UCLA Breaks Into Top 10 as Florida Leads First Regular-Season Poll

Florida retained the top spot after opening the season with victories over Miami and Jacksonville. The Gators received 53 of 60 first-place votes; Duke collected the other seven. Florida’s next game is a rivalry matchup with Florida State. Coach Todd Golden said his team would face a strong challenge on the road and would need to play its best.

UCLA made the biggest move near the top, moving from No. 22 in preseason rankings to No. 9. The Bruins beat Arizona 84-75 in Las Vegas, with Trent Perry scoring 21 points. Arizona’s Ivan Kharchenkov had 38, and the Wildcats came within one point late before UCLA secured the win. Coach Mick Cronin called the result significant, noting Arizona’s record of success in recent seasons.

Michigan State moved to fifth, replacing Arizona, which fell seven places to No. 12. Virginia rose to No. 6 after three wins, including one over Arkansas. Texas, Houston and Louisville filled the other spots in the top 10. Tennessee slipped to 11th, while Arkansas dropped to 18th and Michigan to 20th after losses.

Nebraska entered the poll at No. 25, while Iowa State fell out after losing to Memphis. The Southeastern Conference had seven ranked teams, the most of any league. The Big Ten had six, followed by five from the Big 12 and four from the ACC.