The Florida State men's basketball team is nearly back in action, with an exhibition against LSU standing in the way of the season opener against Florida A&M on November 2. We will not have to wait long before seeing the Seminoles in a high-leverage situation, with a massive game against the Florida Gators in early November.
Florida State has a very tough schedule this season. Non-conference games against Texas A&M, Houston, Tennessee, and Florida should challenge the Seminoles early in the season.
There will not be much of a break from big games for Florida State in the ACC either, with Syracuse, North Carolina, Clemson (twice), Miami (twice), Duke, Virginia, Louisville, and NC State scheduled. For the fans of big games like myself, this should be an exciting season with an improved Seminoles' roster and a gauntlet of challenges for second-year coach Luke Loucks.
Every game will mean something to Loucks and Florida State, but here are the five games that I will be firmly planted in front of the screen for.
1. November 10 - At home against No. 1 Florida
The game everyone is waiting for is actually one of the first on the schedule, as Florida State will be taking on the top-ranked Florida Gators in Tallahassee. The Gators have one of the more menacing rosters in college basketball, led by near-unanimous preseason All-American forward Thomas Haugh, who had 20 points and 13 rebounds against the Seminoles last season.
Defeating the Gators is about more than just defeating Haugh, as Florida also has talented players like Alex Condon and Rueben Chinyelu. The Gators have perhaps the most talented roster Florida State will face this season, with Duke making a case as well.
Florida State has dropped the last five games against Florida, but the two-point loss with Loucks leading the squad is the closest game the two sides have had since the 2020-21 season. Will Florida State take down the best team in the country? Probably not. However, the game will be an excellent test for Loucks and his team to see exactly where the program is trending.
2. December 12 - Houston Hoopsfest against Texas A&M
Florida State has not fared well in neutral-site games under Loucks in a very small sample size, but against a team in a similar position like Texas A&M, the Seminoles will need to capitalize. Florida State has a handful of intriguing early-season games, but none with a storyline quite like the game against the Aggies.
Texas A&M is entering the season as a team on the outside looking in, with 19 preseason votes but no appearance in the early Top 25 poll. The Aggies finished with a record of 22-12 last season, making the NCAA Tournament and defeating the Seminoles in the process. The two teams met in Tampa last season, and the Aggies handed out a swift 95-59 beatdown.
Loucks has stressed multiple times during the offseason that winning the big games and playing against strong opponents is how Florida State can improve the program. In the third meeting in the history of both programs, expect Loucks to bring a much-improved team to the court.
3. January 13 - At home against North Carolina
This is probably the game I am most excited for this season for Florida State, and it is due to the fact that both teams are in the same spot in the ACC. North Carolina received no votes to win the conference in the ACC preseason poll, with the media predicting a fifth-place finish this season.
North Carolina has plenty to prove this year before potentially overtaking the likes of Miami, Virginia, Duke, and Louisville. Coincidentally, Florida State is in the same spot, with significant wins needed to make a run at the top of the ACC. The Tar Heels may not be one of the many preseason-ranked teams on the schedule for the Seminoles, but a benchmark win would prove Loucks is pushing the program in the right direction.
4. February 27 - Away against No. 9 Virginia
Florida State and Virginia have developed a unique ACC rivalry on the basketball court over the years, producing some of the most exciting games the Seminoles have participated in. Virginia always brings a strong, gritty defense to the court that often forces opposing teams into difficult back-and-forth games.
The game against Virginia last season was one of many winnable games that Loucks' Seminoles were unable to lock down. With a new team and a new mentality to approaching tough games this season, Florida State should bring a much-improved squad into Charlottesville this year.
Virginia is going to give Florida State a chance to prove that changes have been made on both sides of the play. The Cavaliers rarely give up easy baskets, and Florida State struggled to create quality looks at the basket on offense last season.
5. March 6 - At home against No. 14 Miami
In the final regular season game of the season, Florida State will be taking on a preseason-ranked Miami team that has struggled against the Seminoles in the past. Florida State has gone 6-2 against Miami since the 2022-23 season, and Loucks will look to continue to improve upon that record moving forward.
Florida State plays Miami twice this season, with an earlier meeting on February 6 that should also deliver fireworks. The reason I am clearing my schedule to tune into this game is that the Seminoles will have a chance to defend their home court after suffering a ten-point loss in Tallahassee last season.
Loucks needs to prove himself this season, and avenging the home loss from Year 1 would be the perfect way to end the regular season. Florida State and Miami love seeing each other on every different field, court, and playing surface. With plenty of bragging rights on the line and one last shot to prove themselves before the postseason, Florida State will have an excellent opportunity in front of itself.
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