College basketball is back.
The 2026-27 men's basketball season tipped off Sunday, Nov. 1 with Notre Dame coming from behind to defeat Villanova in the Eternal City Tip-Off in Rome thanks to a 3-pointer from Logan Duncomb with just over a minute to go. The Fighting Irish capitalized on the Wildcats' 20 turnovers, turning those into 20 points.
The season now officially tips off in the United States on Monday with a loaded schedule, highlighted by a matchup between No. 12 Gonzaga and No. 24 Purdue in Las Vegas. Later in the week, Dan Hurley's UConn Huskies will get an early opportunity for revenge when they face No. 20 Michigan in a rematch of last season's national championship game.
Pope to Ed Cooley
This list excludes the multi-team events that take place around or during Feast Week, including Players Era, Battle 4 Atlantis and Maui Invitational. This list also excludes nonconference matchups set to take place in December. That means, matchups like Alabama vs. Houston in the Jimmy V Classic on Dec. 8, some of the ACC/SEC Challenges(like Duke-Florida and North Carolina-Arkansas), St. John's vs. Arizona at Madison Square Garden and Louisville vs. Kentucky were all omitted from the list.
With that, here's some of the best nonconference matchups in November that college basketball fans should look out for:
Top nonconference college basketball games
Tier A
UConn vs Michigan
- Date: Friday, Nov. 6 at 8 p.m. ET on TNT
- Location: TD Garden (Boston)
- KenPom Rankings: UConn No. 11 | Michigan No. 28
It's a rematch of last season’s national championship game, though this version will look considerably different. UConn brings back Braylon Mullins, while Michigan returns Elliot Cadeau and Trey McKenney, who is expected to take on a larger role in the rotation. The biggest storyline, however, is Michigan under first-year coach Mike Boynton, who took over after Dusty May departed for the NBA, and what style the Wolverines will play this season.
Champions Classic
- Date: Tuesday, Nov. 10 at 6 p.m. ET (Michigan State-Duke) and 8:30 p.m. ET (Kansas-Kentucky) on ESPN
- Location: United Center (Chicago)
- KenPom Rankings: Duke No. 1 | Kansas No. 5 | Michigan State No. 8 | Kentucky No. 24
The Champions Classic is one of the best dates on the early-season calendar, annually bringing together four of the sport's blue-blood programs in a pair of high-profile matchups. This season's edition features Michigan State vs. Duke and Kansas vs. Kentucky.
In Game 1 of the doubleheader in Chicago, it'll be the guard play between Michigan State's Jeremy Fears Jr. and Duke's John Blackwell and Caleb Foster that should draw attention, while Milan Momcilovic makes his debut on the national stage with Kentucky headlining the nightcap against Kansas, which is led by star freshman guard Tyran Stokes.
UConn vs Duke
- Date: Wednesday, Nov. 25 at 7 p.m. ET on Prime Video
- Location: T-Mobile Arena (Las Vegas)
- KenPom Rankings: UConn No. 11 | Duke No. 1
Braylon Mullins' 3-pointer — off a turnover from Cayden Boozer — sent UConn back to the Final Four when these two Northeast heavyweights met in D.C. last March in the Elite Eight. Duke added Wisconsin guard John Blackwell from the portal to bolster its roster, while it got key returns from Patrick Ngongba II and Dame Sarr. UConn returns its defensive stalwart, Silas Demary Jr., and added Na'jai Hines from Seton Hall. This will be another early measuring stick for a UConn team that's expected to rely on a rather young rotation. Fun defensive matchup too, with both teams projected to be top-10 units in defensive adjusted efficiency on KenPom.
UConn vs Arizona
- Date: Wednesday, Nov. 18 at 9 p.m. ET on Fox Sports 1
- Location: McKale Center (Tucson, Az.)
- KenPom Rankings: UConn No. 11 | Arizona No. 7
Last year's meeting in Storrs lived up to the hype, with Arizona edging UConn while the Huskies were without Tarris Reed Jr. and Braylon Mullins. Now the scene shifts to Tucson for the return game, raising the question: Can UConn earn a split in the home-and-home series, or will Arizona complete the sweep? The Wildcats once again feature one of the nation's premier frontcourt anchors in Big 12 Preseason Player of the Year Motiejus Krivas, whose defensive presence sets the tone for Tommy Lloyd's team.
Arkansas vs Michigan
- Date: Thursday, Nov. 26 at 4:30 p.m. ET on CBS
- Location: Little Caesars Arena (Detroit)
- KenPom Rankings: Michigan State No. 8 | Arkansas No. 19
Cal vs. Izzo on Thanksgiving? Who needs NFL football while carving the turkey, or lounging on the couch after a seven-course feast with dessert still on the way, when two Hall of Fame coaches are going head-to-head? Sign me up. Arkansas finished with a top-10 unit in adjusted offensive efficiency on KenPom last season, while Michigan State's was top-15 in adjusted defensive efficiency.
Tier B
Michigan State vs Tennessee
- Date: Tuesday, Nov. 17 at 9 p.m. ET on ESPN2
- Location: Food City Center (Knoxville, Tenn.)
- KenPom Rankings: Michigan State No. 8 | Tennessee No. 22
Tom Izzo didn't shy away from a challenge when building Michigan State's schedule, bringing the Spartans to Knoxville for a preseason top-10 showdown with Rick Barnes' Volunteers. Tennessee's exhibition performance against Duke raised some concerns in the post-Ja'Kobi Gillespie and Nate Ament era, and a similar effort against a Michigan State team known for its relentless defense under Izzo could spell trouble.
Illinois vs Duke
- Date: Tuesday, Nov. 17 at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN
- Location: Cameron Indoor (Durham, N.C.)
- KenPom Rankings: Duke No. 1 | Illinois No. 4
Two KenPom preseason top-five teams will square off inside Cameron Indoor Stadium. The campus setting, a rarity for a matchup of this magnitude, only adds to the atmosphere and stakes. Beyond the national spotlight, the contest could carry significant NCAA Tournament implications as a likely Quad 1 opportunity and an early resume-builder. Oh, let's not forget about the expected battle inside the paint between Illinois' David Mirkovic and Patrick Ngongba II, either.
Gonzaga vs Purdue
- Date: Monday, Nov. 2 at 7:30 p.m. ET on TNT
- Location: T-Mobile Arena (Las Vegas)
- KenPom Rankings: Gonzaga No. 14 | Purdue No. 23
Purdue was picked to finish sixth in the Big Ten in the USA TODAY Network writers' preseason poll, a reflection of the uncertainty surrounding the Boilermakers entering the season. Much of that uncertainty stems from roster turnover, as Purdue returns just 34.6% of its scoring from last year's team. Monday's matchup in the Hall of Fame Series in Las Vegas will be a telling card for Matt Painter's squad. On the other side, Gonzaga is looking to carry its dominance into a new era after moving from the West Coast Conference to the Pac-12. Mark Few's squad returns leading scorer Braden Huff, who averaged 17.8 points per game last season, while also bolstering its roster with Arizona State transfer Massamba Diop and fifth-year guard Xavian Lee, who is currently eligible to play.
Arizona vs UCLA
- Date: Monday, Nov. 2 at 10 p.m. ET on TNT
- Location: T-Mobile Arena (Las Vegas)
- KenPom Rankings: Arizona No. 7 | UCLA No. 25
Mick Cronin and Tommy Lloyd have done a great job of keeping the Arizona-UCLA rivalry alive since the dissolution of the Pac-12. The Wildcats have one of the top rosters in the country with the returns of Krivas and Ivan Kharchenkov, and then the addition of Derek Dixon from North Carolina, who should be slotted in for Jaden Bradley in the lineup. Could Cronin bless the college basketball world with a Night 1 tantrum on the sidelines, or in his postgame news conference? That alone warrants a price of admission.
Arkansas vs Virginia
- Date: Sunday, Nov. 8 at 1 p.m. ET on ESPN
- Location: Capital One Arena (Washington, D.C.)
- KenPom Rankings: Virginia No. 13 | Arkansas No. 19
John Calipari made headlines at SEC Media Days when he second-guessed Arkansas scheduling Virginia to open the season, joking he "must've been on crack" for agreeing to the matchup. The Razorbacks' showdown with the Cavaliers, the projected ACC runner-up, is set for Nov. 8 in the Capital Showcase. A key for Arkansas will be containing Thijs De Ridder, the ACC Preseason Player of the Year after the 23-year-old freshman averaged 15.6 points per game last season and emerged as one of the conference's most impactful players. Arkansas will have to worry about Chance Mallory and Sam Lewis in the backcourt.
Tier C
Miami vs Florida
- Date: Monday, Nov. 2 at 6 p.m. ET on ESPN2
- Location: Benchmark International Arena (Tampa)
- KenPom Rankings: Florida No. 2 | Miami No. 20
In just one season, Jai Lucas has revitalized Miami's program, bringing renewed optimism to South Beach after the Hurricanes went 26-9 a year ago. But his team will open the 2026-27 season with a daunting challenge against preseason No. 1 Florida, which returns one of the nation's most talented and experienced rosters. The individual matchup between Miami freshman star Shelton Henderson and Florida standout Thomas Haugh is worth the price of admission alone, as two of the best forwards in college basketball go head-to-head in the Orion180 Tipoff Classic in Tampa.
Illinois vs Texas Tech
- Date: Tuesday, Nov. 10 at 8 p.m. ET on Peacock
- Location: United Supermarkets Arena (Lubbock, Texas)
- KenPom Rankings: Illinois No. 4 | Texas Tech No. 17
Some of the juice surrounding this game is in limbo as JT Toppin continues his recovery from a torn ACL, which has kept him sidelined in practice and had him saying he'll be back "very, very soon" at Big 12 Media Days. "Depending on whether Toppin can ramp up and get minutes in Texas Tech's first two games before Illinois, the 6--9 forward and Illinois' Andrej Stojakovic could have a fun back-and-forth.
Arkansas vs Indiana
- Date: Tuesday, Nov. 17 at 7:30 p.m. ET on Peacock
- Location: Madison Square Garden (New York City)
- KenPom Rankings: Arkansas No. 19 | Indiana No. 47
Indiana appears to be in line to take a step forward in Year 2 under Darian DeVries after the additions of transfers Markus Burton from Notre Dame and Aiden Sherrell from Alabama. The Hoosiers will get an early measuring stick against Jordan Smith Jr. and Arkansas at Madison Square Garden on whether a possible at-large bid to the expanded NCAA Tournament is a possibility or not. Smith isn't the only headliner or player of concern on the Razorbacks roster, which has Final Four expectations surrounding it heading into the season.
Michigan vs Marquette
- Date: Wednesday, Nov. 11 at 7 p.m. ET on Fox Sports 1
- Location: Crisler Center (Ann Arbor, Mich.)
- KenPom Rankings: Michigan No. 28 | Marquette No. 37
This should be an early measuring-stick game for Shaka Smart's squad as it looks to bounce back in the Big East after a disappointing 2025-26 season that ended its four-year NCAA Tournament streak. Marquette returns Nigel James Jr., one of the nation's premier point guards and the engine of the Golden Eagles' offense. Golden Eagles also fixed some holes in their roster with the addition of 6-11 forward Sananda Fru and shooting guard Nolan Minessale. If the Golden Eagles are going to return to contender status, games like this will provide an early indication of how far they've come.
Villanova vs Kansas
- Date: Friday, Nov. 27 at 5 p.m. ET on ESPN2
- Location: Allen Fieldhouse (Lawrence, Kan.)
- KenPom Rankings: Kansas No. 5 | Villanova No. 33
Villanova's nonconference matchup against Michigan on Saturday, Nov. 21 at Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia nearly made this list, but the Wildcats' road matchup against Kansas got the bump because Kevin Willard's willingness (perhaps) to give his team a true road test at Phog Allen, one of college basketball's hardest road venues.
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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: College basketball is back. These November games are great way to start season
