Must-watch games of the 2017-18 college basketball season

The college basketball regular season tips off Nov. 10, and the best game of the day features the Aggies and Mountaineers in the Armed Forces Classic at Ramstein Air Force Base. The two teams have high postseason hopes this season.

We're wasting no time in what could be the game of the year featuring the No. 1 and No. 2 teams in the country in the State Farm Champions Classic in Chicago. Duke's incredible freshman class takes on the Spartans, led by sophomore star Miles Bridges.

As if the Duke vs. Michigan State matchup in the State Farm Champions Classic wasn't good enough, we have another treat with Kentucky vs. Kansas. Both squads have seen a lot of turnover in the offseason but open as top-five ranked teams. They face off in a much anticipated battle between John Calipari and Bill Self.

What's intriguing about a game between a Patriot League team and the defending national champs? The Bison gave West Virginia all it could handle in the first round of the NCAA Tournament last year and return a talented, veteran group that could really make some noise in March. The Tar Heels could be ripe for an upset if they don't take this game seriously.

There are several intriguing games in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge, with this one among them. Louisville has had major distractions recently, culminating with the loss of head coach Rick Pitino, but the Cardinals still have the talent to make some noise. Purdue lost star Caleb Swanigan from last year's roster, but Matt Painter's group still has high hopes in the Big Ten.

If nothing else, this matchup between Duke and Indiana features two historic college basketball powerhouses. New Hoosiers head coach Archie Miller is just trying to get his footing with his new team, and facing the elite Blue Devils so early in the season will be a great litmus test.

Notre Dame has the ability to beat anyone when the Irish are shooting the three-pointer well, and they'll certainly have to do that to defeat Michigan State in Lansing. Tom Izzo's squad will certainly get another early-season test.

The heated rivalry between Cincinnati and Xavier has extra significance this year with both teams having high hopes for March. The Crosstown Shootout was won by the Bearcats last season, but Xavier won the previous three contests.

The Shockers will get several more significant tests than usual after moving to the AAC this season, and they will get a big test at Baylor even before their conference schedule starts. Gregg Marshall's team will have an interesting matchup against the size of the Bears.

Villanova and Gonzaga have seen significant recent NCAA Tournament success, with the Wildcats winning the 2016 national championship and the Zags getting to the championship game last season. The two schools will have an interesting matchup in the Jimmy V Classic at Madison Square Garden as they reboot from 2017-18.

Do you like offense? The matchup between the Bruins and Wolverines should have you covered with what's usually two of the best offensive teams in the country. Both squads have also lost significant talent from last year but have plenty of sharpshooters on their rosters.

The matchup between the Wildcats and Bruins in the CBS Sports Classic in New Orleans not only features two historic college basketball powers, but is also a rematch between the two squads after an exciting NCAA Tournament game last season. Of course, both teams have seen plenty of turnover since that time.

Perhaps this matchup is less intriguing following the loss of Rick Pitino, but the Louisville vs. Kentucky rivalry won't lose any luster on the part of the fans. Interim head coach DavidPadgett will lead a talented squad into Lexington against another young Kentucky team.

One of college basketball's biggest rivalries features an intriguing matchup with sharpshooters Moritz Wagner of the Wolverines and Miles Bridges of the Spartans. Michigan won the last game between the teams, ending a streak of five straight wins by Michigan State.

The Blue Devils are heavily favored to win the ACC but will get a major test when they visit Miami in mid-January. Jim Larranaga's squad is led by senior Ja'Quan Newton and freshman Lonnie Walker IV.

The Jayhawks are going for 14 straight Big 12 titles, but their biggest competition is likely to be West Virginia. This game at Morgantown could play a huge role in the winner of the conference, as Bob Huggins's team tries to break the streak.

The matchup between Texas and West Virginia should be a chess match between head coaches Shaka Smart and Bob Huggins. Both coaches love to play a pressing style and crash the boards, routinely ranking near the top of the country in second-chance points.

West Virginia has quite a two-week streak of big games that includes Kansas, Texas and Kentucky. This game will be a huge test for the Mountaineers and Wildcats, as both teams ready themselves for facing different styles in March.

The rivalry between Purdue and Indiana will be as significant as ever this season, as the Hoosiers try to end the Boilermakers' two-game winning streak against them, as well as five wins over the last six matchups. New Indiana head coach Archie Miller will get a crash course in his first Indiana vs. Purdue rivalry game.

The rivalry between the Jayhawks and Wildcats is one of the most heated in college basketball, even though Kansas has dominated with a margin of 100 wins (193-93). The Jayhawks have also won the last five contests, with Bruce Weber's team last winning on Feb. 23, 2015.

Plenty of NBA scouts should be on hand with several top freshmen squaring off when Kentucky visits Columbia, Mo. The Wildcats have several strong NBA prospects, including Hamidou Diallo, Kevin Knox and P.J. Washington, while Mizzou's Michael Porter Jr. has a chance to be the No. 1 overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft.

The basketball rivalry between UCLA and Arizona has gone back and forth in recent seasons, though the Wildcats have won three of the last four contests. The matchup could have major implications in the Pac-12 standings, as well as NCAA Tournament seeding.

The Zags have five straight WCC regular-season championships and have also won the conference in 16 of the last 17 seasons. However, Saint Mary's certainly has a shot this season, led by star Jock Landale.

There might not be a game late on the Pac-12 schedule with as much impact on the regular-season champion than USC at Arizona. The Wildcats have won three matchups in a row.

The heated rivalry takes to the court. Neither team is a shoo-in to make the NCAA Tournament this season, so the game could have major postseason implications for both squads. The Buckeyes have won three of the last four matchups.

The SEC is deep this season, but Kentucky and Florida are certainly the front-runners. There's a chance that the regular-season title will be decided in early March when the Wildcats head to Gainesville. John Calipari's Kentucky squads have won the last three SEC regular-season championships.

There is no bigger college basketball rivalry than North Carolina vs. Duke. This year's final matchup is as significant as ever, with the Tar Heels defending national champs, while the Blue Devils enter the season as the No. 1 ranked team. This will be the second regular-season matchup of the year between the rivals and the last game of the ACC regular season for both schools. The teams have split the last four contests.

The battle between UCLA and USC is becoming as fierce on the court as it is on the football field, with both schools entering the season ranked in the top 25. The Bruins won the two matchups last season, but the Trojans won the previous four games leading up to that point.

The Shockers will have far more competition to win their conference regular-season championship after moving from the Missouri Valley to the American Athletic Conference. Gregg Marshall's team has a key game at the end of the year against Cincinnati, who looks like their biggest obstacle to win the conference entering the year.