Georgia Tech is going to begin its first season under Scott Cross in just a few short months, and the Yellow Jackets are going to have an intriguing non-conference slate for Cross to navigate. One of the matchups, which had been previously reported, is going to be against the Florida Gators in the Hall of Fame Series in Orlando on Dec. 12th. The Yellow Jackets' matchup with the Gators will be part of a doubleheader, with VCU vs Florida Atlantic being the other game.
To say that this is going to be a huge challenge for Cross in his first season at Georgia Tech is an understatement. Florida is likely to begin the season as the preseason No. 1 team in the country and will be the favorites to win their second national championship in three seasons. The Gators were champions in 2025, but were upset by Iowa in the second round of the 2026 NCAA Tournament.
Florida is going to be returning Thomas Haugh (projected lottery pick), Alex Condon (projected 1st round pick), and Rueben Chinyelu (one of the best defensive players in the country). This will be one of the best teams, if not the best team in the country.
It might be early to expect Cross and Georgia Tech to be able to win a game like this yet, but I think scheduling the best teams out of conference is something that every program should be doing. This is an opportunity that will be great for the program and the fans.
Cross released this statement after the game was officially announced today:
"The Hall of Fame Series is a premier event and we are excited to have the opportunity to participate this season to showcase not only Georgia Tech, but the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame. It will be a great opportunity for Georgia Tech to compete against a high-level Florida team during non-conference play and be an exciting game for our fans."
This is going to be the first time that Georgia Tech and Florida are playing each other since 1987. They have played each other 47 times, and Georgia Tech leads the all-time series 27-20.
Georgia Tech is going to be starting over when it comes to its roster. Transfers: Colby Garland , Nasir Whitlock, Jackson Fields , Victor Valdes , Tylis Jordan , and Jackson McVey will play huge roles along with freshmen such as Moustapha Diop, Kayden Allen, and Kaiden Bailey.
Florida is going to be the third SEC team on the Yellow Jackets' non-conference schedule. Georgia Tech also has its annual rivalry game with the Georgia Bulldogs (November 20th), a matchup with Mississippi State in the ACC/SEC Challenge (December 2nd), and a game vs Butler (December 19th).
The rest of Georgia Tech's schedule will be released at a later date.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/georgiatech as Georgia Tech Basketball Officially Announces Huge Non-Conference Tilt With Florida .
