GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The defending national champion Florida Gators men’s basketball team revealed their conference opponents for the 2025-26 season, featuring a slate packed with NCAA Tournament teams and high-profile matchups as they seek to defend their title.
Head coach Todd Golden’s squad, coming off their first national championship since 2007, will face traditional rival Kentucky twice as part of their rotational two-game series. The Gators will also continue their annual permanent home-and-away series with Georgia and South Carolina under the current SEC scheduling format.
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SEC opponent assignments:
- Home and away: Georgia, Kentucky, South Carolina
- Home only: Alabama, Arkansas, Auburn, LSU, Mississippi State, Tennessee
- Away only: Ole Miss, Missouri, Oklahoma, Texas, Texas A&M, Vanderbilt
Seven of Florida’s nine home SEC opponents reached the NCAA Tournament last season, setting up the O’Connell Center for another potentially electric atmosphere. The Gators dominated at home during their championship run, posting a 15-1 record with nine sellout crowds - their highest attendance figures since the 2016-17 season.
The schedule includes several notable road games, including Florida’s first visit to Texas since 1997 and their inaugural SEC conference trip to Oklahoma. These matchups highlight the conference’s expanded footprint following recent realignment.
The Gators’ non-conference schedule features several marquee games:
- A neutral-site game against Arizona in Las Vegas
- A matchup with UConn at Madison Square Garden in New York
- Participation in a Thanksgiving tournament in San Diego featuring Providence, TCU, and Wisconsin
- A road game at Duke’s Cameron Indoor Stadium as part of the ACC-SEC Challenge
- The annual rivalry game hosting Florida State
Sources report the Gators are finalizing details for a neutral-site game against in-state rival Miami, to be played in Jacksonville on November 16. According to Swamp 247, while the Gators and the city have agreed to terms, the Hurricanes are expected to sign the deal soon. This would mark Todd Golden’s first meeting with Miami as Florida’s head coach.