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Gators Basketball Finalizes 2026-27 Non-Conference Schedule with Two Neutral Site Matchups

The Florida Gators announced two neutral site matchups on Tuesday to finalize its 2026-27 non-conference schedule.
Cam Parker|
The Florida Gators announced two neutral site matchups on Tuesday to finalize its 2026-27 non-conference schedule.
The Florida Gators announced two neutral site matchups on Tuesday to finalize its 2026-27 non-conference schedule. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

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Florida Gators

GAINESVILLE, Fla.-- The Florida Gators on Tuesday announced it had finalized its non-conference schedule with a pair of neutral site matchups set to take place in the state.

Florida will face Georgia Tech on Dec. 12 in the Hall of Fame Series Orlando at the Kia Center before facing Grand Canyon on Dec. 18 in the Jacksonville Hoops Showdown. Florida's matchup against the Yellow Jackets had previously been reported but remained unconfirmed, while the matchup against Grand Canyon is a new addition to the schedule.

Florida's matchup against Georgia Tech marks the first matchup between the two programs since 1987, an 80-69 win by the Gators in Gainesville. It remains the only matchup between the two programs in the last 50 years. The Yellow Jackets hold a 24-20 advantage all-time, with its most recent win coming in 1970, while the Gators have won the last five matchups.

The matchup also marks Florida's first appearance at the Kia Center since the 2017 NCAA Tournament, where the Gators won matchups against East Tennessee State and Virginia.

The Hall of Fame Series Orlando will also a matchup between Florida Atlantic and VCU.

Meanwhile, its matchup against Grand Canyon marks the first meeting between the two programs but is the third-straight season the Gators will play in Jacksonville's VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena. Florida defeated Miami in last year's matchup in the Jacksonville Hoops Showdown and defeated USF to open the 2024-25 season.

This year marks the first season since the 2016-17 season that the Gators play in Jacksonville, Orlando and Tampa, with Florida set to open the season in Tampa against Miami on Nov. 2.

Other standout non-conference games for the Gators this season include a trip to Florida State on Nov. 10 and its participation in the Players Era Eight Tournament in Las Vegas from Nov. 17-19, where the Gators open against Notre Dame before playing either Houston or Rutgers on Nov. 18. From there, Florida will play either Auburn, Kansas, UNLV or West Virginia on Nov. 19, depending on the results from its previous two matchups.

Florida is also set to host Duke on Dec. 1 for the SEC-ACC Challenge.

Start times and television assignments for each game will be announced at a later date.

Florida Gators' 2026-27 Schedule

Bold denotes home game

  • Nov. 2 (Mon.): vs. Miami (Tampa, Fla.)
  • Nov. 5 (Fri.): Jacksonville (Gainesville, Fla.)
  • Nov. 10 (Tues.): @ Florida State (Tallahassee, Fla.)
  • Nov. 13 (Fri.): Merrimack (Gainesville, Fla.)
  • Nov. 17 (Tues.): vs. Notre Dame (Players Era Eight, Las Vegas, Nev.)
  • Nov. 18 (Wed.): vs. Houston/Rutgers (Players Era Eight, Las Vegas, Nev.)
  • Nov. 19 (Thurs.): vs. Auburn/Kansas/UNLV/West Virginia (Players Era Eight, Las Vegas, Nev.)
  • Nov. 24 (Tues.): Milwaukee (Gainesville, Fla.)
  • Dec. 1 (Tues.): Duke (SEC-ACC Challenge, Gainesville, Fla.)
  • Dec. 6 (Sun.): Vermont (Gainesville, Fla.)
  • Dec. 12 (Sat.): vs. Georgia Tech (Orlando, Fla.)
  • Dec. 18 (Fri.): vs. Grand Canyon (Jacksonville, Fla.)
  • Dec. 21 (Mon.): Florida A&M (Gainesville, Fla.)
  • Dec. 29 (Tues.): Long Island (Gainesville, Fla.)
  • Jan. 2 (Sat.): @ Texas (Austin, Tex.)
  • Jan. 5 or 6 (Tues. or Wed.): Oklahoma (Gainesville, Fla.)
  • Jan. 9 (Sat.): Vanderbilt (Gainesville, Fla.)
  • Jan. 12 or 13 (Tues. or Wed.): @ Mississippi State (Starkville, Miss.)
  • Jan. 16 (Sat.): @ Alabama (Tuscaloosa, Ala.)
  • Jan. 19 or 20 (Tues. or Wed.): Texas A&M (Gainesville, Fla.)
  • Jan. 23 (Sat.): @ Georgia (Athens, Ga.)
  • Jan. 30 (Sat.): @ Tennessee (Knoxville, Tenn.)
  • Feb. 2 or 3 (Tues. or Wed.): South Carolina (Gainesville, Fla.)
  • Feb. 6 (Sat.): Texas (Gainesville, Fla.)
  • Feb. 9 or 10 (Tues. or Wed.): @ Auburn (Auburn, Ala.)
  • Feb. 13 (Sat.): Missouri (Gainesville, Fla.)
  • Feb. 16 or 17 (Tues. or Wed.): @ LSU (Baton Rouge, La.)
  • Feb. 20 (Sat.): Georgia (Gainesville, Fla.)
  • Feb. 23 or 24 (Tues. or Wed.): Ole Miss (Gainesville, Fla.)
  • Feb. 27 (Sat.): @ Arkansas (Fayetteville, Ark.)
  • March 2 or 3 (Tues. or Wed.): @ South Carolina (Columbia, SC)
  • March 6 (Sat.) Kentucky (Gainesville, Fla.)

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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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