Jan. 17, 2026, 9:43 a.m. ET
One of the hottest games on the men’s college basketball griddle on Saturday will take place between the No. 20 Florida Gators and No. 8 Vanderbilt Commodores in Nashville.
Not only is this a matchup between the two best teams in the Southeastern Conference, it is also only one of a pair of top-25 matchups on the daily slate. And according to USA TODAY Sports’ Eddie Timanus, it is a must-watch game.
“The good news for the Commodores, of course, is one loss is far from a season-killer. The bad news is their next assignment is a date with the defending national champion Gators, who seem to have found their groove,” Timanus begins.
“Florida has now won three in a row, exceeding the 90-point plateau in each of those victories due in large measure to improved efficiency from Boogie Fland. Vandy also gets solid point-guard play from Tyler Tanner, but Devin McGlockton might have his hands full with the Gators’ deep frontcourt.”
Comparing Florida and Vanderbilt using objective metrics
According to the NET rankings, the Gators are No. 16 while the Commodores are No. 10, making this an obvious Quad 1 game for both squads. Speaking of Quad 1, Florida has amassed a 3-5 record in the category — mind you, with three of those losses coming against three top-10 teams, including the top-ranked Arizona Wildcats — while Vanderbilt has won four of its five Q1 matchups.
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In ESPN’s Basketball Power Index, Todd Golden’s gang holds the upper hand, coming in at No. 9 versus Vandy’s No. 13 ranking. The offensive metric gives the ‘Dores an edge (10.4 vs. 9.4), but the defensive numbers strongly favor the Gators (10.6 vs. 8.1)
The Pomeroy College Basketball Ratings have the two SEC rivals neck-and-neck, with Florida ranked No. 10 (+29.03) and Vanderbilt at No. 11 (+28.59). The home team again holds an edge in the offensive category (10th, 124.8) against the Gators (19th, 123.0), but the visitors have a bigger advantage on the defensive end (9th, 94.0 vs. 14th, 96.2).
How to watch Florida vs. Vanderbilt
The Gators vs. Commodores game will be broadcast nationally on ESPN on Saturday, Jan. 17. Karl Ravech and Jimmy Dykes will call the game from the sidelines inside Memorial Gymnasium. Streaming options for the game include Fubo, which offers a free trial to new subscribers.
Stream Florida vs. Vanderbilt with Fubo free trial
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