![Florida Gators guard Boogie Fland (0) drives to the basket past Duke Blue Devils guard Caleb Foster (1) during the first half at Cameron Indoor Stadium in Durham, NC on Tuesday, December 2, 2025. [Matt Pendleton/Gainesville Sun]](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_crop,x_0,y_0,w_6000,h_3375/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/images/ImagnImages/mmsport/213/01ktbtc6ah0awjpey1ds.jpg "Florida Gators guard Boogie Fland (0) drives to the basket past Duke Blue Devils guard Caleb Foster (1) during the first half at Cameron Indoor Stadium in Durham, NC on Tuesday, December 2, 2025. [Matt Pendleton/Gainesville Sun]")
Florida is going to enter the 2026/27 season with a massive bullseye on its back. With its entire front court returning and the return of Denzel Aberdeen to the backcourt, the Gators have been anointed No. 1 in a number of “way too early” preseason rankings ahead of the season starting for real in November.
Todd Golden has stated he wants to find a balance this upcoming season to still play a challenging non-conference slate, but not quite at the level of the gauntlet the Gators ran last season. One of those games that summed up just how crazy Florida’s non-conference slate was last year was their trip to Duke, where Florida fell 67-66 on a late three from the Blue Devils. If initial reports are true, Florida is going to get its chance at redemption this upcoming season.
Florida to play Duke in Gainesville in 2026
Based on a report from Jon Rothstein, Florida will host Duke this upcoming season as part of the ACC/SEC Challenge. While the two teams have crossed paths a handful of times over the years, it would mark the first time since 1937 that Florida has hosted Duke. The Blue Devils won that game 33-25. Florida last beat Duke in 2000 in the Sweet 16.
NEWS: Matchups for the 2026 ACC/SEC Challenge are set, per sources.
— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) June 5, 2026
Ark @ UNC
AU @ Clem
Duke @ UF
BC @ UGA
Wake @ LSU
Pitt @ Mizz
SU @ OU
OleMiss @ VT
SC@NCSt
FSU @ Tenn
Texas @ Lville
Bama @ Miami
UK @ UVA
GT @ MissSt
Stanford @ A&M
Vandy @ NDhttps://t.co/CH4tXkiAal
While Florida will get a huge test when it takes part in the Players Era Men’s Championship in Las Vegas, this game against Duke will be a massive standalone litmus test that has a shot at being No. 1 vs. No. 2 whenever it takes place. Duke returns three starters from last year and landed John Blackwell out of the transfer portal from Wisconsin.
It’s also going to be an interesting juxtaposition between a traditional Blue Blood (Duke) and a program that could argue it has had just about as much success in the modern era (Florida).
Since 2000, take a wild guess who has more appearances in the national title game?
Hint, it’s not Duke.
Both have three titles since 2000, and Duke does have one extra berth in the Final Four (six appearances versus Florida’s five).
Florida will open its 2026 campaign when it takes on Miami on November 2 in Tampa.
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