The men's college basketball season no longer starts with a whimper. While there are still too many guarantee games with little doubt about the outcome, the good news is that more of the "big boys" are willing to get their hands dirty early in their schedules, producing truly outstanding nonconference matchups.
The opening week features a bold start: Villanova vs. Notre Dame on November 1 in Rome, Italy, an all-Catholic contest in front of the Pope, who happens to be a Nova grad. Villanova should be headed back to the NCAA tournament in Kevin Willard's second season, though Notre Dame will keep it close. Florida vs. Miami on November 2 in Tampa is another must-watch, with the Gators likely entering as the preseason No. 1 and the Hurricanes possessing Sweet 16 potential.
The early action continues with Wake Forest at Vanderbilt on November 5, the first power-conference pairing of the season played on campus. Vanderbilt has first-team All-American point guard Tyler Tanner, but the Demon Deacons are among several ACC teams that could surprise. UConn vs. Michigan on November 6 in Boston serves as a rematch of the 2026 NCAA title game. With Mike Boynton replacing the departing Dusty May, UConn appears to hold the edge, and Dan Hurley's Huskies could win by double digits.
The Champions Classic in Chicago on November 10 offers a potential Final Four preview, with Duke facing Michigan State in the opener before Kansas vs. Kentucky. The event has showcased 11 Final Four teams since 2011-12. Oklahoma State at Texas A&M on November 12 rounds out the list, with the Big 12 expected to be the next power conference to send a double-digit number of teams to the NCAA tournament.
Source: ESPN General · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing