Alright, sports junkies—no more rumors or blurry leaks. ESPN finally yanked back the curtain and gave us the 2025-26 ESPN on ABC college basketball slate, and man, it’s loaded. We’re talking 11 games, 10 of ‘em ranked-on-ranked chaos, absolute bangers for both the men’s and women’s sides. If you’re a college basketball fan, just kiss your social life goodbye for the winter.
Valentine’s Day? More Like Rivalry Day
Forget fancy dinners and overpriced roses—this year, Valentine’s Day = basketball mayhem. ABC’s rolling out a men’s double-feature: Kansas at Iowa State (Hilton Magic, anyone?) plus Kentucky at Florida (get ready for Gator chomps and Wildcat yells). And just when you think you’re done, BAM—prime time women’s showdown: South Carolina at LSU. We’re talking #1 vs #5, and you know there’s gonna be some broken hearts by the final buzzer. Rivalries, national title vibes, decades of drama—Valentine’s never looked so good.
Women’s Games: Buckle Up
The women’s schedule? It’s basically a highlight reel:
- Dec 14: Baylor vs Texas in Fort Worth. First-ever espnW Invitational, and Texas is still riding high from that Final Four run. Meanwhile, Baylor’s out for blood after a 27-6 season.
- Feb 1: Oklahoma at Texas. Oklahoma’s got stars and a top recruit; Texas has Madison Booker, who’s basically a cheat code.
- Feb 8: Tennessee at South Carolina. The Gamecocks aren’t just winning—they’re steamrolling the SEC, and the Lady Vols want payback.
- Feb 14: South Carolina at LSU. Oh, this one’s spicy. That’s three of the last four champs squaring up, and (plot twist) ex-Gamecock Milaysia Fulwiley is rocking LSU purple for the first time against her old squad.
- Feb 15: North Carolina at Duke and Texas at Tennessee. Rivalry energy through the roof—expect trash talk, buzzer-beaters, and maybe a court storm or two.
Men’s: Big Names, Bigger Drama
On the men’s side, it’s a murderers’ row:
- Feb 1: Alabama at Florida. The Tide’s Final Four run vs. the reigning champs. That’s a popcorn game.
- Feb 14: Kansas at Iowa State and Kentucky at Florida. If you’re not watching, what are you even doing?
- Feb 21: North Carolina at Syracuse and Arizona at Houston. Old-school tough meets new-school swagger. Pencil those in.
ESPN Goes Full Digital Nerd
Don’t sleep on the tech upgrades. ESPN’s going all-in on streaming—multiview, real-time stats, even a custom SportsCenter feed in the app. Plus, you can bundle with Disney+ and Hulu for $29.99 a month (at least for year one), which is honestly a pretty solid deal if you’re a streaming addict.
TL;DR: Just Watch
Bottom line: the 2025-26 ESPN on ABC college basketball lineup is built for drama, upsets, and jaw-droppers. SEC, ACC, Big 12—it’s all there. So, get your snacks ready and your group chats fired up. This season’s gonna be wild.
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