Florida Surges Into Top 5 of Men's College Basketball Rankings

Michigan State, Nebraska also make big jumps as top conference races near conclusion

Published on Mar. 2, 2026

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The latest men's college basketball rankings from FOX Sports' Casey Jacobsen feature some major shakeups, with Florida surging into the top 5 after a big win over Arkansas. Michigan State and Nebraska also made significant jumps, while Gonzaga and Texas Tech fell in the rankings.

Why it matters

The top conference races are coming to a close, with Duke, Michigan, Florida, and Arizona all making statements with big wins over top opponents. The Big East and West Coast Conference titles are still up for grabs, and a Miami school has cracked the top 25 for the first time this season.

The details

Florida beat Arkansas by a large margin, while Duke flexed its muscle against Virginia, Michigan dominated Illinois, and Arizona blew out Kansas. Gonzaga lost to Saint Mary's, tying them atop the WCC standings. Texas Tech and Purdue also suffered losses this week.

  • The rankings are current as of March 1, 2026.
  • Florida's big win over Arkansas came on Saturday.

The players

Casey Jacobsen

FOX Sports college basketball analyst who provided the latest men's college basketball rankings.

Nate Ament

Tennessee forward who suffered a knee injury this week.

JT Toppin

Texas Tech player who was injured, leading to the Red Raiders' 3-0 record since then.

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What they’re saying

“The top conference races are coming to a clear end: Duke flexed its muscle on Virginia, Michigan dominated Illinois in Champaign, Florida beat Arkansas by a million points, and Arizona blew out Kansas to pretty much seal regular-season titles.”

— Casey Jacobsen, FOX Sports college basketball analyst (foxsports.com)

“I know the Wildcats have 10 losses (and those matter!), but none of them are bad losses. And when this team is right, it can beat most teams in the land.”

— Casey Jacobsen, FOX Sports college basketball analyst (foxsports.com)

What’s next

The Big East and West Coast Conference regular season titles are still up for grabs, with a potential rematch between Gonzaga and Saint Mary's in the conference tournament in Las Vegas.

The takeaway

This week's rankings shake-up highlights the parity and unpredictability of this college basketball season, with traditional powers like Gonzaga and Texas Tech taking unexpected losses while upstart teams like Florida and Nebraska make big jumps. The final stretch of the regular season and conference tournaments will be must-watch basketball.