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Florida Gators March Madness Hub: Schedule, Seed and Path to the Final Four

The Florida Gators enter the NCAA Tournament hoping to repeat last year's run to a national title.
Cam Parker|
The Florida Gators are looking to repeat as national champions.
The Florida Gators are looking to repeat as national champions. | Kyle Lander / Gators Illustrated

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Florida Gators

After getting bounced in the SEC Tournament Semifinal by Vanderbilt, the Florida Gators now turn its attention to the NCAA Tournament, clinching the No. 1 seed in the South Region over UConn and Houston.

"A lot that we can improve upon over the next couple days before we get ready for the NCAA tournament. As I told the team in the locker room, very disappointed to not be playing on Sunday again," head coach Todd Golden said after Saturday's loss. "But everything that we -- our goal at the beginning of the year is still in front of us in terms of being able to play for a national championship.

Below is the complete schedule, bracket, television information and plenty more as Florida looks to defend its national title.

2026 NCAA Tournament South Region Bracket, Schedule & Results

Seeding

Florida clinched the No. 1 seed in the South Region behind Duke, Michigan and Arizona, while Houston was named the No. 2 seed after losing to Arizona in the Big 12 Conference Tournament Final. Here's how the seeds in the South Region played out with the official bracket.

  1. Florida (26-7, 26-2 SEC)
  2. Houston (28-6, 14-4 Big 12)
  3. Illinois (24-8, 15-5 Big 10)
  4. Nebraska (26-6, 15-5 Big 10)
  5. Vanderbilt (26-8, 11-7 SEC)
  6. North Carolina (24-8, 12-6 ACC)
  7. Saint Mary's (CA) (27-5, 26-2 WCC)
  8. Clemson (24-10, 12-6 ACC)
  9. Iowa (21-12, 10-10 Big 10)
  10. Texas A&M (21-11, 11-7 SEC)
  11. VCU (27-7, 15-3 A10)
  12. McNeese (28-5, 19-3 Southland)
  13. Troy (22-11, 12-6 Sun Belt)
  14. Penn (18-11, 9-5 Ivy League)
  15. Idaho (21-14, 9-9 Big Sky)
  16. Lehigh (18-16, 11-7 Patriot) OR Prairie View A&M (18-17, 9-9 SWAC)

After Saturday's loss to Vanderbilt, and before both UConn and Houston lost, Golden argued Florida's case to remain a one-seed in the NCAA Tournament.

"Looking at Quad 1 wins, I think we're in a good spot that way. Analytically, the predictive metrics, whether it's KenPom, Torvik, we're top four in all those by a wide margin. It's really not close," he said. "We had our early-season tough start where we played really good, competitive opponents, and road or semi-away venues where we fell a little bit short. We haven't lost in 54 days or something leading up to this game, playing some of the best basketball in America.

"I do believe we've done enough to be the fourth 1 seed. But we'll find out (Sunday) night."

Round of 64

Florida begins play on Friday against either No. 16 Lehigh or No. 16 Prairie View A&M at Benchmark International Arena in Tampa, Fla., with the winner advancing to play either No. 8 Clemson or No. 9 Iowa on Sunday. Lehigh and Prairie View A&M play in the First Four on Wednesday.

Here is the full schedule for the Round of 64 in the South Region. Florida will play at 9:25 p.m. on Friday with television coverage on TNT.

This schedule will be updated as games finish and matchups for the Round of 32 are finalized.

Thursday, March 19

  • 12:40 p.m. (truTV): No. 13 Troy vs. No. 4 Nebraska (Oklahoma City)
  • 3:15 p.m. (truTV): No. 12 McNeese vs. No. 5 Vanderbilt (Oklahoma City)
  • 6:50 p.m. (TNT): No. 11 VCU vs. No. 6 North Carolina (Greenville, SC)
  • 7:35 p.m. (truTV): No. 10 Texas A&M vs. No. 7 Saint Mary's (Oklahoma City)
  • 9:25 p.m. (TNT): No. 14 Penn vs. No. 3 Illinois (Greenville, SC)
  • 10:10 p.m. (truTV): No. 15 Idaho vs. No. 2 Houston

Friday, March 20

  • 6:50 p.m. (TNT): No. 9 Iowa vs. No. 8 Clemson (Tampa)
  • 9:25 p.m. (TNT): No. 16 Lehigh/No. 16 Prairie View A&M vs. No. 1 Florida (Tampa)

Gators' Path to Back-to-Back

Florida's biggest threat in the South Region is Houston, although Vanderbilt, who just upset the Gators in the SEC Tournament, and Illinois could also provide tests if they get past their games. Vanderbilt would be slated to meet Florida in the Sweet 16, while Illinois would likely have to get past Houston to meet the Gators in the Elite Eight.

Adding to the threat is the fact that the South Region Final (Elite Eight) is played in Houston, which would give the Gators an unofficial road disadvantage should Houston advance to the region final.

"I think it would be less than ideal, but at the same time, I think you run into that at different places also, depending on how things shake out," Golden said last week. "If we're the one-seed in the South, and we play Houston in the Elite Eight... it is what it is. We’ll just try to find a way at that point. But that is a deep hypothetical. If we have to run into that issue, there's worse problems in the world."

Additionally, a hypothetical matchup between Houston would create a rematch from last year's national title game. Florida beat Houston, 65-63, in the national championship.

Should Florida win the South Region, the Gators would face the winner of the East Region, where Duke is the one-seed, followed by UConn as the two-seed, in the Final Four. Florida lost to both in the regular season.

Florida Gators on SI's official prediction can be read here.

Florida Makes History with Seeding

Florida's naming as a No. 1 seed marks the first time in program history that the Gators are a one-seed in back-to-back seasons. It also marks the program's fourth time being named a No. 1 seed after doing so in 2007, 2014 and 2025. Florida had made it to at least the Final Four every year it has been named a No. 1 seed, winning national titles in 2007 and 2025.

The Gators are also searching for its seventh Final Four appearance in program history after doing so in 1994, 2000 (runners up), 2006 (champions), 2007 (champions), 2014 and 2025 (champions).

Meanwhile, this year marks Florida's 24th official appearance in the NCAA Tournament and 26th if the two that were vacated by the NCAA in 1987 and 1988 are included. The Gators have now made three-straight appearances in the NCAA Tournament after going to four straight from 2017-21 (no tournament in 2020 due to the COVID-19 Pandemic).

Golden, himself, has now been to four NCAA Tournaments as a head coach with a trip in 2022 as San Francisco's head coach and trips in each of the last three seasons with Florida.

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Cam Parker
CAM PARKER

Cam Parker is a reporter covering the Florida Gators, Auburn Tigers and Clemson Tigers with a degree in journalism from the University of Florida. He also covers and broadcasts Alachua County high school sports with The Prep Zone and Mainstreet Daily News. When he isn't writing, he enjoys listening to '70s music such as The Band or Lynyrd Skynyrd, binge-watching shows and playing with his cat, Chester, and dog, Rufus.

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