Tar Heels Set to Face Ohio State in 2025 CBS Sports Classic in Atlanta
The University of North Carolina men’s basketball team will square off against Ohio State on Saturday, December 20, at State Farm Arena in Atlanta as part of the 2025 CBS Sports Classic, the event announced Thursday.
This year’s doubleheader begins with the Tar Heels taking on the Buckeyes, followed by a matchup between Kentucky and St. John’s. UNC holds a commanding 13–3 all-time series lead over Ohio State and is 7–4 in CBS Sports Classic appearances—more wins than any other participating school since the event began in 2014. Ohio State (6–4), Kentucky (5–6), and UCLA (3–7) trail behind in total wins. Notably, St. John’s is making its debut in the annual showcase this season.
North Carolina has dominated Ohio State in previous CBS Sports Classic meetings, winning all three prior matchups, including a thrilling 89–84 overtime victory in 2022. The Buckeyes enter this year’s contest following a 17–15 season under new head coach Jake Diebler. However, they have struggled in recent years, missing the NCAA Tournament for three consecutive seasons. Their offseason has been turbulent, with five players exiting via the transfer portal—among them high-profile departures like Sean Stewart, Aaron Bradshaw, and Meechie Johnson. Currently, Ohio State’s incoming high school recruiting class ranks 43rd nationally, and their transfer portal class sits at 52nd.
UNC is looking to bounce back from a 23–14 season that ended in a disappointing Round of 64 exit in the NCAA Tournament. The Tar Heels have been active in the portal, bringing in five new transfers: Kyan Evans (Colorado State), Jaydon Young (Virginia Tech), Jonathan Powell (West Virginia), Jarin Stevenson (Alabama), and Henri Veesaar (Arizona). Meanwhile, the team is saying goodbye to several key contributors, including Ven-Allen Lubin, Elliot Cadeau (Michigan), Jalen Washington (Vanderbilt), Ian Jackson (St. John’s), and Cade Tyson.
The incoming freshman class, led by highly-rated forward Caleb Wilson and talented guards Derek Dixon and Isaiah Denis, also adds excitement to the upcoming season.
The Ohio State matchup is just one of several marquee non-conference games on UNC’s 2025–26 schedule. The Tar Heels will host Kansas on November 14 and face Michigan State in the Ft. Myers Tipoff on November 27. An opponent for the ACC-SEC Challenge has yet to be announced, but other confirmed games include contests against Central Arkansas, Radford, Navy, USC-Upstate, East Carolina, and NC Central.
UNC Athletic Director Bubba Cunningham recently stressed the importance of winning non-conference games to improve the team’s NCAA Tournament seeding and NET ranking.
“If you can win over 80% of your non-conference games, your NET Ranking will be very high,” Cunningham said on the school’s Carolina Insider podcast. “If you want to get a high seed, you have to play a better schedule. You have to play top teams, and you have to win.”
Last year, the Tar Heels went 7–5 in non-conference play—something Cunningham believes must improve. He noted that UNC will host seven home non-conference games this year, compared to just five last season, which could give the team an advantage early in the season.
As UNC gears up for a challenging slate, the December showdown against Ohio State will be a critical test of the Tar Heels’ revamped roster and renewed ambitions.
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