Florida State men's basketball has opened the 2026-27 season with consecutive victories, but the Seminoles still have work to do to convince ESPN's Joe Lunardi they belong in the NCAA Tournament.
In his latest bracketology update released Tuesday, Lunardi placed Florida State among the "Next Four Out," ranking the Seminoles at No. 81 overall and outside the projected 76-team NCAA Tournament field. The projection comes just hours before Florida State (2-0) hosts the No. 1 Florida Gators (2-0), which Lunardi lists as the No. 1 overall seed in his projected tournament bracket.
The Seminoles have made a strong early impression under second-year head coach Luke Loucks, opening with a 113-69 victory over Florida A&M before defeating Troy 91-68. FSU
has yet to trail through two games and is averaging 102 points per contest.
Sophomore forward Sebastian Rancik has emerged as the team's leading scorer, averaging 21.5 points per game, while freshman center Marcis Ponder has recorded double-doubles in both appearances.
Despite that production, Lunardi's projection suggests Florida State remains on the outside looking in as the program attempts to return to March Madness for the first time since 2021.
— Joe Lunardi (@ESPNLunardi) November 10, 2026
However, Tuesday's rivalry matchup presents an immediate opportunity to strengthen the Seminoles' early postseason résumé.
Florida enters Tallahassee ranked No. 1 nationally in both major polls after victories over No. 14 Miami and Jacksonville. The Gators have also won five consecutive meetings against Florida State, including last season's narrow 78-76 victory in Gainesville.
With the NCAA Tournament expanding from 68 to 76 teams this season, Florida State has additional opportunities to earn an at-large bid. A victory over Lunardi's projected top overall seed would provide the Seminoles with an early signature win and a significant boost to their tournament credentials.
Florida State and Florida tip off Tuesday at 6 p.m. ET inside the Donald L. Tucker Center, with the game airing nationally on ESPN2.
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This article originally appeared on FSU Wire: ESPN's latest bracketology delivers interesting FSU outlook
