Florida is Preseason No. 1 in Top 25 And 1, cbssports.com reports

Florida opens the 2026-27 college basketball season as the preseason No. 1 team in the Top 25 And 1 rankings, cbssports.com reported. The Gators return six of their top seven scorers from a squad that won the Southeastern Conference by multiple games and claimed a No. 1 seed in the 2026 NCAA Tournament.

Top 25 Teams Begin College Basketball Season

The 2026-27 college basketball season starts for most teams on Monday, Nov. 2, 2026, at 9:10 a.m. ET. Opening day features reigning national champion Michigan, preseason No. 1 Florida, and 18 other teams listed in the Top 25 And 1 taking the floor.

Florida faces Miami on Monday in the only opening-day matchup featuring two teams ranked in the top 20 of the Top 25 And 1. Miami enters the season ranked 19th.

Houston and Texas Tech Enter Final Rankings

Houston enters the final preseason rankings at No. 15. The Cougars are attempting to secure an eighth trip to the NCAA Tournament’s Sweet 16 next March, continuing a stark turnaround under Kelvin Sampson following a 35-year absence from that stage.

Texas Tech enters the final update at No. 17 after a turbulent offseason defined by constant court cases and injunctions. Grant McCasland’s roster construction stabilized enough to include the eventual return of 2025 Big 12 Player of the Year JT Toppin, prompting the addition of the Red Raiders to the rankings. Texas Tech opens its schedule Monday against Jackson State before facing a test against Illinois a week from Tuesday.

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