Duke’s nonconference slate already looks loaded, but one matchup is starting to separate itself from the pack.
The Blue Devils will test themselves against Michigan State, Illinois, UConn, Florida and other programs next season, and the UConn game is the one drawing the loudest buzz. With Duke coming off a loss to UConn in last year’s March Madness, this meeting carries extra juice, and there’s a growing sense that it could be the marquee nonconference game in college basketball.
That’s the view of insider Jon Rothstein, who called it the top game on his early list for the 2026-27 season.
"The most anticipated nonconference game on my list for '26-'27: UConn-Duke," Rothstein said on his Inside College Basketball podcast Thursday. "... This is the rematch game; this is the game that people wanted to see after the dramatic finish in the Elite Eight, when Braylon Mullins hit the biggest shot, in my opinion - considering the opponent and considering what was on the line - in UConn history."
Rothstein didn’t stop there. He pointed to the coaches and the standing of both programs as part of what makes the matchup so compelling.
"This is going to be a massive, massive game. Two coaches, Dan Hurley and Jon Scheyer, that are faces of the sport, and in my opinion, the only two programs in college basketball right now that are truly still operating at a blue-blood level. An incredible, incredible appetizer to Thanksgiving and an incredible, incredible dish to be featured in a week that is known for food," he said, per the CT Post.
The game is set for Thanksgiving at 7:00 p.m. in Las Vegas, Nevada, and it will stream on Prime Video.
It’ll be played at T-Mobile Arena, giving the matchup a stage that fits the hype. And while one game in November won’t define Duke’s season, a win over one of the nation’s best teams would be a strong early marker for a roster that enters the year with big expectations.
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