Where Florida ranks among this year's NCAA Tournament teams
The Florida Gators enter the NCAA Tournament among the top five teams, but you might be surprised who ranks higher heading into March Madness.
The Florida Gators enter the 2026 NCAA Tournament among the No. 1 seeds for the second year in a row, but are they really one of the top four teams in this year's edition of March Madness? The USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll , AP Top 25 , ESPN's Basketball Power Index and KenPom all agree that Todd Golden's team is the fourth-best squad in the country heading into the Big Dance.
However, CBS Sports writer Matt Norlander disagrees with the polls and the objective rankings, and considers the Orange and Blue to be the fifth-best in the tournament according to his No. 1 to No. 68 rankings , sitting one spot behind the team it beat for the national title last year: the Houston Cougars.
"The reigning champions have the best frontcourt in college basketball. Alex Condon, Thomas Haugh, Rueben Chinyelu and Micah Handlogten are a matchup nightmare, collectively, and have turned Florida into the best rebounding team overall in college hoops," Norlander begins. "Monsters on the glass.
Physical as the day is long. Haugh's instincts and motor are ridiculous. Chinyelu might be the best defender in college hoops," he continues.