Duke basketball is wasting no time heating things up for the 2025-26 season. The Blue Devils are set to open the year with a blockbuster matchup against none other than the Texas Longhorns on November 4 at the Spectrum Center in Charlotte, North Carolina.
While the school hasn’t officially confirmed it as the opener, all indications suggest this will be the first game of the season — and it’s going to be must-see.
Head coach Jon Scheyer is pulling no punches with the non-conference schedule. This showdown adds to an already stacked slate that includes powerhouse road trips to Michigan State and a neutral-site battle with Michigan — both teams expected to be among the top in the country next season.
Texas, now under the leadership of seasoned coach Sean Miller, is reloading with one of the most hyped transfer classes in the country. Miller, fresh off his second stint with Xavier, has brought in talent like Simeon Wilcher (St. John’s), Lassina Traore (Xavier), Camden Heide (Purdue), and Dailyn Swain (Xavier). The backcourt combo of Wilcher and Swain is already being hyped as one of the Big 12’s best.
Meanwhile, Duke isn’t backing down from the challenge. Instead of scheduling easy wins, the Blue Devils are opting for primetime competition to sharpen their edge early. With Michigan expected to be a top-10 team and both Texas and Michigan State also projected in the top 25, Duke’s early-season schedule is among the nation’s toughest.
The Blue Devils have dominated Texas in recent years, winning five straight, including an 85–78 thriller in 2017. But with both programs entering new eras, this game has all the makings of a classic.
Mark your calendars — Duke vs. Texas will be one of the biggest opening week games in college basketball.
