The Duke Blue Devils will enter the 2026-27 season as one of the top teams in college basketball, and are firmly in the mix to earn the No. 1 overall AP ranking once the campaign gets going. Head coach Jon Scheyer and his staff have built a roster that Duke fans aren't used to seeing, one that prioritizes continuity and veteran presence over raw talent. Mar 29, 2026; Washington, DC, USA; Duke Blue Devils head coach Jon Scheyer looks on against the UConn Huskies in the first half during an Elite Eight game of the East Regional of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images | Geoff Burke-Imagn ImagesDuke is returning three starters from a club that won the ACC regular-season and tournament titles en route to earning the No. 1 overall seed in the NCAA Tournament. It also brought in two high-profile transfers in John Blackwell and Drew Scharnowski, as well as the No. 1 overall 2026 high school recruiting class. The Blue Devils are probably the deepest team in college basketball, and this is the most championship-ready squad Scheyer has had since he took over in Durham. Duke has as good an argument as any team to earn the preseason No. 1 ranking, but there's one program that is the clear challenger. Florida head coach Todd Golden reacts during the first half of the NCAA March Madness second round at Benchmark international Arena in Tampa, FL on Friday, March 20, 2026. [Alan Youngblood/Gainesville Sun] | Alan Youngblood/Gainesville Sun / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn ImagesFlorida Could Be Preseason No. 1 Team Over DukeSimilar to the Blue Devils, Florida had about as good an offseason as head coach Todd Golden could have asked for. In today's era of college basketball, it's difficult to bring back the majority of a rotation from an elite team, but the Gators experienced almost no hurt this offseason. Golden is returning six of his top seven scorers from a season ago in Thomas Haugh, Alex Condon, Boogie Fland, Urban Klavzar, Rueben Chinyelu, and Isaiah Brown. The only significant rotation pieces the Gators will lose are Xaivian Lee and Micah Handlogten. Mar 22, 2026; Tampa, FL, USA; Florida Gators guard Boogie Fland (0) dribbles the ball against the Iowa Hawkeyes in the first half during a second round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Benchmark International Arena. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images | Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn ImagesThis means that the Gators will have a starting five compiled entirely of returners from a team that went 27-8 overall, won the SEC regular-season crown, and earned a 1-seed in the NCAA Tournament. Haugh, Chinyelu, and Condon earned First, Second, and Third Team All-SEC honors last season, respectively. Chinyelu was the SEC Defensive Player of the Year and was arguably the best defender in college basketball, and Klavzar was the SEC Sixth Man of the Year. Mar 22, 2026; Tampa, FL, USA; Florida Gators center Rueben Chinyelu (9) is introduced against the Iowa Hawkeyes prior to a second round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Benchmark International Arena. Mandatory Credit: Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images | Matt Pendleton-Imagn ImagesThe Gators were one of four teams last season (including Duke) that finished inside the top 10 in both adjusted offensive efficiency and adjusted defensive efficiency, according to KenPom. From that club, almost everyone is back. In today's world of college basketball, continuity matters more than ever. Haugh, Condon, and Chinyelu were generating serious NBA buzz, and all three chose to return to college basketball. Feb 28, 2026; Durham, North Carolina, USA; Duke Blue Devils guard Caleb Foster (1) gestures to head coach Jon Scheyer during the second half against the Virginia Cavaliers at Cameron Indoor Stadium. Duke won 77-51. Mandatory Credit: Rob Kinnan-Imagn Images | Rob Kinnan-Imagn ImagesDuke and Florida Will Be Neck and Neck in AP Preseason RankingsAt the end of the day, preseason rankings only mean so much. They essentially determine which school has the best roster on paper. Between Duke and Florida, it will be extremely difficult to determine which squad is the best. With how the college basketball world operates today, the Gators' continuity will likely be favored, despite the Blue Devils returning four of their top six scorers from a season ago. Duke is deeper than Florida next season, but Golden is bringing back nearly the entirety of one of the most productive frontcourts in college basketball.Mar 26, 2026; Washington, DC, USA; Duke Blue Devils head coach Jon Scheyer shoots a ball during a practice session ahead of the east regional of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images | Geoff Burke-Imagn ImagesBoth Duke and Florida will enter the year as heavyweight national title contenders, and time will tell which enters the season as the team to beat. Add us as a preferred source on GoogleFollow