By JAMES MADDEN
Florida and Duke headline ESPN’s way-too-early poll headed into the 2026-27 season.
Florida, who’s set to return the majority of its scoring from last season’s team that went 27-8 and earned a top seed, checks in at No. 1
Aside from Duke, who’s fresh off an Elite Eight appearance, and Illinois, who reached the Final Four and checks in at No. 3, the remainder of ESPN’s list is consisted of power-five teams.
Florida
Duke
Illinois
UConn
Michigan
Tennessee
Texas
St. John’s
Michigan State
Arizona
Arkansas
USC
Louisville
Virginia
Alabama
Houston
Kentucky
Miami
Gonzaga
Vanderbilt
Missouri
Nebraska
Kansas
Iowa State
North Carolina
Should Florida be ranked as the official preseason No. 1 overall team, it would be the program’s second time achieving it and first since 2006.
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