Kansas basketball schedule: 3 takeaways as Bill Self's squad enters post-Hunter Dickinson era

The Kansas Jayhawks unveiled their non-conference schedule for the 2025-26 season on Wednesday as it enters the post-Hunter Dickinson era.

The 7-foot-2 center transferred from Michigan to Kansas in 2023 and spent two seasons with the team. Dickinson played and started for 67 games for Bill Self's team and averaged 17.7 points, 10.5 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.4 blocks per game.

The team built a strong team around him, but the Jayhawks only made the first round of the NCAA Tournament last season and the second round the previous season. The lanky cager has fully exhausted his playing years and is now taking his talents to the professional ranks by declaring his eligibility in the 2025 NBA draft.

Kansas' nonconference schedule features a mix of possible Top 25 teams from the ACC, Big East and the SEC. The challenging lineup of matches aims to strengthen the Jayhawks for the Big 12 regular season and the NCAA Tournament campaigns later in the season.

They open the season with two exhibition games against Louisville (Oct. 24) and Fort Hays State (Oct. 28) before they plunge into regular season action against Green Bay on Nov. 3.

Then, the Jayhawks will go to Chapel Hill and visit Hubert Davis' North Carolina on Nov. 7 and will host Texas A&M-Corpus Christi and Princeton on Nov. 11 and Nov. 15, respectively.

Three days later, Kansas will meet Duke in the Champions Classic on Nov. 18 at Madison Square Garden in New York. They will also take part in the Players Era Festival from Nov. 24-27.

The Jayhawks will start the month of December at home against UConn on Dec. 2 and battle Missouri in the so-called "Border War" five days later. They will visit NC State on Dec. 13 before closing their nonconference schedule at home against Towson (Dec. 16) and Davidson (Dec. 22).

The team's full Big 12 Conference schedule hasn't been released, but it is set to play 18 games, possibly beginning in January 2026. With the conference having 16 teams on its roster, Kansas is set to face three teams twice and the others at least once.

The only thing sure for the Jayhawks is they'll have a home-and-away series against Kansas State for the Sunflower Showdown.

Here are the three key takeaways from Kansas' schedule this season.

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Three key takeaways from Kansas' schedule in the 2025-26 season

#1 Kansas will play at least four ACC teams this season

Bill Self and his coaching staff have arranged a challenging nonconference slate for the Jayhawks in the 2025-26 college basketball season. And their schedule pits them against four ACC teams: Louisville (in an exhibition game), North Carolina, Duke and NC State.

They will also compete in the Players Era Festival from Nov. 24-27 and will likely play two more ACC teams — Syracuse and Notre Dame — depending on how far they get in the event.

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#2 Kansas-UConn open two-year home-and-home series

Kansas and UConn start their home-and-home series on Dec. 2. The Jayhawks will host the Huskies this year and Dan Hurley's team will go up against Bill Self's five in a return clash the following year.

Kansas looks to assert its supremacy over UConn, as they are 4-0 in its all-time series. Their recent matchup was on Dec. 1, 2023, and the Jayhawks won 69-65 in the showdown held in Lawrence.

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#3 Kansas, Missouri clash for 273rd edition of 'Border War'

Kansas and Missouri will rekindle their rivalry in the 273rd edition of the Border War on Dec. 7 at the T-Mobile Arena in Kansas City.

The Jayhawks lead the series 176-96, but the Tigers stunned the college basketball circles, winning 76-67 over then-No. 1 Kansas at the Mizzou Arena. Kansas holds an 8-2 edge in the last 10 games against Missouri.