logo
Florida basketball adds further details to 2025 non-conference schedule, nears completion

Florida basketball adds further details to 2025 non-conference schedule, nears completion

USA Today01-07-2025
Florida basketball's nonconference schedule for the upcoming season just got closer to completion with the release of some key details on Tuesday by the program.
The Gators open up the 2025-26 campaign in Las Vegas on Nov. 3 against the Arizona Wildcats, after which they play their home-opener on Nov. 6 against the North Florida Ospreys. The annual rivalry game against the Florida State Seminoles falls on Nov. 11 before a neutral-site game that is still to be determined.
Florida then hosts the Merrimack Warriors inside the O'Connell Center on Nov. 21 — the night before football hosts the Tennessee Volunteers — before hitting the road for a five-game road swing, including the Thanksgiving tournament in San Diego, the Duke Blue Devils in the ACC-SEC Challenge, and the UConn Huskies in the Jimmy V Classic, plus a game in the state of Florida sill to be announced.
A trio of home games against the St. Francis Red Flash, Colgate Raiders and Dartmouth Big Green wrap up the nonconference slate before the Gators open Southeastern Conference play on Jan. 3.
Florida basketball's 2025 non-conference schedule
Follow us @GatorsWire on X, formerly known as Twitter, as well as Bluesky, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

College football season kicks off with thrilling matchups and high stakes
College football season kicks off with thrilling matchups and high stakes

NBC Sports

time11 hours ago

  • NBC Sports

College football season kicks off with thrilling matchups and high stakes

After a long and busy season for college athletics, the football season arrives with a host of tantalizing angles. A look at some of the big games among the top teams, what's at stake and the hurdles that must be cleared on the way to the national championship. When does college football start? A handful of games kick off the season Aug. 23, with the most intriguing a Big 12 matchup between No. 22 Iowa State and No. 17 Kansas State that will take place in Dublin, Ireland. Both teams are considered contenders in their wide-open conference. Kansas State quarterback Avery Johnson threw for a school-record 25 touchdowns last season and ran for seven more. Iowa State played in the conference title game last year. The following weekend has some doozies: No. 9 LSU faces No. 4 Clemson, No. 6 Notre Dame visits No. 10 Miami and defending champion No. 3 Ohio State hosts No. 1 Texas. Before the College Football Playoff expanded to 12 teams last year, a game like that might have been make or break. Now, teams have second chances and can afford three (maybe four) losses and still get in. Who are the favorites? The AP Top 25 and the coaches poll both list Texas as the preseason No. 1 team and the Longhorns are currently the favorite (plus-450, or 9-2 odds) to win the national championship, according to BetMGM Sportsbook. Ohio State is right behind them (plus-525), followed by No. 5 Georgia and No. 2 Penn State (both 7-1) and then Clemson and No. 7 Oregon (both 9-1). Key games to watch Preseason No. 7 Oregon visits No. 2 Penn State on Sept. 27 in a rematch of last season's Big Ten title game. Penn State also has a game against Ohio State on Nov. 1. .... Speaking of the Buckeyes, the national title helped them get over their fourth straight loss to preseason No. 14 Michigan. That rematch is in its usual spot, Thanksgiving weekend, Nov. 29 at the Big House. ... TCU at North Carolina (Bill Belichick's coaching debut) on Sept. 1 ... Oklahoma vs. Texas on Oct. 11 ... USC at No. 6 Notre Dame on Oct. 18 ... LSU at No. 8 Alabama on Nov. 8 ... No. 11 Arizona State at Colorado on Nov. 22. The 12-team playoff The College Football Playoff remains at 12 teams this year with one significant tweak: Unlike last year, conference champions will not be guaranteed a bye in the first round. But the best five conference champions are still guaranteed spots in the tournament. Seeds 5-8 will host first-round games against 9-12 on Dec. 19 (one game) and Dec. 20 (three games). The quarterfinals will be at the Cotton Bowl on Dec. 1, then at the Orange, Rose and Sugar Bowl on Jan. 1. The semifinals will be Jan. 8 at the Fiesta Bowl and Jan. 9 at the Peach Bowl. The title game will take place at Hard Rock Stadium outside of Miami on Jan. 19. Heisman watch Keep in mind that last year's winner, Travis Hunter, didn't show up in the watch list in this very space last year. With that said, the early favorites include quarterbacks Arch Manning (Texas), Garrett Nussmeier (LSU) and Cade Klubnik (Clemson), along with Ohio State receiver Jeremiah Smith and, for those looking for a longshot, Alabama receiver Ryan Williams.

Why 2025 is a season of intrigue for Florida football quarterback DJ Lagway
Why 2025 is a season of intrigue for Florida football quarterback DJ Lagway

USA Today

time14 hours ago

  • USA Today

Why 2025 is a season of intrigue for Florida football quarterback DJ Lagway

Florida football finally broke out of its multi-season slump last fall thanks in large part to the efforts of then-true-freshman quarterback DJ Lagway, who led the Gators to their first bowl victory since 2019 as well as an 8-5 finish overall. Suffice it to say, Lagway's heroics ostensibly saved Billy Napier his job. However, while the pressure has lessened a tad on the head coach's hot seat, the Orange and Blue have high expectations this year while facing what is arguably the toughest schedule among FBS teams. Napier has put his full trust in his sophomore gunslinger despite some injury concerns during the preseason. "This guy's got a lot of ceiling," Florida's skipper offers. "There's a lot there, fundamentally and overall football knowledge. The impressive thing about him is the mental makeup, the humility. He just shifts into this competitor. He goes to a different space as a competitor. It's not too big for him." With that said, ESPN college football reporter Chris Low recently took on the task of evaluating the intriguing aspects of all the Southeastern Conference's 16 starting quarterbacks, offering up the following for Lagway. The intrigue behind DJ Lagway "As a freshman this past season, Lagway had moments when he was everything everybody thought he would be when he came out of Willis, Texas, as a five-star recruit. He's got a great arm, ideal size (6-3, 247 pounds) and the awareness and escapability in the pocket to extend plays," Low begins. "Lagway wasn't the Gators' full-time starter until the last part of the season, after Graham Mertz tore his left ACL in the third quarter of a 23-17 overtime loss to Tennessee. It was in that game that Lagway showed his vast potential in a very hostile road environment. His 27-yard touchdown pass on third-and-19 to Chimere Dike with 29 seconds remaining tied the game before the Vols won in overtime," he continues. "Lagway had 12 completions of 40 yards or longer this past season and was 6-1 as a starter, helping lead the Gators to four straight wins to close the season." DJ Lagway's path to success "The lingering question with Lagway is his durability and whether he can stay healthy. He battled an injury to his throwing shoulder in the spring and was limited. Most recently, a strained left calf held him back. He didn't participate in the Gators' first scrimmage, but according to insiders, has continued to throw regularly and looked good," Low offers. "He also missed a game and a half this past season with a hamstring injury. Lagway also put the ball in some dangerous spots at times, but what freshman doesn't? The bottom line is if he stays healthy, he has greatness written all over him." Follow us @GatorsWire on X, formerly known as Twitter, as well as Bluesky, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions.

The 2025 College Football Playoff chase will be impacted by these 20 players
The 2025 College Football Playoff chase will be impacted by these 20 players

New York Times

time20 hours ago

  • New York Times

The 2025 College Football Playoff chase will be impacted by these 20 players

There weren't many college football fans outside of the Dallas-Fort Worth area who knew much about Kevin Jennings this time last year. The former three-star recruit began the 2024 season as a backup quarterback but replaced starter Preston Stone a month into the season and led SMU to an ACC title game appearance and the College Football Playoff. Advertisement Indiana was picked to finish 17th in the Big Ten preseason poll a year ago, but went 11-1 in the regular season and crashed the CFP with a bunch of transfers from James Madison. The point? There is so much we don't know about who will impact the race for the 12 spots in the Playoff. That won't stop us from speculating. Here are 20 players — or in some cases, position groups — on contending teams who could go a long way in determining which teams will have an opportunity to play for a national championship. We're focusing on players who have yet to see significant snaps for their current team or are new to the Power 4 level. We will start with the non-quarterbacks. 1. Penn State's receivers: The Nittany Lions' national title hopes will likely hinge on whether Kyron Hudson (USC), Trebor Pena (Syracuse) and Devonte Ross (Troy) can provide reliable pass-catching options for senior QB Drew Allar. 2. Ohio State left tackle Ethan Onianwa: Onianwa, ranked 10th on our top-100 transfers list, has lost more than 20 pounds since arriving on campus in January. He's leveling up in competition after starting 34 games at left tackle in his career at Rice. 3. Oregon running back Makhi Hughes: Hughes is a proven commodity from the Group of 5 ranks after rushing for 2,779 yards and 22 touchdowns in the last two seasons at Tulane. That said, the Ducks are counting on four new starters on the offensive line — including three transfers — to open holes for their new lead back. 4. LSU's offensive line: We told you why the Tigers won the transfer portal in the offseason. Ultimately, the success of star quarterback Garrett Nussmeier will come down to whether transfers Braelin Moore (Virginia Tech) and Josh Thompson (Northwestern) — who have a combined 45 starts — are as good as the guys they're replacing. LSU had four offensive linemen drafted off last season's 9-4 team. Advertisement 5. Miami safety Zechariah Poyser: Mario Cristobal signed six defensive backs in the portal and hired defensive coordinator Corey Hetherman to patch up the holes that cost the Hurricanes a trip to the ACC title game. Poyser, a redshirt sophomore from Conference USA champion Jacksonville State, wore the green dot on his helmet during the spring and will be the new maestro on the revamped back end for the Canes. 6. Texas A&M receiver KC Concepcion: The Aggies came close to reaching the SEC Championship Game in Mike Elko's first season. Quarterback Marcel Reed, five starters on the offensive line and the entire backfield return. What's needed is a dynamic playmaker at receiver, and Concepcion, the 2023 ACC Rookie of the Year, has the talent and experience to fill the void. 7. Clemson defensive end Will Heldt: It's easy to forget Clemson's defense wasn't very good last season — especially against the run. Peter Woods and T.J. Parker are arguably the best tackle-edge combo in college football, but they need help. Heldt arrives from Purdue and should be even more productive (he had five sacks in 2024) now that he is playing with far more talent. 8. Arizona State running back Kanye Udoh: Cam Skattebo's impact on the Sun Devils last season didn't become evident on a large scale until late in the season. Udoh, who is bigger than Skattebo at 6-1, 220 pounds, enters the lead back role with a stronger resume than his predecessor. Udoh ran for 1,117 yards and 10 touchdowns last season at Army. 🗣️Here are the Runner-ups for #CFB's 5 Fastest Players of Week 6️⃣! 7. @ArmyWP_Football's Kanye Udoh Second 60 yarder on this list 🤯 20.9 MPH@KanyeUdoh6 #GoArmy #BEATnavy — Reel Analytics (@RAanalytics) October 11, 2024 9. SMU's defensive line: The Mustangs have put together back-to-back 11-win seasons — the first in the American and the second in their ACC debut. Still, many are expecting Rhett Lashlee's squad to take a step back after losing nine starters from the league's top defense. Jeffrey M'Ba (Purdue), Terry Webb (Texas State) and Aakil Washington (South Alabama) are the proven trio among nine new additions on the D-line. Advertisement 10. Illinois receiver Hudson Clement: Illinois is 12th in both the AP and Coaches poll, the highest preseason rank for the program since it was 11th in 1990. The Illini welcome back quarterback Luke Altmyer and five starters on the offensive line, but they must replace the top two receivers, including third-round pick Pat Bryant. Clement, a former walk-on at West Virginia, caught 51 passes for 741 yards for the Mountaineers in 2024. 1. Texas' Arch Manning: The preseason Heisman Trophy favorite has played only 260 offensive snaps since arriving in Austin as the No. 1 recruit in the 2023 class. He won both of his starts last season in place of the injured Quinn Ewers — at home against Louisiana-Monroe and at Mississippi State — and ended the year with 939 yards passing with nine touchdowns and two interceptions. But now, it's his show entirely and he will be operating an offense that has four new starters on the line. The path to stardom doesn't start easy — on the road against the defending national champions. 2. Ohio State's starting quarterback: Ryan Day has yet to name a starter in the competition between Julian Sayin and Lincoln Kienholz. Either way, all eyes will be on the player tasked with throwing passes to Jeremiah Smith this fall. Sayin, the top quarterback recruit in the 2024 cycle, played 27 snaps last season as a true freshman. Kienholz, a 2023 four-star recruit from South Dakota, has played a total of 68 snaps in his career. 3. Georgia's Gunner Stockton: By the time Carson Beck pulled his name out of the NFL Draft and instead took a big payday at Miami, the defending SEC champions had already moved on and invested their financial resources elsewhere. That's not to say Georgia didn't look for QB help after the season. Kirby Smart's team kicked the tires on former Cal starter Fernando Mendoza before he ended up at Indiana. Stockton made his only start in the 23-10 Playoff loss to Notre Dame. 4. Notre Dame's starting quarterback: Marcus Freeman has yet to announce if redshirt freshman CJ Carr (four career snaps) or redshirt sophomore Kenny Minchey (17 career snaps) will start the opener at 10th-ranked Miami. Neither has played much to this point. That's a different approach after Notre Dame went with seasoned transfers in the last two seasons — Riley Leonard (Duke) and Sam Hartman (Wake Forest). 5. Oregon's Dante Moore: The redshirt sophomore and former five-star recruit from Detroit started five games as a true freshman at UCLA two seasons ago. His 461 career snaps at the Power 4 level are valuable for the defending Big Ten champions as they look to replace Heisman finalist Dillon Gabriel and eight other starters on offense. 6. Alabama's Ty Simpson: Kalen DeBoer named Simpson, a former five-star recruit who is in his fourth year in Tuscaloosa, as the starter over 2024 Washington transfer Austin Mack and five-star freshman Keelon Russell. Simpson played 71 snaps last season behind Jalen Milroe, but saw his most meaningful action two years ago off the bench when he led Alabama to a 17-3 come-from-behind win at South Florida. Advertisement 7. Michigan's Bryce Underwood: Michgian coach Sherrone Moore said he'll announce the starter the week of the opener against New Mexico. Underwood, the No. 1 overall recruit in the Class of 2025, is the favorite. Either way, the 2023 national champions will have an upgrade at the position after an abysmal offensive season in 2024. Fresno State transfer Mikey Keene has started 34 games in his career and completed 70.5 percent of his passes last season for 2,892 yards and 18 touchdowns, but he hasn't been taking a lot of reps as he recovers from injury. 8. Oklahoma's John Mateer: Matteer, the top player in The Athletic's transfer portal rankings, was in the news earlier this week after some screenshots taken from his Venmo account indicated that he had bet on college football games during his time at Washington State. Assuming nothing comes of this — he has denied any wrongdoing — Mateer is expected to revive the Sooners' offense after putting up huge numbers with the Cougars last season. To help ease the transition, Ben Arbuckle, his OC with the Cougars last season, is now calling plays for Oklahoma. 9. Ole Miss' Austin Simmons: As our Justin Williams wrote this summer, Simmons flashed when he came off the bench to replace Jaxson Dart in a win over Georgia last season. Now a redshirt sophomore, Simmons will lead a Lane Kiffin offense that includes nine new starters. He's played a total of 81 snaps in his career. 10. Utah's Devon Dampier: The Utes are a strong candidate to bounce back after stumbling to a 5-7 mark last season. The optimism centers around the arrival of Dampier and the return of all five starters on the offensive line. Dampier ran for 1,166 yards and threw for 2,768 and 12 touchdowns last season at New Mexico. (Photo of Makhi Hughes: Matthew Dobbins / Imagn Images) Spot the pattern. Connect the terms Find the hidden link between sports terms Play today's puzzle

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store