason Top 25 on Thursday, placing Todd Golden's team ahead of Duke, Illinois, Michigan State and Arizona entering the 2026-27 college basketball season.
At this point, the ranking itself isn't particularly surprising.
The reasoning behind it might be.
Florida returns the majority of its offensive production from the past two seasons, including senior forward Thomas Haugh, who enters the season as a legitimate National Player of the Year candidate.
One coach recently offered CBS Sports an especially strong assessment of the roster.
"I think there's no excuse for Florida to not sit at No. 1 most of the year," the coach said.
That is quite a standard.
It's also becoming a common one.
Blue Ribbon's top 10:
- Florida
- Duke
- Illinois
- Michigan State
- Arizona
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Houston
- Arkansas
- UConn
Florida isn't merely expected to contend.
The Gators are increasingly being treated as the team everyone else is chasing.
Florida Has Something Most Elite Teams Don't
Continuity has become increasingly difficult to find in college basketball. The transfer portal, NBA Draft and expanding financial opportunities can transform rosters every offseason.
Florida managed to retain a substantial portion of its core.
That matters.
Haugh gives Golden a proven veteran centerpiece, while the Gators' frontcourt depth could become one of the defining characteristics of the team.
There are talented rosters throughout the country.
Duke will have another collection of elite players.
Illinois is generating enormous preseason buzz after its Final Four run.
Michigan State remains Michigan State.
Houston rarely needs much introduction anymore.
Yet Florida has landed atop multiple early rankings because the Gators combine high-end talent with players who already understand what Golden wants.
That can be a major advantage in November and December.
It could also create one of the biggest regular-season games of the year.
Florida-Duke Could Become A No. 1 vs. No. 2 Game
Circle the SEC/ACC Challenge. Florida is scheduled to host Duke in Gainesville. Blue Ribbon has Florida No. 1 and Duke No. 2.
If both teams survive the opening portion of their schedules, the matchup could arrive with the top two teams in America sharing the same floor.
That's the type of December game that can shape the national conversation for months.
Florida will have plenty of opportunities to prove itself after that.
The SEC remains loaded.
Blue Ribbon placed Tennessee, Texas and Arkansas inside its top 10, while several other conference programs are expected to enter the season nationally ranked.
There won't be many easy nights.
That's why preseason No. 1 is both a compliment and a challenge.
Florida won't sneak up on anybody.
Every road environment will be louder. Every opponent will arrive believing a win over the Gators can define its season.
Golden's team has earned that attention. Now comes the difficult part.
Living up to it.
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