Tip Times Set for Gators Title-Defense 2025-26 Campaign

Florida opens the 2025-26 season on Nov. 3 in Las Vegas against Arizona.

One of Florida's most important games this season is a non-conference matchup against UConn. | Kyle Lander / Gators Illustrated

GAINESVILLE, Fla.-- The Florida Gators men's basketball team on Tuesday announced the bulk of its television schedule and start times for its 2025-26 season.

Looking to defend its national championship from last season, Florida will play a tougher non-conference schedule, including games against Arizona (Nov. 3), Florida State (Nov. 11), Miami (Nov. 16), TCU (Nov. 27), either Wisconsin or Providence (Nov. 28), Duke (Dec. 2) and UConn (Dec. 9) before its 18-game SEC schedule.

“Well, a lot of people talked about us not having it strong enough out of conference last year,” head coach Golden said this offseason. “That won't be this year.”

Of its 31 regular season games, three will be network broadcasts with the games against Duke for the ACC-SEC Challenge and UConn in the Jimmy V Classic on ESPN and the second game of the Rady Children's Invitational against either Wisconsin or Providence on Fox.

“Obviously, Duke is the marquee program in the ACC right now,” Golden said. “It's not close. And for us to be picked to go play there, we take that as another huge compliment... Same thing with the opportunity to play UConn,” Golden said. “We're not going to turn down an opportunity to play in Madison Square Garden on ESPN against one of the best programs in America.”

Florida defeated UConn during last year's run in the NCAA Tournament. | Kyle Lander / Gators Illustrated

Rounding out its non-conferenc, the Gators will have three games on ESPN, three on SEC Network and one each on ESPN2, FS1 and TNT Sports. Three games will be streaming-only on SEC Network+.

Of its SEC slate, 10 games will be on either ESPN, ESPN 2 or ESPNU, six on SEC Network and two on ABC.

Florida also has 28 of its 31 games with finalized tip-off times. The Gators' season opener against Arizona on Nov. 3 does not have a finalized time, while it's game against either Providence or Wisconsin on Nov. 28 will begin at either 3 p.m. or 5:30 p.m., depending on if Florida is either playing in the championship or in the third-place game.

Additionally, Florida's Final Four rematch against Auburn at home on Jan. 24 will tip-off at either 4 p.m. or 4:30 p.m.

Heading into this season, Golden expressed that while replicating what happened last year is a goal, the team is focusing on the task at hand rather than the pressure of repeating.

“I want the guys that were here to take pride in defending and doing everything they can to get us back there, but on a holistic approach with this team, it wouldn't be fair to the new guys to be pouring into that all the way. We got a lot of steps to go before we get back there," he said. "So I'm not trying to put that -- pressure might not be the right word -- but that expectation on them right now.”

Florida's full 2025-26 schedule with tip-off times and television designations can be found below:

Date	Opponent	Location	TV/Time
Nov. 3 (Mon.)	Arizona (Hall of Fame Series)	Las Vegas, NV	TNT Sports/TBA
Nov. 6 (Thurs.)	North Florida	Gainesville, Fla.	SEC+/8 p.m.
Nov. 11 (Tues.)	Florida State	Gainesville, Fla.	SECN/7 p.m.
Nov. 16 (Sun.)	Miami (Fla.)	Jacksonville, Fla.	ESPN/8:30 p.m.
Nov. 21 (Fri.)	Merrimack	Gainesville, Fla.	SEC+/7 p.m.
Nov. 27 (Thurs.)	TCU (Rady Children's)	San Diego, Calif.	FS1/3 p.m.
Nov. 28 (Fri.)	Providence OR Wisconsin (Rady Children's)	San Diego, Calif.	FOX/3 p.m. OR 5:30 p.m.
Dec. 2 (Tues.)	@ Duke (ACC-SEC Challenge)	Durham, NC	ESPN/7:30 p.m.
Dec. 9 (Tues.)	UConn (Jimmy V Classic)	New York, NY	ESPN/9 p.m.
Dec. 13 (Sat.)	George Washington (Orange Bowl Classic)	Sunrise, Fla.	ESPN2/2:30 p.m.
Dec. 17 (Wed.)	Saint Francis	Gainesville, Fla.	SECN/6:30 p.m.
Dec. 21 (Sun.)	Colgate	Gainesville, Fla.	SEC+/Noon
Dec. 29 (Mon.)	Dartmouth	Gainesville, Fla.	SECN/6 p.m.
Jan. 3 (Sat.)	@ Missouri	Columbia, Mo.	SECN/8:30 p.m.
Jan. 6 (Tues.)	Georgia	Gainesville, Fla.	SECN/7 p.m.
Jan. 10 (Sat.)	Tennessee	Gainesville, Fla.	ESPN OR ESPN2/Noon
Jan. 13 (Tues.)	@ Oklahoma	Norman, Okla.	ESPN2 OR ESPNU/9 p.m.
Jan. 17 (Sat.)	@ Vanderbilt	Nashville, Tenn.	ESPN OR ESPN2 OR ESPNU/2 p.m.
Jan. 20 (Tues.)	LSU	Gainesville, Fla.	ESPN2/7 p.m.
Jan. 24 (Sat.)	Auburn	Gainesville, Fla.	ESPN OR ESPN2/4 p.m. OR 4:30 p.m.
Jan. 28 (Wed.)	@ South Carolina	Columbia, SC	SECN/9 p.m.
Feb. 1 (Sun.)	Alabama	Gainesville, Fla.	ABC/1 p.m.
Feb. 7 (Sat.)	@ Texas A&M	College Station, Tx.	SECN/8:30 p.m.
Feb. 11 (Wed.)	@ Georgia	Athens, Ga.	ESPN2 OR ESPNU/7 p.m.
Feb. 14 (Sat.)	Kentucky	Gainesville, Fla.	ABC/3 p.m.
Feb. 17 (Tues.)	South Carolina	Gainesville, Fla.	SECN/7 p.m.
Feb. 21 (Sat.)	@ Ole Miss	Oxford, Miss.	ESPN OR ESPN2/7 p.m.
Feb. 25 (Wed.)	@ Texas	Austin, Tx.	ESPN2 OR ESPNU/7 p.m.
Feb. 28 (Sat.)	Arkansas	Gainesville, Fla.	ESPN OR ESPN2/8:30 p.m.
March 3 (Tues.)	Mississippi State	Gainesville, Fla.	SECN/8 p.m.
March 7 (Sat.)	@ Kentucky	Lexington, Ky.	ESPN OR ESPN2/4 p.m.