Gators Ranked No. 8 in USA Today Preseason Coaches' Poll
Thursday, October 17, 2013 | Men's Basketball
The Florida men's basketball team is ranked No. 8 nationally in the USA Today preseason coaches' poll, as released on Thursday afternoon. The Gators are coming off a 29-8 record including a SEC regular season champion title and a third-straight appearance in the 2012-13 Elite Eight. The team has two starters returning to this year's squad along with five of the top eight scorers.
Florida has been ranked in the preseason coaches' poll in each of the past 14 seasons. This is the seventh time the Gators have been selected to the poll's preseason top 10. Last season, Florida received a No. 10 preseason ranking from the coaches and finished No. 9.
The Gators will face five other teams in the preseason top 25 this year with matchups against Kentucky, Kansas, Memphis, Connecticut and Wisconsin. In addition, Florida will meet three other teams, all SEC rivals, who received votes for the preseason coaches' poll including Tennessee, LSU and Georgia.
The Gators' host Florida Southern in an exhibition game on Nov. 1 (Tickets) before tipping off the regular season on Nov. 8 against North Florida in the Stephen C. O'Connell Center.
2013-14 USA Today Coaches' Poll (Preseason)
| Rank | Team (First-Place Votes) | 2012-13 Final Ranking |
| 1 | *Kentucky (16) | NR |
| 2 | Michigan St. (3) | 13 |
| 3 | Louisville (10) | 1 |
| 4 | Duke (3) | 5 |
| 5 | Arizona | 14 |
| 6 | *Kansas | 8 |
| 7 | Syracuse | 3 |
| 8 | FLORIDA | 9 |
| 9 | Michigan | 2 |
| 10 | Ohio St. | 6 |
| 11 | North Carolina | NR |
| 12 | Oklahoma St. | NR |
| 13 | *Memphis | 18 |
| 14 | Gonzaga | 12 |
| 15 | Va. Commonwealth | 23 |
| 16 | Wichita St. | 4 |
| 17 | Marquette | 11 |
| 18 | Oregon | 15 |
| 19 | *Connecticut | NR |
| 20 | New Mexico | 19 |
| 21 | *Wisconsin | 22 |
| 22 | Notre Dame | NR |
| 23 | UCLA | NR |
| 24 | Indiana | 7 |
| 25 | Virginia | NR |
*Florida opponent in 2013-14
