College basketball rankings: Florida Gators tick down in AP Top 25 entering third week of season

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Image Credit: UAA

Expectations were raised significantly for Florida Gators basketball in Year 3 under head coach Todd Golden. An extremely talented roster bringing back numerous key pieces from a year ago has aspirations far beyond making the 2025 NCAA Tournament, and through the first few games — including their power-conference opener last Friday — it appears as if the Gators have the opportunity to reach some of those heights.

Florida on Monday was ranked No. 21 in the second AP Top 25 poll of the regular season. The Gators were listed No. 21 in the preseason poll, their first time opening a season ranked since before the 2019-20 campaign, but moved to No. 20 last week.

UF ticked down a spot despite beating Grambling State (86-62) and Florida State (87-74) last week. Wisconsin taking down Arizona jumped it ahead of Florida, which hosts Florida A&M and Southern Illinois this week.

The Gators are set to play five of the top 11 teams in this week’s rankings over the course of the season, seven of the top 25 overall.

AP Top 25 — Nov. 18

1. Kansas (49)
2. UConn (7)
3. Gonzaga (2)
4. Auburn (3)
5. Iowa State
6. Purdue
7. Houston
8. Alabama
9. Kentucky
10. North Carolina
11. Tennessee
12. Duke
13. Baylor
14. Creighton
15. Marquette
16. Indiana
17. Arizona
18. Cincinnati
19. Wisconsin
20. Arkansas
21. Florida
22. St. John’s
23. Texas A&M
24. Rutgers
25. Illinois