Florida basketball cracks top 10 list as most popular college team in country

Florida basketball has enjoyed a meteoric rise in four seasons under head coach Todd Golden, winning an SEC Tournament and national title in year three in 2025 and SEC regular season title in 2026. As a result, the Florida Gators have raised their national profile on the hardwood. According to a Nielsen survey, Florida ranks as the 10th most popular college basketball program in the country, based on a combination of viewership and social media engagement from Nov.

1, 2025, through March 8, 2026. Social media channels in the survey included Facebook and Instagram, while TV Networks included ABC, CBS, CNBC, CW, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, FOX, FS1, FS2, ION, NBC, TRUTV, TNT and USA. Florida is one of three SEC teams in the Top 10, joining Kentucky (2) and Arkansas (6).

Duke came in as the most popular college program in the survey. The rise of the Florida basketball brand began when Lon Kruger guided UF to its first Final Four trip in 1994 and continued during the Billy Donovan era, when the Hall of Fame coach led the Gators to four Final Four trips and two national titles from 1996-2015. Golden has taken UF to similar lofty heights which has resulted in the Gators being featured on national platforms ranging from TNT to FS1 to ESPN to ABC.

UF's Valentine's Day matchup with Kentucky on ABC drew 1. 8 million viewers, the most for a game on the network since the 2008-09 season. The regular season rematch between the Gators and Wildcats at Rupp Arena on March 7 on ESPN drew 1.