The University of Florida men's basketball team took to the court at the Stephen C. O'Connell Center for an open practice, a preview ahead of the season‑opening football showdown against Florida Atlantic University. The program, widely projected as the nation’s top‑ranked squad in preseason polls, used the session to showcase its depth and readiness before the first game of the 2026‑27 campaign.
Season Overview
Florida’s schedule kicks off on November 2 with a road game in Tampa against the University of Miami, followed by a home opener on November 5 versus Jacksonville University. Early non‑conference matchups include contests with Florida State on November 10 and Merrimack on November 13, while the marquee event the Players Era Festival brings the Gators to Las Vegas to face Notre Dame on November 17.
After a brief stretch of games in late November, the Gators travel to Milwaukee on November 24 before returning home for a December 12 showdown with Georgia Tech and a December 18 battle at Grand Canyon. The non‑conference slate sets the stage for SEC play, which begins on January 2 with a road game at the University of Texas in Austin.
Conference play continues through January, featuring home dates against Vanderbilt on January 9 and Mississippi State in Starkville on January 12‑13, followed by high‑profile matchups with Alabama on January 16 and Texas A&M on January 19‑20. The rivalry with Georgia returns on January 23, and the Gators will test their mettle on the road in Knoxville against Tennessee on January 30.
February’s slate includes a series of road trips to Auburn on February 9‑10, Missouri on February 13, and LSU on February 16‑17, before the team hosts Georgia on February 20 and Ole Miss on February 23‑24. The regular season concludes on February 27 at Arkansas, and Senior Day on March 6 pits the Gators against rival Kentucky.
The SEC tournament wraps up the season from March 10‑14 in Nashville, capping a schedule that blends early‑season exposure with a rigorous conference grind.