The Colorado men’s basketball team released its 2026-27 nonconference schedule last Thursday, announcing eight more opponents and confirmed dates.
Some games were already penciled in, such as both the home-and-home series with assistant coach Nate Tomlinson’s former school in Providence and rival Colorado State. The Buffs also previously announced four neutral-site games. They are set to play San Diego State in the Bill Walton Classic, return to compete in the Acrisure Series for Feast Week (against Stanford and either Saint Louis or Grand Canyon) and travel to Gainbridge Fieldhouse to play a top program, Purdue, in mid-December.
The newly released schedule adds eight home contests to the slate, featuring a season-opener against Abilene Christian and a nonconference finale against Denver. San Diego, Portland, UTEP, Central Arkansas, Cal Poly and North Dakota also will come to Boulder.
Despite nine of its 14 nonconference games being at the CU Events Center, the Black-and-Gold will travel from coast-to-coast to start the season, preparing them for another gauntlet of Big 12 play come the new year.
Yet, with every game mattering in college athletics, how will the Buffs stack up against non-Big 12 foes?
Neutral games are italicized
Abilene Christian - Nov. 2
Colorado opens its 2026-27 season against the Abilene Christian Wildcats. While the Big Sky’s Montana State gave CU a run for its money last year, another season-opener coming down to the wire seems rather unlikely.
Sure, the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) had some solid teams last year, including a California Baptist squad that lost to the Buffs by eight points. But Abilene Christian finished sixth of the conference’s seven teams, ending 14-19 overall and 5-13 in WAC play.
With head coach Brette Tanner returning for his sixth year, he managed to bring back guard Yaniel Rivera (6.3 PPG, 2.3 RPG) and 7-foot center Cade Hornecker (5.3 PPG, 3.4 RPG). But they are two of only three upperclassmen and don’t have much size outside Hornecker
Early prediction: The Wildcats’ lack of height and experience may not bode well against a Colorado team focused on physicality, rebounding and defense this summer, giving the Buffs a sizeable edge.
San Diego State (Bill Walton Classic) - Nov. 7
CU’s first trip away from home comes for game two, as it travels to play new Pac-12 joinee, San Diego State, in the Bill Walton Classic. Set to face off in San Diego, the game will be one of three neutral contests played in the opponents’ home state.
While the Aztecs will be just arriving in a new-look conference, head coach Brian Dutcher has built the school’s reputation in the Mountain West Conference since the 2017-18 season. Since he’s taken over, he’s only missed the national tournament in three of his eight seasons. And in 2023, he led San Diego State to the Final Four.
Like many programs, Dutcher has quite a new roster; he lost his top five scorers.
Still, he retained a rising sophomore duo in Tae Simmons (5.8 PPG, 3.4 RPG) and Elzie Harrington (8.0 PPG, 2.3 APG), along with 7-foot sophomore Thokbor Majak. And he made out like a bandit in the portal, adding former Rice guard Nick Anderson (15.5 PPG, 4.3 RPG), former Sacramento State big Bear Cherry (15.5 PPG, 8.2 RPG), former Oregon State forward Isaiah Sy (10.0 PPG, 4.6 RPG) and former Boston guard Chance Gladden (14.4 PPG, 3.2 RPG, 4.5 APG).
Colorado’s transfer additions may not offer the same numbers, though 6-foot-10 Noah Feddersen (9.3 PPG, 5.0 RPG) and 6-foot-6 Justin Neely (17.9 PPG, 11.5 RPG) and bring some noise to its frontcourt. Returning guard Barrington Hargress (14.7 PPG, 4.5 APG) appears more than ready for a stellar senior season. Plus, the Buffs have their own set of returning sophomores, along with a mix of former professional players.
Early prediction: It wouldn’t be surprising to see some March-level theatrics in June. Both rosters are learning the new personnel, are similarly but differently experienced and offer intriguing advantages; CU seems to be putting physical, high-motor athletes around Hargress, and Dutcher has combined four double-digit scorers from the portal on his roster.
So, if one had to pick, the battle being set to be fought on San Diego soil gives the Aztecs a slight advantage. But the Buffs should have a chance to show what they’re made of, and throw additions into the fire.
San Diego - Nov. 10
San Diego cleaned house after former head coach Steve Lavin led the Toreros to a 18-48 record over the last two years. It brought in former Iowa State assistant JR Blount and an entirely new roster.
Naturally, things already seem uneasy for SD, which will travel to the CUEC.
To take on the Buffs, Blount will bring a talented backcourt to the table, featuring former Ball State guard Davion Hill (14.0 PPG, 4.4 RPG, 2.3 APG) and former UC Riverside guard Marqui Worthy Jr. (16.4 PPG, 4.7 RPG, 3.0 APG). The Toreros also brought in 2025-26 SWAC Rookie of the Year Antonio Munoz (12.5 PPG, 3.5 RPG).
Beyond those three, San Diego added several mid-major players hoping to take on wider roles, and two three-star freshmen.
Early prediction: While Blount will bring some intriguing talent to the CUEC, Colorado’s roster has more collegiate production, continuity and size. Unless Hill and Worthy get off for big games – though against Jalin Holland, Josiah Sanders and more it will be tough – and CU’s frontcourt is underwhelming, there shouldn’t be a close game in Boulder.
@ Providence - Nov. 14
After the Buffs defeated the Friars in November last season, former CU assistant Kim English was relieved of being Providence’s head coach as he led the program to a 15-18 finish. Former USF head coach Bryan Hodgson took over this offseason, and now Colorado has to head to the northeast to play a talented roster.
Despite the coaching change, Providence retained guard Ryan Mela (9.9 PPRG, 5.3 RPG). And while the rest of the roster mostly departed, the team signed three-year G-League player Dink Pate, who averaged 16.0 points, 6.6 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game this past season.
The Friars also added several talented guards: All-MAC third-teamer Ryan Sabol (18.8 PPG, 3.2 RPG, 3.3 APG), two-time All-Mountain West guard Miles Byrd (10.4 PPG, 4.7 RPG), All-American third-teamer Devin Vanterpool (15.8 PPG, 6.3 RPG) and former Georgetown guard Malik Mack (13.6 PPG, 3.0 RPG, 4.1 APG). They also got two more solid forwards along Pate and Mela in former Northwestern forward Arrinten Page (10.2 PPG, 4.5 RPG) and former pro player Leonardo Marangon.
Early prediction: With a conglomeration of incoming talent, Providence appears to boast a more talented, depthful roster than SDSU, and will more than certainly bring more ruckus to the arena – this is a true road game for CU. While the Friars aren’t led by as tenured a coach as the Aztecs, Hodgson is a talented up-and-comer who is fresh off an NCAA tournament appearance.
Unless Colorado truly has a different physicality and defensive hunger this year, there may be more potential for a dominant Friars’ win than there is for the Buffs to steal a game.
Portland - Nov. 18
Head coach Shantay Legans hasn’t seen a winning season since 2021-22, his first year leading Portland. With his willingness to recruit and take risks on under-the-radar international talent as a mid-major, the Pilots inevitably lose a majority of their roster as players graduate or transfer, whether due to too much or too little success.
To try to avoid another down year, Legans returned 6-foot-8 rising sophomore Timo George (12.5 PPG, 4.9 RPG) and 6-foot-10 rising junior James O’Donnell (10.0 PPG, 4.4 RPG) for this season. And after seeing Joel Foxwell lead his team last year, Legans brought in the youngest Foxwell brother, Austin.
The transfer class isn’t eye-opening, though former Louisiana guard Jaxon Olvera (13.7 PPG, 4.5 RPG) leads that bunch. 6-foot-2 guard RJ Nance Jr. is also intriguing, having posted 14.1 points, 2.7 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game on 44.4/42.0/75.6 splits at New Mexico Junior College last season.
Early prediction: While Portland may boast some better size than some other mid-major opponents, Colorado seems to be a much more proven team, from Division-I and former professional experience to past production. Simply put, it doesn’t seem that the Pilots have enough star power or depth to motivate any doubts of a comfortable CU win.
Stanford (Acrisure Series) - Nov. 24
The Cardinal picked up a neutral-site victory over the Buffs in Phoenix last year, led by first-round draft pick Ebuka Okorie’s 32 points. This season, the two will meet in Palm Beach.
While Colorado maintains a fair amount of their core, Stanford brings back just two role players: juniors Adain Cammann (6.5 PPG, 3.8 RPG) and Donavin Young (2.5 PPG, 2.7 RPG). Cammann scored four points in 19 minutes against CU last year, and Young did not play.
Yet, Stanford is bringing in quite a bit of talent.
Head coach Kyle Smith added the 2025-26 CUSA Rookie of the Year in 6-foot-4 Christian Bliss (16.7 PPG, 5.2 RPG, 5.9 APG). He got some height in 7-foot former Seattle center Austin Maurer (7.2 PPG, 4.7 RPG). But the freshman class is really what is special. Smith has four four-stars – two guards (Elias Obenyah, Julius Price) and two forwards (Aziz Olajuwon, Drew Anderson).
While there is quite a bit of inexperience and lack of continuity, Smith is hoping to get over the hump and find March Madness.
Early prediction: Stanford is somewhat reminiscent of where Colorado stood a year ago; CU welcomed three four-stars and a top transfer guard, but felt a year away from really competing. With the Cardinal having no seniors and no proven upperclassmen, their young group could be inconsistent, especially early in the season.
Still, with the neutral-site game being played in Stanford’s home state, and the new additions being quite talented, the Buffs will have to execute well and play physical against the Cardinal’s long roster; CU had 18 turnovers in last season’s loss. If the Black-and-Gold can do that, and enjoy a serviceable shooting night, a convincing win doesn’t seem out of the cards.
Saint Louis/Grand Canyon (Acrisure Series) - Nov. 25
Saint Louis returns quite a bit of its 29-6, A-10 regular season champion squad; 10 players remain. Guards Trey Green, Amari McCottry, Kellen Thames, Ishan Sharma and Quentin Jones all averaged nine to 11 points per game last season, and four returners average over three rebounds. Head coach Josh Schertz also recruited four-star freshman guard Jermel Thomas, former South Carolina forward, 6-foot-8 Elijah Strong (10.0 PPG, 2.3 RPG), and a familiar face in Alon Michaeli (7.1 PPG, 3.9 RPG).
Grand Canyon also brought back some talent from a 20-12 team, featuring guard Makaih Williams (14.0 PPG, 2.7 RPG, 2.5 APG), 7-foot-1 Efe Demirel (8.5 PPG, 5.3 RPG) and guard Caleb Shaw (7.8 PPG, 3.8 RPG). Yet, the incomers bring the head coach Bryce Drew’s ceiling up, highlighted by All-MAAC second-team guard Jaden Zimmerman (15.1 PPG, 2.3 APG), 6-foot-7 All-Southern third-teamer Blake Barkley (14.6 PPG, 5.8 RPG), former Georgia State guard Micah Tucker (13.5 PPG, 3.0 APG), among a handful of experienced role players.
Early prediction: While the Billikens’ continuity from a successful last season is rare nowadays, leading to one of the highest points per game averages in the country last year, they lost their top two players and will need to find a specific first-option among a talented team. The Antelopes, on the other hand, retain a 14-point-per-game scorer and welcome a solid incoming class, creating depth and offering several offensive options. Unless Saint Louis plays quite well, it is hard to imagine the Antelopes don’t have the advantage.
Either way, though, CU will face a tough match. Saint Louis plays team basketball, and GCU holds a ton of talent. And while the Buffs have a solid culture and boast their own skill, they only returned four scholarship players and have some question marks regarding their international and freshman pickups.
Naturally, a nail-biter seems to be in place regardless of the previous day’s result for either side.
UTEP - Dec. 1
The Buffs will return home for a four-game slate to start December, starting with UTEP.
While no opponent should be overlooked, head coach Joe Golding and the Miners are fresh off an 11-20 season, finishing in the bottom of CUSA. Golding also scrapped his entire roster, welcoming four freshmen and nine transfers.
Of the four freshmen, two are three-stars, Donovan Criss and Isaiah Ward, while the others are unranked. Rookie center Delano Tarpley was a high school teammate of Criss and Ward.
The transfers only have four double-digit scorers, including a former junior college guard Camron McDaniels (17.4 PPG, 5.1 RPG), former Evansville wing Leif Moeller (10.8 PPG, 3.8 RPG), former William & Mary guard Reese Miller (12.1 PPG, 2.4 APG) and former Weber State guard Jace Whiting (11.2 PPG, 2.5 RPG, 2.7 APG).
Early prediction: UTEP severely lacks proven players, and with a completely new roster, it is hard to imagine the program will find much success next season, never mind at the CUEC. This one likely won’t be close.
Colorado State - Dec. 5
Despite losing three of their top nine players, head coach Ali Farokhmanesh returns a versatile frontcourt of Kyle Jorgensen (11.5 PPG, 4.3 RPG) and Carey Booth (10.7 PPG, 5.6 RPG) from last year’s 21-13 CSU team. He also brings back a solid backcourt in Jase Butler (9.3 PPG, 3.1 RPG) and Josh Pascarelli (10.2 PPG, 2.8 RPG) from the squad that won the Rocky Mountain Showdown on the hardwood.
Along with three-star freshmen Pops Dunson and Eric Fiedler, an in-state recruit, the Rams also welcome former Marist guard Justin Menard (12.9 PPG, 3.8 APG), an All-MAAC third-teamer.
Early prediction: With continuity and a fun offense in a high-emotion game, Colorado State will be a hard defeat, even at the CUEC. However, if CU can manage the 3-pointers and not overhelp as it did at Moby Arena last season, it should be able to avoid being the first home loser of the rivalry in this decade; frontcourt additions of Feddersen, Neely, former Charlotte big David Gomez and Australian forward Goc Malual should help the Buffs contain Jorgensen and Booth while CSU’s guards face a tough defensive backcourt.
Central Arkansas - Dec. 12
After being the A-Sun’s regular season champion, going 22-12, head coach Josh Shulman returned second-leading scorer Ty Robinson (14.2 PPG, 5.6 RPG). He also brought back Luke Moore (9.4 PPG, 3.5 APG), Cole McCormick (9.1 PPG, 3.4 RPG) and a few other role players.
However, after losing 21-point-per-game scorer Camren Hunter, among several others, Shulman had some work to do in the portal. As a result, he brought in the 2023-2024 A-Sun Rookie of the Year, Tucker Anderson, who struggled to find his footing after transferring to Utah State two years ago.
Not exactly replacing the production, Central Arkansas lacks height as the offensive load seems to fall on the shoulders of Robinson.
Early prediction: If the Buffs’ guard defense somehow repeats from last season despite shedding some of the poorest defenders, Robinson could rattle off a high-scoring game while assisting his shooters. Like many of CU’s nonconference games at home, though, its opponent simply doesn’t compare on paper.
Cal Poly - Dec. 15
Head coach Mike DeGeorge aims to avoid another losing season in his third year as a Division I head coach, and third at Cal Poly – the Mustangs finished 14-19 a year ago.
Luckily for him, 2026-27 may be the year for him as he returns most of the young roster from last year.
Namely, wing Hamad Mousa (20.4 PPG, 6.3 RPG) and guard Cayden Ward (14.5 PPG, 6.3 RPG) returned to take on his offensive production. Some interesting pieces, such as rising 6-foot-10 sophomore Jess Esso Essis (8.6 PPG, 3.6 RPG – suffered a season-ending injury after seven games), accompany them.
Early prediction: The main issue, especially with Esso Essis coming off injury, is that he’s Cal Poly’s tallest and second-heaviest player, weighing 210 pounds. So while Mousa and Ward may score the ball, they’ll have to expend effort in the altitude to help the thin frontcourt on the glass.
Unless that duo goes off, which could happen on a lazy Sunday, Colorado should have a fair time handling the Mustangs.
Purdue (Indy Classic) - Dec. 19
In what will be one of the hardest games of the season, which is difficult to arrange in nonconference for a Big 12 team, Colorado will take on Purdue at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
Fresh off finishing No. 6 in the final AP poll and in the Elite Eight, Boilermakers head coach Matt Painter has his eyes on another deep March run. And to do so, he’s returned his young core and brought in some highly-touted additions.
Coming back to Purdue are guard CJ Cox (8.5 PPG, 2.8 RPG), 7-foot-4 center Daniel Jacobsen (5.5 PPG, 3.0 RPG) and rising sophomore guard Omer Mayer (5.5 PPG), who are expected to take on big roles. Coming in is former 2023-24 Ivy League Player of the Year Caden Pierce, who averaged 16.6 points per game as a sophomore and 11.2 as a junior at Princeton before redshirting as a senior to finish his degree and transfer elsewhere. French pro player Enzo Shahrvin and several four-stars – 7-foot-1 Sinan Huan, 6-foot-6 Jacob Webber and 6-foot-2 Luke Ertel – also join the roster.
Early prediction: This may be the best time for CU to play Purdue in the past decade. While Painter has some multi-year guys in Cox and Jacobsen, they haven’t been as heavily relied on early in their careers as his recent stars. The roster is younger than in past years, and will have heavy reliance on new players; Pierce, having taken a step back before his year off, and Shahrvin, with poor averages despite 111 games of professional French hoops, are something of wildcards.
Still, with the game being played under Indiana’s big lights against some big boys, Colorado will have to play quite well to try to keep things close. Purdue’s height is hard to navigate in almost every facet of the game, and the Boilermakers have some talented, physical wings. It would not be surprising to see the home Black-and-Gold run away from the other.
North Dakota - Dec. 22
Following an 18-17 season, North Dakota shed virtually everyone it had in the rotation; only rising junior Zach Kraft (8.1 PPG, 2.1 RPG), 6-foot-10 center Josh Jones (2.8 PPG, 3.3 RPG) returned for head coach Paul Sather.
The Fighting Hawks didn’t exactly replace or replenish, though.
Of the four freshmen, only 5-foot-10 Jayden Moore holds a ranking. And while there are some D-I and international additions, their averages are underwhelming.
Instead, the four transfers from non-Division-I schools stood. 5-foot-11 guard Luke Winkel averaged 18.7 points, 3.6 rebounds and 4.0 assists per game at the Division-II level last season, and 6-foot-6 Zack Parks averaged 19.3 points and 7.5 rebounds per game at the NJCAA Division-II level.
Early prediction: Lacking a player of 6-foot-10 or taller on the roster, while also having several small guards, the Fighting Hawks are rather undersized. They also don’t have much D-I experience or time together, hurting North Dakota’s potential results.
As long as CU doesn’t think ahead to the holidays, it should be in the driver’s seat.
Denver - Dec. 29
Switching up the in-state opponent from Northern Colorado to Denver this season, the Buffs hope to avoid the upset UNCo served them to end last year’s nonconference.
As DU showed against CSU last season, a roster with rising junior guard Carson Johnson (20.1 PPG, 3.0 APG) can be a surprising one.
However, Johnson is one of only two contributing returners from last year’s 15-17 Denver squad, along with forward Shaun Wysocki (7.5 PGP, 3.3 RPG). And the transfers, either coming from small D-I roles or decent non- D-I roles, including D-II guard Jaelen Nelson (11.2 PPG, 3.8 RPG) and former JUCO forward Harry Bates (11.3 PPG, 7.3 RPG), aren’t exactly stat-stuffers.
Early prediction: Assuming Denver doesn’t conjure the same dark magic that far more talented Northern Colorado teams have conjured at the CUEC the last few seasons, this should be a comfortable nonconference finale win for the Buffs. Johnson is always liable to go for a big digit, and DU has more height than North Dakota. But that doesn’t move the needle much.
Final nonconference record prediction: 10-4
Colorado has the talent to go 12-2, potentially 13-1 in nonconference play. Hargress is a proven leader on offense, scoring-wise, taking care of the ball and finding others. And while the rest of the group, likely outside of Neely, is waiting to emerge as a second, third or fourth option, nearly the entire roster is built around high motors and physical, athletic bodies that can defend and rebound.
This day and age has also reworked many of the rosters that the Buffs will see.
Yet the learning that comes during November and December, especially with how CU has handled the road the last few seasons, could trip up the Buffaloes early. With two neutral-site games being played in the tough opponents’ home states, one cross-country trip to Rhode Island and a rigid, though beatable, pull of teams in the Acrisure Series, the Black-and-Gold could very easily lose every game from home. If that happens, a home loss or two wouldn’t be surprising, making the floor of nonconference 7-7.
13-1 or 7-7 would be quite unlikely, though, making 10-4 a serviceable prediction for one of CU’s tougher nonconference slates in recent years.
It will be hard for Colorado to win on the road – beating Purdue seems an impossible task – but the roster has solid intangibles and intriguing potential. The Buffs have the talent to beat SDSU and sweep the Acrisure Series, but it’s not hard to imagine this bunch not having enough weapons or chemistry to withstand those tough neutral affairs.
Luckily, while one can’t make college basketball season come sooner, Colorado scheduled tough contests throughout November; the team’s identity should be evident by Dec. 1.
Players Mentioned
