Will Kentucky's Mark Pope take advantage of college basketball's newest rule?

The NCAA announced yesterday that starting during the 2026-27 season, college basketball teams will be allowed to play a total of 32 games, meaning an extra non-conference game can be added to the schedule.

While it is not mandatory for college teams to add another game to the non-conference slate, they are allowed to do it.

The question after this rule change for Kentucky fans is how Mark Pope will try to utilize the change. Of course, Kentucky fans will be all for playing another game, especially if it means another game in Rupp Arena.

Coach Pope loves to play these big-time matchups like the Wildcats have scheduled his season against teams like St. John's, Gonzaga, Indiana, North Carolina, Michigan State, and Louisville, so he could add another game like this in the future.

Another thing Coach Pope could do is have the Wildcats play in one of the tournaments, like the Maui Invitational. Big Blue Nation loves playing in these events, with them normally being around holidays where fans can travel to some warm weather to support the Cats.

The other option is to add another Kentucky school like WKU, EKU, NKU, Morehead State, or Murray State to the schedule. The Wildcats play Bellarmine this season, but fans love to see Kentucky take on in-state schools.

Pope could also not use the extra game, but one thing that is for sure is Kentucky fans would love an extra opportunity to see the Wildcats play. It will be interesting to see what the Wildcats schedule looks like for the 2026-27 season.