Florida‘s 2025-26 campaign may have come to an unsatisfying conclusion, but the fact of the matter is that the Gators have emerged as a college basketball blue blood since the turn of the millennium.
With three national championships in the program’s trophy case — including a two-peat in the middle of the first decade — the Orange and Blue have seen more success than most. Obviously, some schools have fared even better, like the UConn Huskies, who are seeking their fifth title this century and seventh overall this spring.
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UConn’s current success inspired the USA TODAY Sports staff to review and rank the top 10 programs since 1999, seeking to answer whether the Huskies are a blue blood or a “new blood.” In it, Florida landed at No. 7 on the list, just behind the Gonzaga Bulldogs and a spot ahead of the Kentucky Wildcats.
The group used the following formula to determine their rankings, in which the Gators earned 192 points.
20 points for national title
6 points for regular-season conference title
-5 points for losing season
“Surprised to see Florida this low on the list, but sandwiched in between Billy Donovan and Todd Golden, the Mike White years were truly forgettable,” author Matthew Glenesk notes.
Here is how those numbers break down.
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Florida basketball’s blue blood resume
7 SEC regular season championships
Ranking top 25 men’s college basketball programs since 1999
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This article originally appeared on Gators Wire: Florida basketball’s ranking among blue blood programs since 1999