# Preseason college men’s basketball rankings

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/preseason-college-mens-basketball-rankings
> Updated: 2026-10-19T15:59:39.000Z. Sources: 15. Developments: 2.

Preseason college men’s basketball rankings have been released by major outlets, highlighting different leaders. KenPom’s preseason rankings placed the Duke Blue Devils at the top, followed by the Florida Gators in second and the Houston Cougars in third. Ken Pomeroy noted that rankings were particularly difficult to determine this year due to “questions regarding player eligibility.”

In the Associated Press (AP) preseason poll, the Florida Gators have been ranked No. 1, receiving 47 of the 59 first-place votes. This marks the first time Florida has opened the season ranked first since 2006, following a period of success that included a national championship in 2025. Coach Todd Golden’s squad benefits from roster continuity, returning players such as Thomas Haugh, Alex Condon, Rueben Chinyelu, and Boogie Fland, alongside Denzel Aberdeen, who has been granted eligibility for a fifth season.

Duke follows Florida in the AP poll with 10 first-place votes, while Illinois holds the third position. The AP report noted that reigning national champion Michigan dropped to 16th following the departure of key players and coaching staff to the NBA.

## Claims

- Florida is ranked No. 1 in the preseason men's college basketball poll. (corroborated by 4 sources)
- Florida received 47 of the 59 first-place votes in the preseason poll. (corroborated by 4 sources)
- Duke is ranked No. 2 in the preseason poll and received 10 first-place votes. (corroborated by 4 sources)
- Illinois is ranked No. 3 in the preseason poll. (corroborated by 4 sources)
- Reigning champion Michigan is ranked 16th in the preseason poll. (single source)

## Timeline

### 2026-10-19: Florida tops preseason AP men's basketball poll

Florida is ranked No. 1 in the preseason AP men's basketball poll, receiving 47 first-place votes ahead of Duke and Illinois.

9 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/florida-ranked-no-1-in-preseason-ap-mens-basketball-poll

### 2026-10-11: KenPom releases preseason college basketball rankings

KenPom's preseason college basketball rankings place Duke at No. 1 and Florida at No. 2, with eight SEC teams appearing in the top 25.

6 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/kenpom-releases-preseason-college-basketball-rankings

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Cite as: Preseason college men’s basketball rankings. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/preseason-college-mens-basketball-rankings