Florida has moved up to No. 14 in the AP Poll as dismatiling Texas A&M on Saturday. The Gators are now 17-6 on the season and continue to have an artificial glass ceiling on them when it comes to their AP Poll ranking because of some of their early-season losses.
But make no mistake about it, that while Florida has its fair share of flaws, they currently hold a statistical profile that makes them one of the only 12 teams in the country who could realistically win the national title in April.
Florida moves to No. 14 in the AP Poll
We have referenced KenPom quite a bit this year because it tends to be a more accurate description of what’s going on compared to the human polls voted on by people who barely watch the sport. Currently, the Gators are ranked No. 7 in KenPom.
More importantly, Florida is ranked No. 6 in defensive efficiency and No. 13 in offensive efficiency. That is significant because, as the user BiggerTen points out on X, all but one eventual national champion since 2002 has been in the top 25 for both defensive and offensive efficiency. Currently, there are only 12 teams, including Florida, that fit that profile.
If one wants to dive deeper, Florida is one of only six schools currently in the top 15 of each category.
Since KenPom began 2002, every national champ but 1 was top 25 in both defensive & offensive efficiency. 5 weeks until Selection Sunday that is currently these 12 teams:
— BiggerTen (@BiggerTen) February 8, 2026
Arizona
Michigan
Duke
Illinois
Houston
Iowa St
Florida
Gonzaga
Vanderbilt
Iowa
Virginia
St. John's
Most people wouldn’t be surprised if you pointed out that Florida is a top ten defensive team, but the offensive numbers might seem a bit surprising given the general narrative that has followed the team all season. Florida is still 351st in three-point shooting, and they have only shot 31% over their last three games.
Yet the Gators are averaging 86.3 points per game, which is actually higher than the 84.8 points per game they averaged last year. Their shooting percentage on two-point attempts is also up this year from 56% to 58%, and they are attempting 25.7 free throws per game compared to 21.9 per game last year.
Don’t get it twisted, as at some point in March, the Gators are going to need their guards to hit some clutch shots, as opposing defenses are going to get away with some contact down low as the NCAA Tournament progresses.
But for now, for all the gloom and doom things felt in December, the Gators are still in a prime position to try and repeat as national champions in 2026.