The Florida Gators sit at 2-0 and No. 1 overall in the country, heading over to Tallahassee to face off against the 2-0 Seminoles.

This is the Gators’ second power conference test of the season, and it comes against another big-time rival after knocking off Miami last week.

“I’m incredibly excited for the game”, Todd Golden said. “I think Luke [Loucks] has done a great job in a short period of time. Getting those guys playing really hard, playing together and playing without fear. I think that’s something that makes them uniquely scary”.

As we know, Florida is headlined by their monster frontcourt trio and face off against another big team in Florida State who completely reshaped their roster in the offseason via the transfer portal and freshman.

What to expect from Florida State 

The Seminoles have won back-to-back “buy” games to start the year versus Florida A&M and Troy scoring a combined 203 points.

The ‘Noles added five new players from the transfer portal this offseason, and four freshmen prioritizing size and length.

Former five-star point-forward Shon Abaev from Cincinnati headlined their portal class and is averaging 13 points, five rebounds, and six assists. The dynamic 6-foot-8 point-forward is joined in the backcourt by combo guard Missouri transfer Anthony Robinson II and UNC Asheville do-it-all guard Kam Taylor, who are both averaging double-digit points.

Sebastian Rancik, a 6-foot-11 sharpshooting stretch forward, is averaging over 20 points through two games and is paired in the frontcourt with massive 7-foot, 285-pound freshman center Marcis Ponder, who is averaging a double-double.

Florida State has six players averaging in double figures. The Noles love getting in the paint and to the foul line, where they have shot 73 free throws, which is top five in the country. They are not the best three-point shooting team, shooting just 28.8 percent from beyond the arc.

Keys to the matchup

As we know, the Gators do most of their damage with their frontcourt trio led by Thomas Haugh, who has been stellar to start his All-American campaign. It will be a fun matchup inside watching these two teams battle it out in the paint.

The interior could ultimately determine this game, particularly with Florida State struggling from beyond the arc. Florida has started the season shooting well from three-point range despite the concerns last year and coming into the season. Staying out of foul trouble and keeping Florida State off the offensive glass and off the line is key. 

Through two games, FSU has the seventh-highest offensive and defensive rebound percentages in the country, compared to Florida at 29th offensively and 56th defensively. 

On the other hand, the guard play and bench production for Florida are also key to this matchup. Denzel Aberdeen, Boogie Fland, and Urban Klavzar will face a group of lengthy, uber-athletic guards, so taking care of the ball, picking the right spots to attack offensively, and avoiding forced shots will help keep Florida State out of transition and limit its offense. 

After last year's 78-76 showdown in Gainesville, where the Gators came out victorious, another 40-minute battle could be in store for fans.

“I just talked to the guys about Tuesday night going into enemy territory as the number one team in America; we’re going to get their best shot”, Golden said. “And they’re going to be well prepared, and we have to bring our best effort, but it’s definitely one we’re looking forward to”.

The Gators are ranked No. 1, while the Seminoles are unranked, but road rivalry games in November can always be interesting, especially against a well-put-together team in Florida State.

Tipoff Tuesday is set for 6:00 P.M. EST on ESPN2 in the Tucker Center.