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ESPN and the Big 12 announce men’s basketball TV schedule for 2026-27 season, tipping off November 6

Press Release

October 13, 2026

Author

Colin Bradley

Contact(s)

Colin Bradley, Colin.Bradley@espn.com

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Summary

  • 100+ games across ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU and ESPN App
  • Schedule features signature early-season events including Champions Classic, Dick Vitale Invitational, Players Era, Maui Invitational, Jimmy V Classic and more
  • Five Big 12 teams ranked in ESPN Preseason Top 25 

ESPN and the Big 12 have announced television designations and game times for the 2026-27 men’s college basketball season, with more than 100 games set to air across ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU and the ESPN App.

Coverage tips off Friday, Nov. 6, as No. 19 Kansas hosts Middle Tennessee at 9 p.m. ET on ESPNU. The Big 12 enters the season with five teams ranked in ESPN’s preseason Top 25: national semifinalists Arizona (No. 4), Texas Tech (No. 9), Houston (No. 18), Kansas (No. 19) and BYU (No. 20).

2026-27 Big 12 on ESPN Men’s College Basketball Schedule Highlights:

  • Non-Conference Showdowns: Big 12 teams will compete in several signature early-season events and marquee matchups, including No. 19 Kansas vs. No. 25 Kentucky in the Champions Classic from Chicago (Nov. 10), West Virginia vs. North Carolina in the Dick Vitale Invitational (Nov. 27), No. 19 Kansas vs. No. 16 Missouri in a historic rivalry matchup (Dec. 6), No. 18 Houston vs. No. 21 Alabama in the Jimmy V Classic (Dec. 8), LSU vs. No. 18 Houston in the Houston Hoopfest (Dec. 13) and No. 12 Arkansas vs. No. 4 Arizona in the Basketball Hall of Fame Series from Phoenix (Dec. 19).
  • Players Era: Eight Big 12 teams will participate in the expanded 2026 Players Era Men’s Championships, airing exclusively on ESPN networks. The Players Era 8 takes place the week of Nov. 16, featuring No. 18 Houston, No. 19 Kansas and West Virginia. The Players Era 16 follows during Thanksgiving Week, with No. 9 Texas Tech, Baylor, Iowa State, TCU and Kansas State among the participating teams.
  • Big 12 on Big Monday: ESPN’s five-week Big Monday slate begins Monday, Feb. 1, and continues through March 1, featuring marquee conference matchups including No. 19 Kansas at No. 18 Houston, No. 18 Houston at No. 9 Texas Tech and No. 4 Arizona at No. 20 BYU.
  • Conference Rivalries: The ESPN conference schedule features 11 matchups between teams ranked in ESPN.com’s preseason Top 25, highlighted by No. 9 Texas Tech at No. 19 Kansas on ABC (Feb. 6) and No. 4 Arizona at No. 18 Houston on the final day of the regular season.
Date Time (ET) Game Where to Watch
Wed, Oct 21 7 p.m. Exhibition
No. 15 Louisville at No. 19 Kansas		 ESPNU
Sun, Oct 25 1 p.m. Exhibition
No. 2 Duke at No. 19 Kansas		 ESPN2
Fri, Nov 6 9 p.m. Middle Tennessee at No. 19 Kansas ESPNU
Tue, Nov 10 9:30 p.m. Champions Classic (Chicago)
No. 19 Kansas vs. No. 25 Kentucky		 ESPN
Fri, Nov 13 9 p.m. No. 4 Arizona at Auburn ESPN2
Sun, Nov 15 1 p.m. Niagara at Iowa State ESPN2
  3 p.m. Baylor vs. No. 7 Texas ESPN
Tue, Nov 17 2 p.m. Players Era 8 – Quarterfinal #1
No. 18 Houston vs. Rutgers		 ESPN
  9:30 p.m. Players Era 8 – Quarterfinal #3
No. 19 Kansas vs. UNLV		 ESPN
  12 a.m. Players Era 8 – Quarterfinal #4
West Virginia vs. Auburn		 ESPN
Fri, Nov 20 12:30 p.m. The Shriners Children’s Charleston Classic
Oklahoma State vs. Minnesota		 ESPN2
  5:30 p.m. The Shriners Children’s Charleston Classic
Dayton vs. Utah		 ESPN2
Sun, Nov 22 3:30 p.m. The Shriners Children’s Charleston Classic
Virginia Tech vs. Oklahoma State		 ESPN
6 p.m. The Shriners Children’s Charleston Classic
Utah vs. Minnesota		 ESPN2
Mon, Nov 23 5 p.m. Southwest Maui Invitational – Quarterfinal #2
Washington vs. No. 20 BYU		 ESPN2
  11:30 p.m. Southwest Maui Invitational – Quarterfinal #4
Colorado State vs. No. 4 Arizona		 ESPN2
Tue, Nov 24 3 p.m. Players Era 16 – Quarterfinal #1B
TCU vs. No. 11 Miami		 ESPNU
  5:30 p.m. Players Era 16 – Quarterfinal #2A
San Diego State vs. Iowa State		 ESPNU
  8 p.m. Players Era 16 – Quarterfinal #3A
No. 15 Louisville vs. No. 9 Texas Tech		 ESPN
  10 p.m. Players Era 16 – Quarterfinal #3B
Baylor vs. No. 21 Alabama		 ESPN2
  12:30 a.m. Players Era 16 – Quarterfinal #4B
No. 14 Gonzaga vs. Kansas State		 ESPN
 Thu, Nov 26 11 a.m. ESPN Events Invitational – Magic Group
Georgia vs. Cincinnati		 ESPN
  1:30 p.m. ESPN Events Invitational – Magic Group
Boston College vs. UCF		 ESPN2
Fri, Nov 27 7 p.m. Dick Vitale Invitational
West Virginia vs. North Carolina		 ESPN
  7 p.m. ESPN Events Invitational – Magic Group
Georgia vs. UCF		 ESPN2
Sat, Dec 5 Noon Memphis at Baylor ESPN2
  Noon Arizona State vs. Oklahoma ESPNU
  2 p.m. TCU at Notre Dame ESPNU
  5:30 p.m. Texas State at No. 18 Houston ESPN2
  8 p.m. Purdue at Iowa State ESPN
  8 p.m. Xavier vs. Cincinnati ESPN2
Sun, Dec 6 5 p.m. No. 19 Kansas vs. No. 16 Missouri ESPN
Tue, Dec 8 6:30 p.m. Jimmy V Classic (New York)
No. 18 Houston vs. No. 21 Alabama		 ESPN
Wed, Dec 9 6 p.m. West Virginia vs. Pittsburgh ESPN2
Sat, Dec 12 2:30 p.m. Oklahoma State at Oklahoma ESPN2
  4:30 p.m. Clemson at TCU ESPN2
Sun, Dec 13 2 p.m. No. 17 USC vs. No. 9 Texas Tech ESPN2
  3:30 p.m. Houston Hoopfest
LSU vs. No. 18 Houston		 ESPN
Sat, Dec 19 3:30 p.m. Holiday Hoopfest (Greensboro, N.C.)
West Virginia vs. Wake Forest		 ESPN2
  6:30 p.m. Basketball Hall of Fame Series (Phoenix)
No. 12 Arkansas vs. No. 4 Arizona		 ESPN
  9 p.m. Clemson vs. Cincinnati ESPNU
Sun, Dec 20 1 p.m. No. 18 Houston vs. Florida State ESPN2
  1 p.m. Northwestern vs. Oklahoma State ESPNU
Tue, Dec 22 6 p.m. Indiana State at No. 19 Kansas ESPN2
Tue, Dec 29 8 p.m. New Orleans at No. 19 Kansas ESPN2
  10 p.m. Air Force at Utah ESPN2
Sat, Jan 2 Noon Kansas State at Baylor ESPN/ESPN2
  8 p.m. No. 4 Arizona at Iowa State ESPN
  8 p.m. TCU at No. 18 Houston ESPN2
  10 p.m. No. 20 BYU at Arizona State ESPN2
Tue, Jan 5 11 p.m. Iowa State at Colorado ESPN/ESPN2
Wed, Jan 6 11 p.m. No. 19 Kansas at Utah ESPN2
Sat, Jan 9 1 p.m. No. 19 Kansas at No. 20 BYU ESPN
Sun, Jan 10 5 p.m. No. 18 Houston at Baylor ESPN2
Tue, Jan 12 11 p.m. No. 20 BYU at No. 4 Arizona ESPN
Wed, Jan 13 9 p.m. Colorado at No. 19 Kansas ESPN2/ESPNU
Sat, Jan 16 2 p.m. Oklahoma State at Baylor ESPN2/ESPNU
  6 p.m. Arizona State at No. 4 Arizona ESPN/ESPN2
  8 p.m. Iowa State at No. 9 Texas Tech ESPN/ESPN2
  8 p.m. No. 18 Houston at Colorado ESPN/ESPN2
Tue, Jan 19 7 p.m. No. 9 Texas Tech at No. 18 Houston ESPN/ESPN2/ESPNU
Sat, Jan 23 2 p.m. Iowa State at UCF ESPN/ESPN2/ESPNU
  4 p.m. Baylor vs. No. 15 Louisville ESPN/ESPN2/ESPNU
  8 p.m. No. 18 Houston at Arizona State ESPN/ESPN2/ESPNU
Wed, Jan 27 7 p.m. No. 20 BYU at TCU ESPN2/ESPNU
Sat, Jan 30 2 p.m. No. 20 BYU at No. 18 Houston ESPN/ESPN2
  4 or 4:30 p.m. UCF at No. 9 Texas Tech ESPN/ESPN2
  8 or 8:30 p.m. No. 4 Arizona at West Virginia ESPN/ESPN2
Mon, Feb 1 9 p.m. No. 19 Kansas at No. 18 Houston ESPN
Tue, Feb 2 11 p.m. No. 9 Texas Tech at Colorado ESPN
Wed, Feb 3 8 p.m. West Virginia at UCF ESPNU
Sat, Feb 6 Noon No. 9 Texas Tech at No. 19 Kansas ABC
  9:30 p.m. No. 20 BYU at Utah ESPN2
  4 or 4:30 p.m. No. 18 Houston at No. 4 Arizona ESPN
Mon, Feb 8 9 p.m. TCU at No. 4 Arizona ESPN2
Wed, Feb 10 9 p.m. Iowa State at Oklahoma State ESPN2/ESPNU
Sat, Feb 13 2 p.m. No. 19 Kansas at Iowa State ESPN/ESPN2
  4 p.m. Utah at No. 18 Houston ESPN2
  6 p.m. West Virginia at No. 9 Texas Tech ESPN2
Mon, Feb 15 9 p.m. No. 18 Houston at No. 9 Texas Tech ESPN
Tue, Feb 16 9 p.m. No. 4 Arizona at Oklahoma State ESPN/ESPN2
Sat, Feb 20 2 p.m. TCU at No. 20 BYU ESPN2
  4 or 4:30 p.m. No. 19 Kansas at No. 4 Arizona ESPN
  6 or 6:30 p.m. No. 9 Texas Tech at UCF ESPN2/ESPNU
  6 or 6:30 p.m. West Virginia at Baylor ESPN2/ESPNU
Mon, Feb 22 9 p.m. No. 4 Arizona at No. 20 BYU ESPN
Tue, Feb 23 9 p.m. Iowa State at Baylor ESPN/ESPN2
  11 p.m. Utah at Arizona State ESPN2
Wed, Feb 24 7 p.m. No. 9 Texas Tech at Kansas State ESPN2/ESPNU
  9 p.m. No. 19 Kansas at TCU ESPN/ESPN2
  9 p.m. Colorado at No. 18 Houston ESPN/ESPN2/ESPNU
Sat, Feb 27 Noon No. 20 BYU at UCF ESPN2
  2 p.m. Kansas State at No. 19 Kansas ESPN/ESPN2
  4 or 4:30 p.m. Cincinnati at No. 9 Texas Tech ESPN/ESPN2
Mon, Mar 1 9 p.m. Iowa State at No. 19 Kansas ESPN
Tue, Mar 2 9 p.m. Oklahoma State at No. 20 BYU ESPN/ESPN2
  11 p.m. No. 9 Texas Tech at Utah ESPN/ESPN2
Sat, Mar 6 4 p.m. UCF at TCU ESPNU
  8 or 8:30 p.m. No. 4 Arizona at No. 18 Houston ESPN