Utah basketball releases 2025-26 nonconference schedule

The first glimpse at the new-look Runnin' Utes will come on Oct. 17, when Nevada pays Salt Lake City a visit for an exhibition game at the Jon M. Huntsman Center. They'll then hit the road for a second friendly against Oregon on Oct. 24.

Utah officially tips off the Alex Jensen era with a six-game homestead, starting Nov. 3 with a matchup against San José State and continuing through the first three weeks of November. During that span, the Runnin' Utes will entertain Weber State (Nov. 8), Holy Cross (Nov. 10), Sam Houston State (Nov. 15), Purdue Fort-Wayne (Nov. 18) and Cal Poly (Nov. 20).

The Nov. 18 game against the Mastodons from Fort Wayne, Indiana, will also serve as part of Utah's three-game slate for the Acrisure Classic, a multi-team event that'll take place in Palm Desert, California, during the week of Thanksgiving. Utah's first round opponent of the event pits the Runnin' Utes against a Grand Canyon squad that's coming off a 26-8 campaign and the program's third consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance.

Utah's ensuing opponent in the Acrisure Classic will be against either a team (Ole Miss) or a head coach (Iowa's Ben McCollum) from last season's NCAA Tournament qualifiers.

The Runnin' Utes don't face their first true road test until Dec. 2, when they head down to Haas Pavilion in Berkeley, California, for a date with Cal. It'll mark the first time the two teams squared off on the hardwood since they parted ways from the Pac-12 ahead of the 2024-25 campaign.

The Dec. 2 game is also the first of a home-and-home series between the Runnin' Utes and Golden Bears, with the return game coming to Salt Lake City during the 2026-27 season.

A week after hosting Cal Poly on campus, the Runnin' Utes will make a short field trip to the Delta Center for a matchup against Mississippi State. The Bulldogs enter year No. 4 under head coach Chris Jans, looking for their fourth consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance following a first-round exit to Baylor this past March. Based on the latest ESPN Bracketology update — the Bulldogs are tabbed as an 8-seed — Jans and company could be on track to extend the program's postseason streak in 2026.

Utah will close out nonleague play with a pair of opponents from Washington. The Runnin' Utes are set to host Eastern Washington for a third consecutive season on Dec. 20, then travel to Seattle, Washington, for a matchup with another former Pac-12 rival in Washington on Dec. 29. The Huskies will return the favor with a trip to Salt Lake City in 2026-27.

The Runnin' Utes will follow their nonconference schedule with an 18-game Big 12 slate. The league has announced matchup pairings but not full details regarding tip-off time or broadcast information.

Here's a look at Utah's nonleague schedule, with tip times and TV information to come at a later date.

Utah Runnin' Utes 2025-26 nonconference schedule

*Part of Acrisure Series MTE

• Oct. 17: vs. Nevada (exhibition)
• Oct. 24: at Oregon (exhibition)
• Nov. 3: vs. San Jose State
• Nov. 8: vs. Weber State
• Nov. 10: vs. Holy Cross
• Nov. 15: vs. Sam Houston State
• Nov. 18: vs. Purdue Fort-Wayne*
• Nov. 20: vs. Cal Poly
• Nov. 25: vs. Grand Canyon* (Palm Desert, California)
• Nov. 26 vs. Iowa/Ole Miss* (Palm Desert, California)
• Dec. 2: at Cal
• Dec. 6: vs. Cal Baptist
• Dec. 13: vs. Mississippi State (Delta Center)
• Dec. 20: vs. Eastern Washington
• Dec. 29: at Washington

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