Vanderbilt Commodores

How to Watch: No. 23 Vanderbilt at Florida SEC Baseball Series

The Commodores are headed to the Sunshine State ahead of a gauntlet of top 10 ranked SEC teams.
Taylor Hodges|
Florida utility Caden McDonald (21) warms up during the fifth inning of an NCAA college baseball matchup Tuesday, March 25, 2025 at VyStar Ballpark in Jacksonville, Fla. FSU rallied to defeat UF 8-4 off a walk-off grand slam from Alex Lodise in the ninth inning.
Florida utility Caden McDonald (21) warms up during the fifth inning of an NCAA college baseball matchup Tuesday, March 25, 2025 at VyStar Ballpark in Jacksonville, Fla. FSU rallied to defeat UF 8-4 off a walk-off grand slam from Alex Lodise in the ninth inning. | Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Every SEC team has its own gauntlet of highly ranked conference opponents that will show how good a team actually is. No. 23 Vanderbilt isn’t starting its gauntlet run, but it will soon.

After the Commodores’ three-game weekend series against Florida, the following five SEC series are against top 10 nationally ranked teams. Here’s how that schedule looks:

  • April 11-13: at No. 10 Oklahoma
  • April 17-19: vs. No. 3 Georgia
  • April 25-27: at No. 9 Ole Miss
  • May 2-4: vs. No. 8 Alabama
  • May 9-11: at No. 1 Tennessee
  • May 15-17: vs. Kentucky

By the time Vanderbilt and Kentucky, the Wildcats could be ranked inside the top 25. So, it’s in the Commodores to get as many wins they can against the few SEC teams not ranked in the top 10.

The Gators began the season as one of the SEC’s highly-ranked teams and looked to be a real contender after starting 7-0. But they’ve gone 13-11 since then including a 1-8 record in SEC action. If not for Texas A&M’s epic fall from preseason No. 1 to unranked (and outside the NCAA Baseball Tournament), the Gators’ fall would be a bigger story.

Despite the injuries suffered, Florida is still a good team. The Gators have a .304 team batting average (No. 6 amongst SEC teams), .981 fielding percentage and its pitching staff has a combined 5.62 ERA (No. 15 in SEC).

Here’s everything you need to know to watch Friday’s series-opening game between the Commodores and Gators:

How to Watch: No. 23 Vanderbilt at Florida

  • Who: No. 23 Vanderbilt Commodores (20-5, 4-2 SEC) at Florida Gators (20-11, 1-8 SEC)
  • When: 5:30 p.m., Friday
  • Where: Gainesville, Fla.
  • TV: SECN+
  • Radio: 102.5 The Game
  • Series: Florida leads the all-time series 148-84-1
  • Last Meeting: Vanderbilt won 6-3 (2024)
  • Last time out, Commodores: def. Western Kentucky, 5-4 (10 innings)
  • Last time out, Razorbacks: def. North Florida, 8-4

Vanderbilt Commodores On SI:

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Taylor Hodges
TAYLOR HODGES

Award-winning sports editor, writer, columnist, and photographer with 15 years’ experience offering his opinion and insight about the sports world in Mississippi and Texas, but he was taken to Razorback pep rallies at Billy Bob's Texas in Fort Worth before he could walk. Taylor has covered all levels of sports, from small high schools in the Mississippi Delta to NFL games. Follow Taylor on Twitter and Facebook.

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