As Florida men’s basketball continues to strengthen its position among the nation’s top teams, the Gators’ undefeated start has earned them another No. 1 ranking.
After an impressive wire-to-wire nine-point road win over in-state rival Florida State, the Gators claimed the top spot in CBS Sports’ latest men’s college basketball power rankings, benefiting from a chaotic week in which multiple highly ranked programs suffered early-season defeats.
Florida’s rise comes after No. 2 Duke and No. 3 Illinois both suffered losses Tuesday, marking the first time in 20 years that two teams ranked inside the top three of the AP Top 25 lost.
Duke fell to No. 5 Michigan State in the Champions Classic, while Illinois struggled to overcome an early 20-point deficit
against No. 16 Texas Tech. Those results created movement near the top of the national landscape, but Florida’s early-season resume has given CBS Sports plenty of reason to keep the Gators at No. 1.
The Gators have already secured victories over Miami and Florida State, with their latest win coming in a challenging road environment against the Seminoles.
Todd Golden and Co. also have an opportunity to solidify their standing in the coming weeks, with a highly anticipated matchup against Duke looming on the schedule.
While Florida holds the top position, several other programs made significant statements. Michigan State, Texas Tech, and Vanderbilt emerged as three of the biggest winners after Tuesday’s action, each securing an important victory that helped improve its standing.
For Florida, earning No. 1 reflects a strong start to the 2026-27 campaign, with two Power Four victories already accounted for.
CBS Sports' college basketball power rankings
- Florida
- Michigan State
- UConn
- Texas Tech
- UCLA
- Virginia
- Texas
- Kansas
- Illinois
- Duke
- Houston
- Louisville
- Arizona
- Vanderbilt
- St. Johns
- Gonzaga
- Tennessee
- Miami
- USC
- Arkansas
Follow us @GatorsWire on X, formerly known as Twitter, as well as Bluesky, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions.
This article originally appeared on Gators Wire: Florida basketball tops CBS Sports' latest power rankings













