Florida Gators Top 2026-27 Preseason Rankings After Retaining Three
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- Florida Gators are ranked No. 1 in the CBS Sports Top 25 And 1 preseason rankings, with FanDuel listing them at +600 to win the 2027 NCAA Tournament (tied with Duke).
- Thomas Haugh, projected as a top-25 pick, returned to Florida alongside Alex Condon and Naismith Defensive Player of the Year Rueben Chinyelu — a retention haul the article calls unprecedented in the pre-NIL era.
- Rueben Chinyelu was one of only 14 Division I players to average a double-double last season (10.9 points, 11.2 rebounds), anchoring a frontcourt the article calls 'the best and most terrifying in the sport.'
- Denzel Aberdeen's eligibility for 2026-27 hinges on a Colorado court injunction granting a fifth season to players from the high school Class of 2022; if cleared, he projects as Florida's fifth starter.
- Boogie Fland is projected as Florida's starting point guard after his shooting from the floor improved from 37.9% to 44.7% year-over-year, though his 3-point percentage dropped to 24%.
- Urban Klavzar, the SEC Sixth Man of the Year, knocked down 71 three-pointers off the bench last season and is projected to start alongside Fland unless Aberdeen is cleared.
- Florida's nonconference slate features a home game against Duke in the ACC/SEC Challenge, with SEC play opening Jan. 2, 2026 against Texas.
Why it matters: Florida's decision to retain three projected first-round picks in the NIL era sets up a credible shot at the program's second national title in three seasons, with +600 championship odds tied for the best in college basketball. The lingering eligibility question for Denzel Aberdeen — tied to a Colorado injunction — could shift Florida's rotation but does not alter their status as preseason favorites.
