Florida has once again lined up a grueling non-conference slate, with three high-major road games, a neutral-site contest vs. Virginia and the home end of the UConn series.
The Florida men's basketball team announced its nine non-conference games for the 2020-21 season in light of the NCAA's new Nov. 25 start date and contest limits. Despite the slightly shortened non-conference slate, the Gators will once against face one of the most challenging schedules in the nation with five games vs. power conference opponents, four of those outside of Gainesville.
Florida will open the season with a pair of games at Mohegan Sun, taking on Maine and Virginia on Nov. 25 and 27, respectively, replacing the Emerald Coast Classic on the Gators' schedule.
Florida has played the toughest non-conference schedule of any SEC team in four of its five seasons under head coach
Mike White, according to KenPom. In each of the past five seasons, the Gators' non-conference schedule has rated among the top-50 toughest nationally every season. In that same timeframe, no other SEC team has played a top-100 slate all five seasons, and 12 SEC teams have played a sub-200 schedule at least once.
Four games remain unchanged from the team's original slate:
- At Oklahoma, Dec. 2
- UConn in Gainesville, Dec. 6
- James Madison in Gainesville, Dec. 22
- SEC/Big 12 Challenge, at West Virginia, Jan. 30
Two opponents originally scheduled for November have new dates in December:
- At Florida State, Dec. 12
- North Florida in Gainesville, Dec. 16
In place of the Orange Bowl Classic on Dec. 19, the Gators will now host FAU on that date. The Owls are coached by former UF assistant coach Dusty May, who spent seven seasons coaching under White (Louisiana Tech 2011-15, Florida 2015-18).
The Gators will no longer host Samford, McNeese State or Stony Brook and will not play Penn State in the Basketball Hall of Fame Invitational in Brooklyn this season. SEC play is scheduled to open Dec. 29 and 30.
Florida Men's Basketball Updated 2020-21 Non-Conference Schedule
| Nov. 25 |
Wednesday |
Maine (at Mohegan Sun) |
Uncasville, Conn. |
| Nov. 27 |
Friday |
Virginia (at Mohegan Sun) |
Uncasville, Conn. |
| Dec. 2 |
Wednesday |
Oklahoma |
Norman, Okla. |
| Dec. 6 |
Sunday |
UCONN |
GAINESVILLE, FLA. |
| Dec. 12 |
Saturday |
Florida State |
Tallahassee, Fla. |
| Dec. 16 |
Wednesday |
NORTH FLORIDA |
GAINESVILLE, FLA. |
| Dec. 19 |
Saturday |
FLORIDA ATLANTIC |
GAINESVILLE, FLA. |
| Dec. 22 |
Tuesday |
JAMES MADISON |
GAINESVILLE, FLA. |
| Jan. 30 |
Saturday |
at West Virginia (SEC/B12) |
Morgantown, W.V. |
