The Champions Classic reminded us why it’s such an electrifying opening-day fixture in college basketball. Defending champions Florida came in high and mighty but were taken aback by Arizona, 93-87. If this is a preview of things to come, we are in for a treat. However, it was also just one game, and Florida has the firepower to stage a strong comeback over a long season.

Houston is looking for revenge after its heartbreaking finals loss last year. Kentucky has poured money into its roster and wants results from Mark Pope. BYU, Kansas, and Duke arguably have three of the best prospects seen in a decade. Let’s dive into how the 2025 college basketball season looks with an overview, the predicted NCAA Bracketology, and where to watch.

NCAA Men’s Basketball 2025–26 season overview

The 2025–26 Division I men’s college basketball season begins on November 3, 2025, and culminates with the national championship game at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis on April 6, 2026. Let’s look at the most exciting conferences for the upcoming season.

SEC

The historically strong SEC opens with six ranked teams in the preseason. The No. 3 and defending champions, Florida Gators, No. 9 Kentucky, No. 14 Arkansas, No. 15 Alabama, No. 18 Tennessee, and No. 20 Auburn. But these rankings practically mean nothing. Last year, Florida was ranked 21st in the preseason. On paper, they seem to have retained enough quality to take another shot at the title. Then there is Kentucky, which has spent the most money in the country, practically assembling the Avengers. Their Otega Oweh was voted as the preseason SEC player of the year. Tennessee does have the No. 4-ranked recruit, Nate Ament, but as a unit, Florida and Kentucky seem better. 

Big Ten

We haven’t had a No.1 preseason-ranked team actually win the whole thing since 2009. However, the Purdue Boilermakers will still give it a shot. They are ranked at No. 1 for the first time in program history. In addition, the last time a Big Ten side won the championship was 25 years ago, so Purdue has a lot of precedent to break. On paper, Trey Kaufman-Renn and Braden Smith are the duo to beat, but it’s not all Purdue in the Big Ten. 

Dusty May’s Michigan Wolverines (Preseason No. 7) should give a fight with the additions of Yaxel Lendeborg, Morez Johnson Jr., and UCLA’s Aday Mara. UCLA is one of the dark horses after the addition of one of the best point guards in the country in Donovan Dent. The Iowa Hawkeyes also could make some noise after adding Ben McCollum, who is regarded as one of the best tacticians in the country. 

Big 12

Arguably, the Big 12 is the most exciting conference this season. Houston is obviously the preseason favorite after being ranked No. 2 in the preseason poll. They have been among the top echelon of teams for the last two seasons, but without any silverware. On the other hand, you have the revival of Kansas with future top 3 NBA pick Darryn Peterson on their roster. BYU’s Kevin Young could have an elite offense in his hands with phenom AJ Dybantsa, Robert Wright III, and Richie Saunders. Texas Tech is also mixing among the top with returning All-American JT Toppin and breakout sophomore guard Christian Anderson.

Big East 

While we talk about elite coaches in other conferences, we talk about the legendary coaches in the Big East. Shaka Smart, Rick Pitino, and Dan Hurley are enough to make it a competitive mixture. However, Smart is still stubbornly refusing to adopt the transfer portal, which gives him a big handicap. On the other hand, Hurley and Pitino have stacked their rosters to compete at the national level. 

UConn’s scary backcourt trio of Silas Demary Jr., Solo Ball, and freshman Braylon Mullins can give anyone nightmares. By comparison, Pitino has more questions in his squad. Despite making a splash in the portal, Pitino’s point guard spot will be taken by Ian Jackson. However, Pitino insists that the ‘traditional point guard’ doesn’t exist in basketball. It will be exciting to see how St John’s plays. 

ACC

Last year, a meagre 4 teams (Duke, North Carolina, Clemson, and Louisville) made the NCAA Tournament, but there is optimism for a rise this season. After being uncompetitive last year, the conference has taken notice. Duke is making a habit of bringing in one-and-done talent. After Cooper Flagg last year, they have Cameron Boozer, who is almost guaranteed to be a top-three pick. However, with the addition of Mikel Brown Jr., Pat Kelsey’s Louisville is also gaining steam behind Duke. 

The Tar Heels have a talented roster, but there seems to be a gap between them and the top two. They could still be dark horses if everything clicks. NC State could make some noise in this conference with potential All-American Darrion Williams teaming up with Tre Holloman and Terrance Arceneaux.

NCAA men’s basketball schedule 2025–26

NCAA men’s college basketball bracketology 2025–26 predictions: (via CBS Sports)

On the bubble

Last four in: Texas A&M, Nebraska, Oklahoma State, Texas

First four out

Ole Miss, Washington, TCU, Cincinnati

Where can you stream the NCAA 2025–26 men’s games?

The sheer variety of channels and streaming platforms for college basketball is staggering. Games will air all season long across ESPN, CBS, TNT, TBS, FOX, and more. The NCAA Tournament will be broadcast across CBS, TBS, TNT, and truTV, and games will stream on Paramount+ and HBO Max. 

The majority of the games are available on ESPN or ESPN+. Add that to the DirecTV bundle, which includes ESPN, CBS, FS1, and Fox, plus ACC Network, Big Ten Network, SEC Network, and more. Fans can also explore Hulu+ and Fubo bundles to make things easier. The channel availability there depends on your location.