Two matchups instantly stand out among Florida’s toughest 2026 opponents

Baseball season for Florida is right around the corner, and the Gators are hoping to rebound from a disappointing 2025 campaign. Florida started SEC play 1-11 before rebounding to finish 15-15, only to get bounced in the NCAA Tournament by ECU.

To get an idea of where the challenges on Florida’s 2026 schedule may lie, we ranked them based on their 2025 final RPI, and we included any players who are currently listed as a top 100 MLB draft prospect for either 2026 or 2027. Any potential 2028 draft prospects were not included on this list.

Florida A&M (Mar 4) — RPI 222

Draft Prospects: none

On paper, Florida’s easiest opponent of the year will be a midweek game against FAMU. The Gators won last year 14-4 in seven innings.

Bethune-Cookman (Apr 12) — RPI 196

Draft Prospects: none

The Gators didn’t play Bethune-Cookman last year, but did play them in 2024 and won 9-2.

North Florida (May 5) — RPI 173

Draft Prospects:: none

Florida had two midweek games against UNF last year and had to scrap to win both of them (7-6 and 8-4). This year’s meeting will be the final non-conference game of the regular season. 

UAB (Feb 13–15) — RPI 166

Draft Prospects: none

On paper, the easiest weekend series the Gators are going to play will be their opening one against UAB. These two sides have not faced each other since 1987. UAB was 24-30 last season.

Jacksonville (Mar 31, Apr 21) — RPI 139

Draft Prospects: none

Another familiar midweek opponent for the Gators, Florida won both games last year, 10-4 and 16-4.

FIU (Feb 24–25) — RPI 122

Draft Prospects: none

Oddly enough, FIU is not a program the Gators have crossed paths with throughout history. The last time these two teams played was in 1998.

High Point (Mar 6–8) — RPI 94

Draft Prospects: none

Florida will be thinking sweep in this series, but High Point has been a respectable program out of the Big South Conference the past couple of years. This will be the first time the two programs have faced each other.

South Carolina (Mar 13–15) — RPI 75

Draft Prospects:

• Erik Parker – SS
• Jake McCoy – LHP

South Carolina was a mess last season, so being the easiest team on Florida’s SEC slate might be a misnomer depending on whether or not they rebound in 2026. Erik Parker is a transfer from Georgia, while Jake McCoy pitched three innings last year against Florida and gave up one run. 

FAU (Mar 3) — RPI 65

Draft Prospects: None

FAU was a solid program last year that Florida had to scrape by with a 4-2 win. They also lost their star pitcher, Trey Beard, to FSU.

Stetson (Feb 17–18, Mar 17) — RPI 64

Draft Prospects: none

A bit of a weird three-game set with Stetson this year that will have a home-and-home in February before another one-off game in March. Florida won both meetings last year, 6-1 and 14-4.

Kennesaw State (Feb 20–22) — RPI 58

Draft Prospects: none

Don’t sleep on the Owls, who were 10-9 in Quad 2 games last year (though they were 1-11 in Quad 1 games). This will be the first meeting between the two schools.

Texas A&M (Apr 24–26) — RPI 50

Draft Prospects:

• Chris Hacopian – SS
• Caden Sorrell – OF
• Gavin Grahovac – 3B
• Shane Sdao – LHP
• Terrence Kiel II – OF

After getting within one game of winning the national title in 2024, Texas A&M slumped hard in 2025 and missed the NCAA Tournament. They are still filled with MLB potential.

Kentucky (May 8–10) — RPI 36

Draft Prospects:

• Tyler Bell – SS
• Nate Harris – RHP

Even though Kentucky has morphed into one of the better programs in college baseball, they don’t have that many draft prospects on its roster heading into 2026. Florida did not face Kentucky last season.

Miami (Feb 27–Mar 1) — RPI 34

Draft Prospects:

• Daniel Cuvet – 3B
• Fabio Peralta – OF
• Michael Torres – OF
• Lazaro Collera – RHP

This series has found a way to be one of the spiciest on Florida’s schedule year in and year out. Daniel Cuvet is the headliner for the Hurricanes, but they do have an outfield that is on the radar of MLB scouts.

Oklahoma (May 1–3) — RPI 24

Draft Prospects:

• Drew Rerick – RHP

Just one draft prospect for the Sooners, who have been on the rise through recent years. Drew Rerick transferred from Texas and is expected to anchor their rotation for 2026. The two teams did not play each other in 2025.

Alabama (Mar 20–22) — RPI 15

Draft Prospects:

• Justin Lebron – SS

For a program that was 15th in RPI last year, you would expect a couple more top 100 prospects. But Justin Lebron is a bona fide star who could go No. 1 overall this summer with another monster season. Florida won the series last year against Alabama.

Ole Miss (Apr 2–4) — RPI 12

Draft Prospects:

• Owen Paino – SS
• Hayden Federico – MIF

Owen Paino was a highly touted true freshman last year who should get an increased role heading into the new season, while Hayden Federico was on the SEC All-Freshman team last year. Florida dropped two of their three games against Ole Miss last year.

Florida State (Mar 10, Mar 24, Apr 7) — RPI 11

Draft Prospects:

• Myles Bailey – 1B
• Trey Beard - RHP
• Kelvyn Paulino Jr. – 3B
• Gabe Fraser – SS

This series always feels like it should be a weekend series rather than the weird midweek games they do, but alas, it’s how it has always been done between these two. The infield for the Seminoles is loaded with draft prospects, but Florida did take two of the three games last year.

Georgia (Apr 10–12) — RPI 7

Draft Prospects:

• Joey Volchko – RHP

Joey Volchko transferred in from Stanford and could set up a fun pitchers' duel depending upon when he starts. Florida was swept by Georgia last year in a completely non-competitive series for the Gators

Auburn (Apr 16–18) — RPI 5

Draft Prospects:

• Chris Rembert – 2B
• Chase Fralick – C
• Dmarion Terrell – OF
• Ty Thompson – SS

On paper, the Tigers are loaded heading into 2026 as they look to make it back to Omaha for the first time since 2022. Florida did not face Auburn last year, though the two were in opposite brackets of the NCAA Tournament before the Gators bowed out to ECU. Auburn would then lose in the Super Regionals to Coastal Carolina.

LSU (May 14–16) — RPI 4

Draft Prospects:

• Derek Curiel – OF
• Jake Brown – OF
• William Schmidt – RHP
• Casan Evans – RHP
• Cooper Williams – LHP
• Cade Arrambide – C
• William Patrick – OF

The single most loaded roster Florida will face this year will be the mid-May trip to Baton Rouge to face the defending national champions. Florida and LSU did not face each other last year. The Gators traveled to LSU in 2024 and took two out of three games from the Tigers.

Arkansas (Mar 27–29) — RPI 1

Draft Prospects:

• Gabe Gaeckle – RHP
• Ryder Helfrick – C
• Hunter Dietz – LHP
• Carson Wiggins – RHP
• Cole Gibler – LHP

Arkansas might just have the single most loaded pitching staff in the country, and all three games between the Gators and the Razorbacks are bound to be must-see pitching duels. Florida took two out of three from the Razorbacks last season in a series that was the unofficial turning point of the season for the Gators. Arkansas made it back to the College World Series in 2025, but is still chasing their ellusive first national title.