With both the Volunteers and Gators coming off of wins in their most recent SEC contest, it’s the Gators who draw the home crowd in a marquee matchup of two perennial powerhouses.
Tennessee enters at 11-4 following a 14-point victory over Texas on Tuesday, while Florida sits at 10-5 coming off a crucial home win over #18 Georgia on the same day. The two sides both sit at 1-1 in conference play and look to ascend up the standings.
It’s been a “pick your poison” season for the Volunteers thus far, with wins over Houston and Louisville in the non-conference slate, but losses to Kansas and Illinois as well. In SEC play, prior to the Texas victory, Tennessee fell to Arkansas, 86-75.
For Florida, a rocky title defense saw the team slip to 9-4 in non-conference play. Despite the shaky start, the Gators have compiled a 5-1 record over the last month. In the Georgia game, Alex Condon and Thomas Haugh scored 21 each to lead the team.
Last season, the two sides split its regular season matchups with a pair of blowouts by the home team, culminating in a 86-77 victory for Florida in the 2025 SEC Tournament Final. The last nine regular season matchups have gone in favor of the home team.
Both teams have had their highs and lows this season, but a noon showdown on ESPN presents a potential turning point for both sides. Fresh off victories, the team that wins should continue to build momentum as the SEC gauntlet begins to take shape.
Tennessee vs. Florida: When and Where
Date: Saturday, January 10, 2026
Time: 12:00 pm ET
Location: Stephen C. O’Connell Center, Gainesville, Florida
Tennessee vs. Florida: TV and Streaming Info
TV: ESPN
Streaming: ESPN+, FuboTV
Tennessee vs. Florida Betting Odds
Spread: Florida Gators -4.5, Tennessee Volunteers +4.5
Moneyline: Florida Gators -200, Tennessee Volunteers +190
Total: 153.5
Tennessee vs. Florida Series History
All-Time Series: Tennessee leads 82-61
Last Meeting: Florida won 86-77 on March 16, 2025
Projected Starting Lineups
Tennessee Volunteers
#0 Ja’Kobi Gillespie 18.7 PPG
#10 Nate Ament 14.7 PPG
#34 Felix Okpara 7.1 PPG
#3 Bishop Boswell 5.8 PPG
#6 DeWayne Brown II 5.6 PPG
Key note: Gillespie scored a season-high 34 points in Tennessee’s recent victory over Texas
Florida Gators
#10 Thomas Haugh 17.5 PPG
#21 Alex Condon 14.8 PPG
#1 Xaivian Lee 11.7 PPG
#0 Boogie Fland 10.8 PPG
#9 Rueben Chinyelu 10.5 PPG
Key note: The Gators have used the same starting five in all but one game this season.
Game Outlook
Both squads could use a win here to build some momentum in SEC play.
For Tennessee, Gillespie can’t be expected to score 34 a night. It needs Ament — who looked a bit lost in Tuesday’s matchup with five turnovers and four fouls — to step up and shine on the big stages.
On Florida’s side, look for a potential masterclass from Lee. The Princeton transfer has struggled at times this season, but after a stretch of six double-digit scoring outputs ended against Georgia, the senior could have a vintage performance.
All signs point to a Florida win here given the recent history of home teams thriving in this series, but don't count out the Volunteers as they look to establish themselves as formidable contenders in a loaded SEC.