March 18, 2026, 2:12 p.m. ET
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.
“Florida’s chances to win it all will come down to two factors. No. 1: The consistency of Boogie Fland and Xaivian Lee in the backcourt. Neither played on last year’s title team. They’ve grown into a nice combo, but it’s time to up the level.
“No. 2: The 3-point shooting. Florida is 324th nationally from deep (30.8%). It will need to be much better than that to win a second straight ‘ship,” Norlander concludes.
His two points about the backcourt’s inexperience and inconsistency, as well as the lingering 3-point issue, are completely fair, but based on his explanation for Houston’s ranking, his take feels a bit off-target.
“This isn’t Houston’s best defense under Kelvin Sampson, but it is a team that has the best combination of defensive prowess, NBA-level talent, veterans in the backcourt and game-changing length in the frontcourt,” Norlander offers.
“Didn’t win the Big 12, I know. Isn’t the best team in this tournament, I know. But it’s still capable of winning six.”
The Cougars are no doubt a force to be reckoned with, and the Gator Nation would much prefer to see any other team in the Elite Eight other than Houston. If that matchup comes to pass, everyone will have a chance to make this judgment for themselves.
CBS Sports’ top 25 teams in 2026 NCAA Tournament
- Arizona
- Michigan
- Duke
- Houston
- Florida
- Iowa State
- Illinois
- Michigan State
- Purdue
- UConn
- Gonzaga
- Nebraska
- Arkansas
- Vanderbilt
- St. John’s
- Alabama
- Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Kansas
- Texas Tech
- Tennessee
- Louisville
- St. Mary’s
- BYU
- Villanova
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