CBS Sports’ Matt Norlander didn’t mince words when he sized up Florida’s frontcourt, calling the Gators the best in college basketball. He went even further, labeling Florida one of the strongest preseason No. 1 teams in the last 15 years.
That kind of praise lands because of who Florida is bringing back. Thomas Haugh, Rueben Chinyelu and Alex Condon form a veteran front line that is expected to drive everything for the Gators this season. In Norlander’s view, that group isn’t just good - it has a chance to be the top trio in the country.
For Florida, the talent is obvious. Now comes the part that matters most: turning that roster into another national title in the Todd Golden era. Golden, the 2026 SEC Coach of the Year, has plenty on the line this season, but he believes this group has the makeup to deliver.
Haugh leads the way with a résumé that already stands out. He enters the season as a preseason All-American and has been appearing on list after list around the country.
After earning First-team All-SEC and consensus second-team All-American honors a year ago, he returns with even more expectations. He also has a National Championship in 2025 on his ledger, and the 23-year-old has built a case as one of the best players in the country.
Chinyelu gives Florida its defensive edge. In an era defined by pace and scoring, he brings the kind of rim protection and physical presence that can change games. The 23-year-old was named Second-team All-SEC in 2026, landed on the SEC All-Defensive Team and was also selected as the SEC Defensive Player of the Year.
Condon is right there with them, and his rise has been one of the better stories on the roster. The 22-year-old Australian was named to the SEC All-Freshman Team in 2024 and has made the All-SEC Third Team in each of the last two seasons. He gives Florida another polished, proven piece in the frontcourt.
What makes this group so unusual is the continuity. The three have been playing together for a while, and in this era that’s not something many teams can say. Norlander pointed out that they’re in rare company, noting they are one of only three trios in the last 35 years to each average 10-plus points, six-plus rebounds and one-plus blocks in a season.
Florida, in other words, has more than just a big-name frontcourt. It has a seasoned one. And after the sting of being upset by Iowa in the NCAA Tournament in March, Haugh, Chinyelu and Condon are back with a point to prove.
In Other News...
Floridas Georgia Game Just Got A Lot More Unsettling
The quarterback picture for Florida heading into the Georgia game has turned murky fast, with both Aaron Philio and Tramell Jones Jr. listed as questionable because of injuries. Jon Sumrall said both practiced this week, but Jones is also dealing with new bumps and bruises, which leaves the Gators in a far less stable place than they hoped to be this late in the buildup.
If neither is able to go, Florida would be forced to turn to Aidan Warner or Will Griffin, a depth chart twist that changes the feel of the week immediately. The Gators are already sorting through a longer injury list on both sides for the Oct. 31 game in Atlanta, so the health questions around their top two quarterbacks may end up shaping everything about how they approach one of the seasons biggest stages. [Read more 🡒]
Florida-Georgia Just Lost The Rivalry Feeling Fans Loved Most
For the first time in 31 years, the Georgia-Florida game will not be in Jacksonville, and that alone changes the feel of one of college footballs most familiar rivalry weeks. With construction ongoing at EverBank Stadium, this years matchup moves to Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, with the schools splitting tickets evenly and the game already set to land in Tampa in 2027 before shifting back to Jacksonville through 2031. It is still Georgia-Florida, still one of the sports annual touchstones, but the setting is different enough to make everyone notice.
What made the rivalry special for so many fans and former players was never just the game itself, but everything wrapped around it in Jacksonville: the tailgating, the beach trips, the crossover atmosphere that turned a football weekend into a tradition. Moving the matchup strips away a lot of that familiar backdrop, even if the stakes on the field remain unchanged, and it leaves both fan bases adjusting to a version of the rivalry that feels a little less like the one they grew up with. [Read more 🡒]
Florida-Georgia In Atlanta Just Created A New Rivalry Debate
The annual Florida-Georgia game is taking an unusual detour this fall, with the rivalry shifting to Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta on Oct. 31 while EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville undergoes renovations. For a series that has long been defined by its neutral-site setup and the familiar split of fans along the St. Johns River, the move changes the feel of one of college footballs most recognizable weekends.
There has not been any sign of waning interest, though. Ticket prices are running higher than usual, Florida already has sold out its allotment, and both schools will still come away with a $7.5 million payout from AMB Sports and Entertainment. The bigger question now is whether a rivalry built on tradition can feel the same in a different city, even if the crowd and the money remain very much in place. [Read more 🡒]