Florida Opens No. 1 Season Against Miami With Bench Questions
Top-ranked Florida meets No. 14 Miami in Tampa on November 2, as the Gators begin their season amid concerns about reserve production and perimeter shooting.
Florida starts its 2026-27 campaign against in-state rival Miami at the Orion180 Tip-Off Classic in Tampa on November 2. The Gators enter as the preseason No. 1 team, while Miami is ranked 14th. Florida is favored by 4.5 points on the neutral court.
The matchup puts Florida’s frontcourt strength to an early test. Thomas Haugh and Alex Condon are among the returning players from last season’s title-winning team. Haugh raised his scoring average from 9.8 points per game to 17.1 last season, and one prediction has him reaching at least 17 points against Miami.
Florida’s depth has been a concern in its preseason scrimmages. Reserves were outscored 61-7 across games against Baylor and Stetson, while the team made only one three-pointer from outside its starting group. Isaiah Brown went scoreless in 25 minutes across the two scrimmages. Urban Klavzar missed all seven attempts against Baylor, then scored 24 points against Stetson while starting in place of Boogie Fland, who was sidelined by an undisclosed illness.
Florida’s season-opening slate comes amid a busy first night of college basketball, with 20 preseason Top 25 teams scheduled to play. Other ranked matchups include No. 5 Arizona against No. 22 UCLA in Las Vegas and No. 18 Iowa State facing Memphis in Sioux Falls.