FSU men’s basketball just dropped its non-conference schedule for the upcoming season, and Luke Loucks built a slate designed to get this team ready for the grind of ACC play. The schedule totals 17 games, with the first three being exhibitions, and includes three opponents ranked by multiple outlets in the preseason top 25: Florida (Nov. 10), Tennessee (Dec. 1, in Knoxville) and Houston (Dec. 20, in Jacksonville).
The tune-ups come first. FSU opens Oct. 10 against Mississippi State in Pensacola, heads to Birmingham to face Auburn on Oct. 14 as part of the annual Ballin in Boutwell event, then closes exhibition play at home against LSU on Oct. 24. From there, the Noles play a 14-game non-conference slate that features four Power Four opponents (Florida, Tennessee, Texas A&M and Houston) and nine home games at the Tucker Center.
There’s a fun wrinkle in there too. FSU plays Texas A&M at Houston’s Toyota Center on Dec. 12, then faces the actual Houston Cougars in Jacksonville eight days later for the Jacksonville Hoops Showdown. Those two teams actually faced off in the second round of the NCAA Tournament last year (Houston won 88-57).
The Noles went 8-7 in non-conference play last season (18-15 overall, 10-8 ACC). After a rough start, FSU found its footing and won 10 of its final 12 games before falling to No. 1-ranked Duke, 80-79, in the ACC Tournament quarterfinal, a finish that set the program record for conference wins by a first-year head coach.
That strong close, paired with a transfer portal class that peaked at No. 4 nationally in On3’s team rankings and a 2026 signing class that landed at No. 16 in ESPN’s final rankings, has built real excitement heading into Loucks’ second season. FSU is still waiting on the ACC to release its full conference 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.”
“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,” Loucks added. “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 also just announced they will attend the ACC Tipoff event in Charlotte, NC, on October 7th. Thanks for reading and Go Noles!