Florida Visits Florida State With Streak on Line
No. 1 Florida plays rival Florida State in Tallahassee on Tuesday night, with Florida seeking to extend a five-game winning streak in the series.
Updated on Nov. 9, 2026 in Basketball
No. 1 Florida will play Florida State in Tallahassee on Tuesday night. Florida has beaten Florida State five consecutive times and leads the all-time series 48-28.
Why it matters
The game is a early-season test for both programs, each 2-0 this season, and it carries rivalry significance given Florida's recent dominance in the series. Florida State is seeking to create a difficult home environment for a visiting top-ranked team.
Florida leads the all-time series 48-28 and has won five consecutive meetings against Florida State. Florida is 2-0 this season after an 88-57 win over Jacksonville, while Florida State is also 2-0 following a 91-68 win over Troy.
The players
Florida Gators
The University of Florida men's basketball program, a longtime Southeastern Conference power competing in this matchup as the No. 1 ranked team.
Florida State Seminoles
The Florida State University men's basketball program, which plays its home games in Tallahassee and is a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference.
The details
Florida State is trying to create a difficult home environment for visiting teams, while also looking to use Shon Abaev as a distributor. Shon Abaev has six assists in each of Florida State's first two games and scored 20 points against Troy, while Florida made 11 three-pointers in each of its last two games.
Timeline
Last Thursday: Florida beat Jacksonville 88-57.
Last Friday: Florida State beat Troy 91-68.
Tuesday night: Florida plays Florida State in Tallahassee.
Season Trajectory
Florida's five-game winning streak over Florida State continues a pattern of recent dominance in a rivalry where Florida holds a 48-28 all-time edge. Both teams are unbeaten through two games, so Tuesday's result could shape early perceptions of each program's early-season strength.
The result will affect how Florida and Florida State are viewed in early conference and national rankings discussions. Fans tracking fantasy rosters should note Shon Abaev's assist production and Rueben Chinyelu's recent scoring output.
The takeaway
Florida's rivalry dominance is a useful benchmark, but early-season results rarely decide a conference race. Watch how Florida State's home-court approach and Florida's three-point shooting hold up against a tough road environment.
Further reading
For more on college hoops, see our Basketball coverage.
