Florida, Duke and Tennessee top early college basketball preseason rankings
A survey of nearly 100 Division I coaches places the Florida Gators at number one for the 2026-27 season, ahead of Duke and Tennessee.
Florida has been identified as the leading contender for the 2026-27 college basketball season in a new preseason survey conducted by CBS Sports. Journalists Matt Norlander and Gary Parrish polled nearly 100 men’s Division I coaches to determine the top teams, with the Florida Gators securing the number one spot by a significant margin. The poll, part of the annual “Candid Coaches” feature, offers an early look at the competitive landscape before the official USA Today preseason poll is released in October.
The Gators’ top ranking is underpinned by their retention of key personnel from the 2025-26 national title team. Florida brings back 81.8 per cent of its scoring from the previous season, including Thomas Haugh, Rueben Chinyelu and Alex Condon. Head coach Todd Golden is overseeing what is described as the most loaded roster of his career, with the team retaining 11 players from the squad that finished with a 36-4 record and a First Team All-American selection in Walter Clayton Jr.
Duke Blue Devils were ranked second, with coaches highlighting the depth of the roster and the potential of 17-year-old recruit Joaquim Boumtje Boumtje. The survey noted that while Florida possesses the strongest roster, Duke has a strong case for having the deepest, with Wisconsin transfer John Blackwell expected to lead scoring and Patrick Ngongba set to play a major role.
Tennessee Volunteers completed the top three, with head coach Rick Barnes viewed as a candidate to break through the Elite Eight ceiling. The Vols invested more than AUD $25 million in transfers to bolster their squad, a move that has generated optimism about their offensive capabilities and their ability to compete with Florida at the top of the SEC.
Other programmes receiving votes included Arizona, Louisville, Michigan State and Texas. UConn also garnered attention for its backcourt, while Illinois received fewer votes than anticipated following news that player David Mirkovic required foot surgery in early August. The survey results reflect a broad consensus among coaches ahead of the upcoming season.
