The coaches in the Florida Collegiate Conference have voted on a preseason rankings for those teams in the DIAA conference.

In what was reportedly a very tight conference, Central Florida got the #1 nod over Florida Atlantic and South Florida. FAU and USF both went 6-0 in regular-season play the last time the conference was in action, which was the winter/spring of 2020, a season cut short due to COVID. But Central Florida's win over UConn in a bowl game at the NCR Championship Weekend might have turned some heads.

At that game, which UCF won by scoring three converted tries in the final 15 minutes, Head Coach Evan Haigh was quick to say his team is young and still has a lot to learn. But they were fast, athletic, and didn't wilt under pressure. Upon hearing of the ranking, Haigh said: "We are honored at UCF to be ranked first. While I will not say publicly that I agree, it is our job now we need to go prove the ranking correct."

This year's FCC season will see seven teams in action, all playing each other once in a six-game round-robin, beginning January 29.

Every team will make the playoffs, with the 1st-place team having a bye through the quarterfinal. Playoff weeks will be April 2, April 9, and April 16.

Florida Atlantic has got to feel good about its chances, having fielded essentially a dedicated FAU side in Florida's U23 league last season. They were unbeaten then but have been relaitvely quiet in warmup games this year. South Florida actually beat Central Florida in a warmup game, while Florida State has beaten Miami, Florida, Central Florida, and Georgia.

The Florida Gators, the conference 7s champs, have reason to think they will compete as well.

Goff Rugby Report Editor Alex Goff appeared on the Florida Rugby Union's podcast this week to discuss the preseason poll and also discuss GRR's own collegiate rankings.