Most notable early-season games in the college basketball season

After an awful defeat vs. No. 15 seed Middle Tennessee State in the first round of last season's NCAA Tournament, the Spartans waste no time kicking off their schedule this season with an elite opponent. Tom Izzo will face Sean Miller at the Armed Forces Classic in Honolulu.

Indiana and Kansas are both reloading after losing their top scorers from 2015-16, and these storied programs will see what they have at the Armed Forces Classic in Honolulu to open the year.

New Vanderbilt head coach Bryce Drew opens his career with the Commodores vs. Steve Wojciechowski and Marquette. Both programs have high expectations to make the tournament this season, and this matchup in the Veterans Classic could be huge for either résumé.

The defending National Champion Wildcats scheduled a very tough early-season road game at West Lafayette. The visit to Purdue will likely be the team's toughest test out of conference.

The Aztecs failed to make the NCAA Tournament last season but did go on a strong run in the NIT. They've been a great tournament Cinderella in recent seasons and will face the ultimate Cinderella in Gonzaga. The Zags are trying to rebound this season after making a Sweet 16 appearance last season.

The Terrapins advanced to the Sweet 16 last season and are expected to be a major factor in the Big Ten again this season. They visit Georgetown, where head coach John Thompson III is hoping to get back on track after failing to make postseason play last season.

Two of the top freshmen classes in the nation square off as Tom Izzo's Spartans face John Calipari's Wildcats in the Champions Classic at Madison Square Garden. The teams last faced off in 2013.

Oregon is hoping to go one step further after losing to Oklahoma in the Elite Eight last season and is tied for the fourth best odds to win the tournament this year. The Ducks face a resurgent Baylor team in Waco that lost in the first round of the NCAA Tournament to Yale last season.

A Final Four preview? Fans of Duke and Kansas are certainly hoping so with stacked rosters heading into the season. The two legendary programs will face off in the Champions Classic at Madison Square Garden.

Although they were ousted by Gonzaga in the first round of the NCAA Tournament last season, Seton Hall is coming off a fine year and has high hopes for 2016-17. The Pirates will visit Iowa, who advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament before getting blasted by eventual champ Villanova.

USC head coach Andy Enfield has the Trojans on the right track, making the NCAA Tournament last season. Meanwhile, Texas A&M experienced incredible success last season, advancing to the Sweet 16 after claiming the SEC regular-season championship.

Oregon and Georgetown will face off in Maui, the second difficult matchup for each school in less than a week. On the surface, it would seem that the Hoyas have more to gain in the matchup as a possible fringe NCAA Tournament team.

Cal and San Diego State already played an electrifying college football game this season that saw the Aztecs win 45-40, and the basketball version could be just as much fun. The teams will face off in Sacramento.

VCU head coach Will Wade had a fine first season replacing Shaka Smart, advancing to the second round of the NCAA Tournament. His team will get a tough test against the size and athleticism of Baylor in the Bahamas.

Despite some major turnover on the roster for Virginia, including Malcolm Brogdon, the team has high hopes for an NCAA Tournament run again this season. UVA's strong defense will face the offensive-minded Hawkeyes in Florida.

The Sun Devils are hoping to get back on track under head coach Bobby Hurley, facing a young but loaded Kentucky squad in the Bahamas. A win would certainly spur postseason hopes for Arizona State.

Butler advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament last season, while Utah did the same, getting upset by Gonzaga. The two schools have high hopes for another postseason run this year.

New Pitt head coach Kevin Stallings is looking to make a statement in his first season and won't have a better opportunity early in the season than his visit to Maryland. The Panthers lost in the first round of the NCAA Tournament last season.

Wisconsin potentially matches up well with Jim Boeheim's zone defense, returning several sharpshooters from last season. The matchup will be one of the most intriguing of the ACC-Big Ten Challenge.

Both N.C. State and Illinois are coming off very disappointing seasons, but each team also has a realistic shot to make the NCAA Tournament this season. This game could be circled on the calendar for both teams in the ACC-Big Ten Challenge.

Fresh off a tough matchup vs. Virginia, Iowa will travel to South Bend in what could be an offensive showdown between the Hawkeyes and Fighting Irish.

Tom Izzo certainly doesn't shy away from tough early-season games. The Spartans will have their third brutal game in November at Duke. It will also be their first official road game of the season, facing Coach K's loaded young team at Cameron Indoor Stadium.

Louisville lost significant talent from last year's squad but is still set to have a formidable team as the Cardinals hope to get back to postseason play after last season's ban. They'll host Purdue in the Boilermakers' first official road game of the season.

Basketball fans are in for a treat in this matchup between two historic programs, as the Tar Heels travel to Bloomington. The Hoosiers are tough to beat at home, though they could be outmatched this early in the season as they try to adjust in the post-Yogi Ferrell era.

Buckeyes fans are still bitter after failing to make the NCAA Tournament last season, but head coach Thad Matta returns a veteran squad with a lot of potential this season. He'll face a difficult test in a visit to Virginia and Tony Bennett's well-coached squad.