Kentucky and Louisville basketball fans were surprised Wednesday morning by news that their storied rivalry game will be played earlier than ever—on Tuesday, November 11, 2025, at Louisville’s KFC Yum! Center.
This will be the earliest matchup in the rivalry’s long history, which began in 1913.
In the 2024–25 season, Kentucky (24-12, 10-8 SEC) advanced to the Sweet 16 under new head coach Mark Pope, while Louisville (27-8, 18-2 ACC) made a major leap under first-year coach Pat Kelsey, earning an NCAA Tournament No. 8 seed.
By moving the rivalry game to early November, both programs kick off their non-conference schedules with one of college basketball’s most high-profile in-state showdowns—now positioned as a season-defining game before the calendar even hits midseason.
Fan reactions quickly surfaced online. One person joked, “We’re gonna play the basketball game before the football game!?” Another Kentucky supporter added, “Wanted to go ahead and get the belt to ahh over with quicker.” Some questioned the timing with comments like, “Why so early and on a Tuesday?”
Kentucky entered the 2024–25 season led by Pope following the departure of longtime coach John Calipari. The Wildcats reached as high as No. 4 in the AP poll and ended the season ranked 12th.
Louisville, with Kelsey at the helm, reached the ACC title game before falling to Duke and was eliminated by Creighton in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
For fans, media, and recruits alike, this early-season clash now shapes up to be one of the most anticipated and impactful games of the 2025–26 campaign.
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