It's possible, but for me, playing UK in the Champions Classic once every three years is enough, especially when we can get some additional variety and new challenges by playing a different top SEC team in the SEC Challenge every year. Florida, Alabama, Auburn, Tennessee . . .
Ah ha I understand it now
I’m not a season ticket holder, but I do see the point here. Here’s a possibility, with some logic, perhaps too much of a stretch.
Makes sense to me - more control over opponent quality and still get the benefit of playing neutral site contests for postseason prep
I agree with you. However, we’re apparently playing @ Mich St in ‘25-‘26, and then again in ‘26-‘27 in the Champions Classic.
Also, part of the goal of the ACC-SEC Challenge is ratings pop/brand-building. And, nothing would be bigger than Duke-Kentucky on home courts.
Maybe they scheduled those two road games because they already knew they would be playing at home in the ACC-SEC Challenge. Just because we don’t know who they’ll be playing and where doesn’t mean they don’t know.
Again, I'm speculating, but my thought was that Jon scheduled the game @MSU because he knew we would have a home game in the ACC/SEC. It looks like through 2 years, UNC has played two home games, ND has played 2 away games, and everyone else has gone 1-1. So we would be "due" a road game, but again, it would seem unusual to me for Duke to schedule two away games if we were going to play another. So either Jon knows something or he's decided to play more away OOC games than the program has in many years.
Home and home w Kansas would be awesome. We haven’t been to Allen since 1988 I believe. 37 years. Let’s go !!
100% speculation. There’s nothing written in stone about the ACC-SEC challenge scheduling.
bsky.app
Updated non-conference schedule edited to include everything we know, with likely Q1 games bolded and links to the info on the two newer "buy games":Amidst the big time scheduling news, a likely “buy game” against Indiana State:
Rocco Miller (@roccomiller8.bsky.social)
Sources: Duke will host Indiana State on Friday, November 14th as part of its 2025-26 non-conference schedule. Blue Devils started playing basketball in 1906. Sycamores started playing in 1899. This will be the FIRST ever meeting between the two storied programs. #ACC #MVC
Indiana State obviously has some history. They finished just inside the KP Top 200 last year, but play in the MVC that had multiple Top 100 teams including tourney darling Drake. This profiles to me as an “elevated cupcake” game… still likely Q3/4 but not going to weigh down our metrics/SOS like playing a team in the 300s would.