Kentucky will play North Carolina in 2025 ACC/SEC Challenge
Kentucky‘s non-conference schedule was already among the toughest in college basketball in 2025-26 — and it just got tougher with one of the biggest brands in the history of the sport now coming to Rupp Arena. 2025 ACC/SEC Challenge matchups are rolling out, and the Wildcats are set to host Hubert Davis and the North Carolina Tar Heels in Lexington.
Jon Rothstein of CBS Sports broke the news on Wednesday — along with the other head-to-head battles in the ACC/SEC Challenge, including Florida at Duke, Clemson at Alabama, NC State at Auburn and Louisville at Arkansas.
Take a look at the full schedule with an official announcement from the leagues expected soon.
Florida at Duke
North Carolina at Kentucky
Virginia at Texas
North Carolina State at Auburn
Clemson at Alabama
Louisville at Arkansas
Oklahoma at Wake Forest
SMU at Vanderbilt
Texas A&M at Pittsburgh
Mississippi State at Georgia Tech
Miami (FL) at Ole Miss
LSU at Boston College
Virginia Tech at South Carolina
Tennessee at Syracuse
Missouri at Notre Dame
Georgia at Florida State
Official dates and times have not yet been finalized, but last year’s series took place on December 3 and 4. Kentucky traveled to Clemson and lost to the Tigers 70-66 in that one — the Wildcats shooting just 38.1 percent from the field and 25.9 percent from three in their first loss of the season.
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The year before, Kentucky defeated Miami (FL) 95-73 inside Rupp Arena in the inaugural event on November 28. It replaced the Big 12/SEC Challenge, which ran from 2013-23.
The Wildcats are 12-9 in the all-time series — including a 5-2 record in Lexington. Kentucky currently holds a two-game winning streak over North Carolina, earning a 98-69 win in Las Vegas back in 2021, followed by an 87-83 victory in Atlanta in 2023. Those matchups came in the CBS Sports Classic.
Kentucky’s 2025-26 non-conference schedule (as we know it)
Oct. 24 (Fri.): vs. Purdue | Rupp Arena (Exhibition)
Oct. 30 (Thu.): vs. Georgetown | Rupp Arena (Exhibition)
Nov. 11 (Tue.): vs. Louisville | Louisville
Nov. 18 (Tue.): vs. Michigan State | Champions Classic | Madison Square Garden (New York)
Nov. 21 (Fri.): vs. Loyola University Maryland | Rupp Arena
Nov. 26 (Wed.): vs. Tennessee Tech | Rupp Arena
Dec. 5 (Fri.): vs. Gonzaga | Bridgestone Arena (Nashville)
Dec. 9 (Tue.): vs. NC Central | Rupp Arena
Dec. 13 (Sat.): vs. Indiana | Rupp Arena
Dec. 20 (Sat.): vs. St. John’s | CBS Sports Classic | State Farm Arena (Atlanta)
Dec. 23 (Tue.): vs. Bellarmine | Rupp Arena
TBD: North Carolina | SEC/ACC Challenge | Rupp Arena
