UF students and Gator fans pack the Stephen C. O’Connell Center
UF students and Gator fans pack the Stephen C. O’Connell Center on Monday (April 7, 2025) to watch a broadcast of the Gators playing the Houston Cougars for the men’s basketball national championship.
- Florida and Miami are planning a men’s basketball game in Jacksonville during the 2025-26 season.
- This would be the first meeting between the two teams since 2019, and Florida’s first Jacksonville appearance as reigning national champions.
- The Gators hold a 47-24 all-time series lead over the Hurricanes.
Are the champions — make that Chomp-ions — coming to Jacksonville?
Florida and Miami are working to complete a deal for a non-conference men’s college basketball game in Jacksonville during the 2025-26 season, which would bring the NCAA Tournament champion Gators to the First Coast, as reported by Jon Rothstein of CBS Sports.
The date, time and any ticketing information for the game remain to be determined.
The Gators and Hurricanes have not faced off since Nov. 22, 2019, a 78-58 victory for Florida. The Gators lead the all-time series 47-24 but have not met Miami since the appointment of head coach Todd Golden.
Florida most recently made a stop in Jacksonville on Nov. 4, 2024, defeating South Florida 98-83 in front of 5,764 fans inside VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena. Miami’s most recent trip to the city came on Nov. 16, 2016, a 94-56 victory over North Florida.
Although the Gators won two early-round games in Jacksonville on the way to the NCAA Tournament title in 2006, this would be Florida’s first game in the city as a reigning national champion.
While the schools haven’t previously met in Jacksonville, Florida has unusual experience here against opposition with the same name: Florida lost 88-72 to Miami of Ohio at the Jacksonville Coliseum during the old Gator Bowl Tournament for basketball on Dec. 27, 1972.
Florida won its third NCAA basketball championship in April, defeating Houston 65-63 in San Antonio.
Although the Gators have lost starters Walter Clayton Jr., Alijah Martin and Will Richard, the team is scheduled to return key contributors Rueben Chinyelu, Alex Condon, Micah Handlogten and Thomas Haugh for 2025-26. Florida learned its SEC opponents on June 18.
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