Colorado basketball now knows the path it will have to navigate before Big 12 play, and it is not a forgiving one. Tad Boyle’s program finalized its 2026-27 nonconference schedule this week, with a slate of regional opponents and some tough national matchups highlighted by a showdown against Purdue in December.
The Buffs open at home against Abilene Christian on Nov. 2, then jump quickly into a step up in competition with San Diego State in the Bill Walton Classic on Nov. 7 and San Diego on Nov. 10. A road trip to Providence on Nov. 14 completes a home-and-home series. The game against the Friars should provide an early measuring stick for one of the youngest rosters in the Big 12.
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Home dates with Portland and former Pac-12 rival Stanford round out the November run, while Colorado will also appear in the Acrisure Series in Palm Desert over Thanksgiving and renew its in-state rivalry with Colorado State.
Colorado men’s basketball top nonconference matchups
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Nov. 2: vs. Abilene Christian (home opener)
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Nov. 7: vs. San Diego State (Bill Walton Classic)
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Thanksgiving week: Acrisure Series in Palm Desert, California (neutral site)
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Nov. 25: vs. Saint Louis or Grand Canyon
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Dec. 5: vs. Colorado State (rivalry game)
The marquee nonconference date comes Dec. 19, when Colorado meets Purdue in the Indy Classic at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. The matchup against a Big Ten powerhouse gives Boyle’s group a national-stage opportunity just before league play ramps up.
Once conference play arrives, Colorado basketball will work through an 18-game Big 12 test that includes home-and-home series with Utah, Houston and Baylor. Arizona State, BYU, Cincinnati, Iowa State, Texas Tech and West Virginia visit Boulder. At the same time, road-only tests at Arizona, Kansas, Kansas State, Oklahoma State, TCU and UCF highlight a demanding travel slate.
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How the Buffs handle that schedule will depend on how quickly a young team settles in. Eleven of the 15 players on the roster are underclassmen, including seven freshmen. Boyle has pointed to sophomore guards Jalin Holland, Josiah Sanders and Ian Inman as tone-setters after promising first seasons. In contrast, junior guard Barrington Hargress returns as the primary offensive engine. In the frontcourt, senior transfers Noah Feddersen (North Dakota State) and Justin Neely (UNC Greensboro) are expected to stabilize the glass and provide experience around a largely new rotation.
Boyle is entering his 17th season and is already the winningest coach in program history.
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This article originally appeared on Buffaloes Wire: Colorado basketball finalizes 2026-27 nonconference schedule
