Florida State University Athletics
Seminoles Set to Play Two Games in Pensacola
8/25/2026 11:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
FSU will face Mississippi State in an exhibition on Oct. 10 and West Florida during the regular season on Nov. 29
TALLAHASSEE – Florida State Men's Basketball will head to the Florida Panhandle twice, facing Mississippi State in an exhibition game on Oct. 10 before returning to Pensacola to play West Florida on Nov. 29. Both games will be played at the Pensacola Bay Center as part of the Pensacola Hardwood Series.
Â
As previously announced, Florida State will open its preseason schedule against Mississippi State in the Southern Tip-Off on Saturday, Oct. 10. The exhibition matchup will mark the first time the Seminoles and Bulldogs have met since 2015.
Â
"We're incredibly excited for the opportunity to play Mississippi State in Pensacola," said head coach Luke Loucks. "This will be our first time stepping on the court together in a game setting, and it's something our entire team is really looking forward to. We have a tremendous fan base throughout the Panhandle, so the opportunity to bring Florida State basketball to Pensacola is special for our program."
Â
The Seminoles will return to the Pensacola Bay Center on Sunday, Nov. 29 to face West Florida in the Battle at the Bay. The matchup comes during the Argonauts' first season as a Division I program.
Â
"We're also excited to return to the Panhandle in November to play West Florida," added Loucks. "They're building a new Division I program, and we're looking forward to suiting up and competing against them. Personally, I have a lot of connections to Pensacola, with my wife Stevi being from Gulf Breeze, so being able to bring our team to the community and share Florida State basketball with our fans there makes this opportunity even more meaningful."
Â
The Southern Tip-Off and Battle at the Bay are part of the Pensacola Hardwood Series, created through a partnership between Russ Potts Productions, Inc. and the Pensacola Bay Center. The series will bring multiple college basketball events to Pensacola during the 2026-27 season.
Â
The Oct. 10 matchup against Mississippi State will be Florida State's first of three preseason exhibition games. The Seminoles will also face Auburn on Oct. 14 in the Ballin in Boutwell preseason event in Birmingham, Alabama, before hosting LSU at the Donald L. Tucker Center on Oct. 24.
Â
Florida State's Nov. 29 contest against West Florida is part of the Seminoles' 14-game non-conference schedule and will be followed by a road matchup against Tennessee on Dec. 1 as part of the SEC/ACC Challenge. Twenty-two of the 32 regular season contests this season will be played in the Sunshine State.
TICKET INFORMATION
Tickets will go on sale to the general public at 10am CT on Friday, August 28 at www.pensacolabaycenter.com. Broadcast information for the Southern Tip-Off, the Battle at the Bay, and the Pensacola Hardwood Series will be announced in the coming weeks. For updates visit www.pensacolabaycenter.com, or follow @russpottsproductionsinc on Instagram, Facebook, Threads, and X.
ABOUT RUSS POTTS PRODUCTIONS, INC.
RPPI, a Virginia based sports and entertainment company, has organized over 900 major college and professional sporting events in over 40 years in the industry. For the 2026-27 season, RPPI is organizing over a dozen high-profile events featuring 40+ men's college basketball programs across the country. RPPI specializes in the organization and promotion of live sports and entertainment content including college basketball, college football and college hockey as well as concerts and other live entertainment. For more info: www.rppi.net.
ABOUT THE PENSACOLA BAY CENTER
The Pensacola Bay Center is a versatile, multi-use event facility located in Pensacola, Florida, serving as a central hub for a wide range of entertainment, sports, and community events. Opened in 1985, this indoor arena is operated by Legends Global and is one of the Gulf Coast's premier venues. The Pensacola Bay Center has taken its place as the number one entertainment and sports venue in the region and the home of the Pensacola Ice Flyers, a professional ice hockey team competing in the Southern Professional Hockey League (SPHL). The Ice Flyers have won multiple SPHL championships, making them a key part of the Pensacola sports scene.
For more information on Florida State men's basketball, check Seminoles.com for the latest news and scheduling information, and keep up with the team on social media through Twitter/X (@FSUHoops), Instagram (@FSUHoops) and Facebook (@FSUMBasketball).
Â
Â
As previously announced, Florida State will open its preseason schedule against Mississippi State in the Southern Tip-Off on Saturday, Oct. 10. The exhibition matchup will mark the first time the Seminoles and Bulldogs have met since 2015.
Â
"We're incredibly excited for the opportunity to play Mississippi State in Pensacola," said head coach Luke Loucks. "This will be our first time stepping on the court together in a game setting, and it's something our entire team is really looking forward to. We have a tremendous fan base throughout the Panhandle, so the opportunity to bring Florida State basketball to Pensacola is special for our program."
Â
The Seminoles will return to the Pensacola Bay Center on Sunday, Nov. 29 to face West Florida in the Battle at the Bay. The matchup comes during the Argonauts' first season as a Division I program.
Â
"We're also excited to return to the Panhandle in November to play West Florida," added Loucks. "They're building a new Division I program, and we're looking forward to suiting up and competing against them. Personally, I have a lot of connections to Pensacola, with my wife Stevi being from Gulf Breeze, so being able to bring our team to the community and share Florida State basketball with our fans there makes this opportunity even more meaningful."
Â
The Southern Tip-Off and Battle at the Bay are part of the Pensacola Hardwood Series, created through a partnership between Russ Potts Productions, Inc. and the Pensacola Bay Center. The series will bring multiple college basketball events to Pensacola during the 2026-27 season.
Â
The Oct. 10 matchup against Mississippi State will be Florida State's first of three preseason exhibition games. The Seminoles will also face Auburn on Oct. 14 in the Ballin in Boutwell preseason event in Birmingham, Alabama, before hosting LSU at the Donald L. Tucker Center on Oct. 24.
Â
Florida State's Nov. 29 contest against West Florida is part of the Seminoles' 14-game non-conference schedule and will be followed by a road matchup against Tennessee on Dec. 1 as part of the SEC/ACC Challenge. Twenty-two of the 32 regular season contests this season will be played in the Sunshine State.
TICKET INFORMATION
Tickets will go on sale to the general public at 10am CT on Friday, August 28 at www.pensacolabaycenter.com. Broadcast information for the Southern Tip-Off, the Battle at the Bay, and the Pensacola Hardwood Series will be announced in the coming weeks. For updates visit www.pensacolabaycenter.com, or follow @russpottsproductionsinc on Instagram, Facebook, Threads, and X.
ABOUT RUSS POTTS PRODUCTIONS, INC.
RPPI, a Virginia based sports and entertainment company, has organized over 900 major college and professional sporting events in over 40 years in the industry. For the 2026-27 season, RPPI is organizing over a dozen high-profile events featuring 40+ men's college basketball programs across the country. RPPI specializes in the organization and promotion of live sports and entertainment content including college basketball, college football and college hockey as well as concerts and other live entertainment. For more info: www.rppi.net.
ABOUT THE PENSACOLA BAY CENTER
The Pensacola Bay Center is a versatile, multi-use event facility located in Pensacola, Florida, serving as a central hub for a wide range of entertainment, sports, and community events. Opened in 1985, this indoor arena is operated by Legends Global and is one of the Gulf Coast's premier venues. The Pensacola Bay Center has taken its place as the number one entertainment and sports venue in the region and the home of the Pensacola Ice Flyers, a professional ice hockey team competing in the Southern Professional Hockey League (SPHL). The Ice Flyers have won multiple SPHL championships, making them a key part of the Pensacola sports scene.
For more information on Florida State men's basketball, check Seminoles.com for the latest news and scheduling information, and keep up with the team on social media through Twitter/X (@FSUHoops), Instagram (@FSUHoops) and Facebook (@FSUMBasketball).
Â
Thursday, August 20
Wednesday, August 19
Wednesday, August 19
Tuesday, August 18