Florida opens the 2026-27 season at the top of the AP preseason poll, and the Gators arrive there with a résumé that convinced voters they belong. They picked up 47 of 59 first-place votes after winning the SEC regular-season title last season and bringing back several pieces from their 2025 national championship team.
Duke sits right behind Florida at No. 2, powered by 10 first-place votes, while Illinois landed the other two and checks in at No. 3.
UConn, which reached the national championship game, is fourth, and Arizona follows at No. 5 after making the Final Four. The early top five reflects just how much last season’s postseason run still shapes the way voters see the sport.
Florida’s ranking, though, comes with a built-in warning. The Gators opened last season at No. 3, dropped out of the poll during a rough stretch, and eventually were knocked out by Iowa in the second round of the NCAA Tournament as a No. 1 seed.
This year’s group has been through both sides of the experience - the title run and the quick March exit - and that’s a big reason voters put them on top. Thomas Haugh, Alex Condon and Rueben Chinyelu are back, and Denzel Aberdeen returns after spending last season at Kentucky.
Kentucky has a storyline of its own at No. 23.
The Wildcats are now up to 998 AP poll appearances, leaving them two more from becoming the first program to reach 1,000. Vanderbilt, meanwhile, lands at No. 24 and is back in the preseason Top 25 for the first time since 2015.
BYU rounds out the poll at No. 25.
One notable absence is Purdue. The Boilermakers drew votes, but not enough to stay ranked, ending their streak at 79 straight weeks in the AP Top 25.
Houston now owns the longest active run, according to the AP. Missouri and Nebraska were the top teams outside the rankings, positioned to push into the mix early.
The full preseason AP Top 25 runs from Florida at No. 1 through Vanderbilt at No. 24, with BYU closing the list at No. 25.
In Other News...
Kansas Just Added A Purdue Veteran Bill Self Can Actually Use
Trey Kaufman-Renns college career has taken a surprising turn after five seasons at Purdue, where he developed into one of the Big Tens most experienced and decorated forwards. The veteran big man brings a rsum that includes first-team All-Big Ten honors and honorable mention All-American recognition, along with the kind of NCAA Tournament exposure programs value when the calendar turns and the games get tighter.
Kansas now has a proven frontcourt piece in the fold, and the timing is notable given the uncertainty around his next step. A court ruling opened the door for him to keep playing while his case against the NCAA moves forward, giving Bill Self another seasoned option to lean on as the Jayhawks try to add more stability and depth inside. [Read more 🡒]
Purdue Suddenly Has Two Problems It Can't Ignore
Purdue came out of its matchup with Washington having done the hard part on defense, only to watch the offense give away the edge. The Boilermakers forced five turnovers, but they could manage only six points off those takeaways, a frustrating waste in a game where hidden yardage and field position should have mattered far more.
The defensive side had its own setback when Hiduri Hines was lost early, and Washington took advantage with a steady stream of explosive plays. Barry Odom pointed to trouble up front and a running game that never found traction, two issues Purdue cannot afford to let linger if it wants to turn recent takeaways into actual wins. [Read more 🡒]
Purdue Looked Very Different And Still Gave Fans Plenty To Debate
Purdues first exhibition without Braden Smith, Fletcher Loyer and Trey Kaufman-Renn brought a noticeably different look, but it still produced plenty for fans to chew on in an 87-55 win over Ball State. The Boilermakers leaned hard into perimeter shooting and, by the end of the night, the offense felt built around a style that looked less familiar and more spread out than what Purdue supporters have been used to seeing.
There were also a few individual performances worth sorting through as the staff begins to define roles for this new group. Daniel Jacobsen, in particular, flashed the kind of all-around impact that can change the conversation around the frontcourt, and his minutes gave the building an early glimpse of how much versatility Purdue may be able to tap into this season. [Read more 🡒]