Florida State has put the full shape of its 2026-27 non-conference slate on the board, and it’s a busy one. The Seminoles announced Thursday that they’ll play a 14-game stretch before ACC play begins, with four Power Four opponents, nine home games at the Donald L. Tucker Center, three neutral-site games and one road trip.
Luke Loucks didn’t hide the intent behind the schedule.
"We're really excited about this non-conference schedule and the opportunity it provides our team," said Loucks. "Our goal was to put together a schedule that challenges us early and prepares us for the level of competition we'll face in ACC play.
The best way to get better is to compete against high-level opponents, and these games will test us, expose areas where we need to improve, and help us grow as a team. We're looking forward to the challenge and believe this schedule will put us in the best position possible when conference play begins."
FSU opens the season Monday, Nov. 2, against Florida A&M at Benchmark International Arena in Tampa, Fla., in the Orion180 Tip-Off Classic. From there, the Seminoles settle into a six-game home run that starts Friday, Nov. 6, with the home opener against Troy.
The home stretch keeps rolling with Florida coming to Tallahassee on Tuesday, Nov. 10, followed by Texas A&M-Corpus Christi on Nov. 13, Ball State on Nov.
17, Green Bay on Nov. 20 and UNC Asheville on Nov. 24.
One game still needs an opponent and site, but it’s locked in for Sunday, Nov. 29. After that, Florida State heads to Knoxville for a Tuesday, Dec. 1 meeting with Tennessee in the fourth annual SEC/ACC Challenge.
The Seminoles are back in Tallahassee on Saturday, Dec. 5, to host Dayton, then travel to Houston for a Saturday, Dec. 12 matchup with Texas A&M at the Toyota Center. Jacksonville State visits on Wednesday, Dec. 16, before FSU plays Houston on Sunday, Dec. 20, in Jacksonville, Fla.
Loucks also pointed to the chance to bring the program around the state.
"Our team and staff are also looking forward to the opportunity to take our program to different markets throughout the state of Florida this season," said Loucks. "Florida State basketball is bigger than just Tallahassee, our brand reaches across the entire country, and we want to continue building those connections with Seminole fans everywhere.
Playing neutral-site games in places like Tampa and Jacksonville gives us a chance to compete in new environments while engaging with our incredible fan base. We're looking forward to bringing Florida State basketball to our fans around the state and creating more opportunities for them to be a part of our program."
FSU finishes the non-conference portion at home against Bethune-Cookman on Tuesday, Dec. 22.
Before the regular season gets underway, the Seminoles will also play three exhibitions. That slate begins Oct. 10 against Mississippi State in Pensacola, Fla., continues Oct. 14 against Auburn in the 2026 Ballin in Boutwell preseason event at Boutwell Auditorium in Birmingham, Ala., and wraps up Oct. 24 against LSU at the Tucker Center.
The ACC schedule will be released later.
Season tickets are on sale now, starting at $150 and including a guaranteed seat location for every home game in the 2026-27 season. Current season ticket holders have until August 20 to renew their existing seats, with remaining locations and upgrade options available after that based on priority. Single-game home tickets go on sale in October.
In Other News...
Florida States ACC Exit Push Just Got A Real New Opening
Florida States long-running standoff with the ACC may have found a fresh opening in Washington. The Seminoles, alongside Clemson, already forced major change when their lawsuit over the leagues restrictive multimedia rights agreement and withdrawal penalties ended in a settlement that altered revenue distribution and softened exit costs, but the conference picture could shift again if a proposed amendment to the Protect College Sports Act moves forward.
Backed by some ACC schools and Florida Sen. Ashley Moody, the amendment would let Power 4 programs leave their leagues without a five-year probationary period if they withdraw within 180 days of the bill becoming law. For Florida State, that would be a potentially meaningful development in its push to create a cleaner path out of the ACC, though the measure still has to clear both the Senate and House before any of that becomes real. [Read more 🡒]
Former FSU Stars Health Fight Raises Troubling Questions
A painful off-field story has followed Paul McGowan, the former Florida State football player who went on to a long career as a firefighter. According to a petition for workers compensation benefits filed by his family and represented by attorney Mike Clelland, McGowan was hurt in a workplace training incident in March 2024, and the claim centers on serious injuries that have turned a routine-duty discussion into something far more sobering for those who know him through both FSU and public service.
Seminole County officials have acknowledged the claim but have declined to say more because the matter is still pending, leaving a lot of the important details inside the legal process for now. For a former Seminole whose life after football was built around helping others, the unanswered questions around his condition and the handling of the incident make this a situation worth watching closely. [Read more 🡒]
Florida State Already Has A Bigger Mike Norvell Question Looming
Florida State has kicked the coaching-search can down the road for now, choosing not to jump into the crowded 2025 market and instead giving Mike Norvell room to hold onto his job. It is a practical move, the kind programs make when they want to keep options open without rushing into a climate that could force a bad fit or an expensive compromise.
Still, the bigger question is not just whether Norvell steadies things, but what kind of coach the Seminoles would even chase if the seat heats up again. Early discussion around the opening has centered on coordinators and non-power conference head coaches, with names like Buster Faulkner, Matt Baker and Manny Diaz already in the mix as possible future targets, which tells you how much uncertainty could linger if Florida State ever has to act. [Read more 🡒]