Florida vs Florida State: How to watch, odds, predictions from ESPN, KenPom

Florida travels to Florida State tonight for the annual matchup between two of the top men’s hoops programs in the peninsula. This year, both squads have already taken their lumps, but fans, players and coaches will still be hyped up for this rivalry game. You can find all the relevant information — tip time, location, spreads, scores, predictions, etc. — right down here:

How to watch

Tip-off: 8 p.m. ET

Location: Tallahassee, FL

Channel: ACC Network

Vegas odds

The Vegas Insider consensus gives the nod to the visiting Gators, with Florida averaging out as roughly a 7.5-point favorite on the road against an 0-3 Florida State team.

ESPN BPI Prediction

Predicted winner: Florida State

Predicted point differential: 0.4 points

Win probability: 51.5%

Matchup quality: 88.0 (2nd best game on Friday)

KenPom Prediction

Predicted final score: 76-72 Florida

Win probability: 64% Florida

More on Florida at Florida State

Well, normally this rivalry has a little more juice, with both programs being consistent NCAA Tournament participants over the last handful of years. Not the case in 2022. The Gators are 2-1 but already dropped a game to another in-state rival, FAU, earlier this week. It sounds crazy, but the team they’ll face in Tallahassee Friday night may be much worse than that FAU squad.

Florida State is winless at 0-3 and already dropped two games at home to Stetson and Troy, then lost another away from home against UCF by double digits. With the injuries the Seminoles have already sustained and the results thus far this season, UF should take care of business. But in the land of college basketball, what should happen rarely becomes so.

Regardless of the poor start to the season by both teams, an intrastate rivalry always brings some excitement. The battle for the (third? fourth?) best team in the Sunshine State tips off at 8 p.m. tonight.