Is Florida Gators Basketball Predicted to Win the SEC?

BIRMINGHAM, Ala.-- Ahead of SEC Tip-Off '26 on Wednesday, the Florida Gators were tabbed as the media's top choice to win the SEC regular season title in the 2025-26 season.

This year's predicted order of finish marks the third time the media has selected the Gators as the preseason favorite. Florida, which was also tabbed as the No. 3 team in this year's Preseason AP Poll, was previously picked as the favorite to win the SEC ahead of the 2006-07 and 2010-11 seasons.

Florida won the SEC regular-season title in both seasons, also winning the tournament title in 2007.

The Gators last won the SEC regular-season title in 2014. Florida won its first SEC tournament title in 11 seasons last year after knocking off Tennessee, 86-77, before going on to win the program's third national championship.

The Florida Gators celebrate after defeating the Tennessee Volunteers in the 2025 SEC Championship Game. | Steve Roberts-Imagn Images

After losing four guards from last year's title team, three of whom graduated and went to the NBA, head coach Todd Golden reloaded through the portal while returning its entire front court.

Florida welcomed transfers Boogie Fland (Arkansas) and Xaivian Lee (Princeton) to take over for Walter Clayton Jr. and Alijah Martin and elevated forward Thomas Haugh to the starting lineup in place of Will Richard.

The Gators also return the bulk of its frontcourt with starters Alex Condon and Rueben Chinyelu as well as veteran Micah Handlogten.

Condon was named Preseason First-Team All-SEC, while Fland and Haugh were named Preseason Second-Team All-SEC.

Despite having multiple key pieces return, Florida is not focusing on the mindset of repeating due to the many new faces, which also include transfer guard AJ Brown and freshmen Alex Lloyd and CJ Ingram off the bench.

"Obviously, we have guys who played a huge role on that team and the expectation, for them, that’s the goal. At the same time, we have some transfers and young guys that we’re trying to get in there. That’s not the same expectation for them. They were not part of that team," Golden said. "So, on a macro level our goal is to win again, but with this team specifically we’re not talking a lot about repeating, but we are talking about doing everything we can to play deep into March.”

Florida opens the 2025-26 season on Nov. 3 in Las Vegas against Arizona.

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