Two teams in Top 10 of Preseason AP Top 25, three in Top 25

The SEC boasts two teams in the Top 10 and three teams in the Top 25 of the Preseason AP poll.

Leading the charge for the conference is the Kentucky Wildcats. The Cats, unsurprisingly, find themselves fifth to start the season. Kentucky is, once again, bringing in a loaded recruiting class and figures to be a title contender under John Calipari once more. UK has been in the preseason Top 25 every year that Calipari has been the head coach. This is also the eighth time that they have been in the preseason Top 5. They have accomplished that in every year that Cal has coached except for one, when they were 11th in the 2010-11 season.

Two spots down, you can find the Florida Gators. The Gators, after their Elite Eight run last year, bring back most of the squad from a year ago and start off seventh this year. UF figures to be the strongest challenger to Kentucky this season, and could very well win the conference if things go their way. This is the 14th time since the 1999-00 season that Florida is in the preseason AP Top 25. It’s also the ninth time that they’re in the Top 10.

Going down to 25th, you’ll find the Texas A&M Aggies. Led by Robert Williams, a possible NBA lottery pick, the Aggies are looking like a tough out this season. It’s the first time since 2011-12 that they start off in the AP Poll. That year, A&M started out 20th. It’s only the sixth time in program history that the Aggies have begun the year in the AP Top 25.

Others from the conference who received votes were the Alabama Crimson Tide, Missouri Tigers and South Carolina Gamecocks.