Circle your calendars—metaphorically, for now.
The Big 12 just dropped its 2025-26 conference matchups, and let’s just say Tad Boyle’s crew isn’t getting a breather. Coming off a brutal 3-17 campaign in Big 12 play, CU has the unenviable task of climbing back up the ranks… and they’ll have to do it against some of the nastiest road environments and most battle-tested programs in the country.
But if there’s a silver lining? It’s this: The biggest names in the Big 12 are coming to Boulder.
Kansas. Arizona. In Boulder. Yes, please.
This is why we love college basketball.
The Buffs are hosting not just one, but two historic heavyweights in Kansas and Arizona. That’s as good as it gets for fans at the CU Events Center. Say what you want about last season’s record (14-21 overall, dead last in the Big 12), but there will be no shortage of butts in seats when Bill Self and Tommy Lloyd roll into town.
Colorado will also draw home games against Kansas State, Oklahoma State, TCU and UCF. While those programs may not scream “blue blood,” they all made postseason appearances last year. This home slate is no cupcake, but it’s also a chance for CU to change the narrative.
This is where you show you’re serious about getting back to relevance.
Road trips from hell? You bet.
It’s not all sunshine and Flatirons.
CU has to travel to Houston (yeah, the national runner-up), plus make first-time road visits to West Virginia and Cincinnati—the Buffs haven’t played at Cincy since 1981. They’ll also head to Baylor, BYU and Iowa State. All six of those teams have one thing in common: they've destroyed CU in the past.
For a team still figuring out its identity and rotation, that’s a dangerous setup. They won't be just playing talented squads—they'll be walking into packed arenas where the crowd wants blood.
Boyle’s going to have to get this group battle-hardened fast.
Familiar faces and redemptive arcs
CU’s three home-and-home pairings are Utah, Texas Tech (an Elite Eight squad last year), and Arizona State. That last one is the only repeat from last year’s slate, which gives the Buffs a bit of familiarity.
The bigger story? Andrew Crawford.
After a redshirt season spent watching from the sidelines, the 6-foot-6 local product is ready to debut. And honestly, there’s something about his quiet grind that gives you hope.
He could’ve played last year, sure. But instead, he waited. Watched. Learned. Built his body up in the weight room. The Buffs were one of the worst teams in the league in turnovers and perimeter shooting last year. Crawford’s been working to address both, tightening his handle and tweaking his jumper.
He knows he’s got to earn his minutes, but in his words, he’s ready to “plug a lot of holes that were missing from last year.”
Can CU handle the heat?
Let’s call it what it is: the 2025-26 schedule is a doozy.
The Buffs will play elite opponents at home and face some serious, harsh road tests. But also? You’ve got a team with something to prove.
There’s still plenty to be revealed—nonconference games, TV slots, tip times—but the bones are in place. And what the Buffs do with this skeleton of a schedule will say a lot about where the program is heading.
If nothing else, one thing’s for sure: nobody’s sleepwalking through this schedule.
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