Out of conference sked next year

SemperFiCat

Heisman
Mar 2, 2009
14,566
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I don't think it's a given we get Duke or UNCheat in the SEC/ACC Challenge. We were far from the top SEC team last year. Sure, we think it makes sense, but scheduling and ratings gurus know how to maximize viewership. Alabama, Auburn, Florida, and Tennessee are going to be used as well. I wouldn't be at all surprised if we don't get another Clemson level game.
 

CardHack

All-Conference
May 29, 2001
120,002
4,975
113
Not a chance in hell we get Duke at Rupp. Where have you guys been the last 30 years?

We'll get UNC or NC State.
Given access to the teflon treatment the ACC and ESPN give Duke, I'd say the likelihood of a Duke trip to Rupp Arena falls somewhere in the neighborhood of Benjamin Netanyahu being elected the next Mayor of Tehran. If I was a betting man I'd say you're getting Will Wade's Redemption tour coming your way.

The belief at Louisville is we are going to Alabama or Auburn as our leg; Duke is likely to play at the other Alabama school or in Gainesville.
 

Digger-Cat

All-Conference
Oct 31, 2024
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I don't think it's a given we get Duke or UNCheat in the SEC/ACC Challenge. We were far from the top SEC team last year. Sure, we think it makes sense, but scheduling and ratings gurus know how to maximize viewership. Alabama, Auburn, Florida, and Tennessee are going to be used as well. I wouldn't be at all surprised if we don't get another Clemson level game.
I don't think it matters how good everyone was in 2025, everyone is going to have a completely different team, it makes more sense to look at team projections for the 25/26 season.

Also, UK and duke are still blue bloods and those two schools generate more viewership than anyone else.
 

phunterd

All-Conference
Aug 1, 2006
2,196
4,910
62
It would be shocking if ESPN does not take advantage of a home and home between UK and Duke. That would be the biggest viewership match up by far. It would also be tremendous for the sport.

It needs to happen.
 

SemperFiCat

Heisman
Mar 2, 2009
14,566
30,005
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I don't think it matters how good everyone was in 2025, everyone is going to have a completely different team, it makes more sense to look at team projections for the 25/26 season.

Also, UK and duke are still blue bloods and those two schools generate more viewership than anyone else.
Guess we'll see. Personally, I don't think it's a given. They know they will get Kentucky and Duke fans tuning in either way.
 
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SemperFiCat

Heisman
Mar 2, 2009
14,566
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It would be shocking if ESPN does not take advantage of a home and home between UK and Duke. That would be the biggest viewership match up by far. It would also be tremendous for the sport.

It needs to happen.
Pretty sure they don't care what's "good for the sport". I'm not disagreeing with you, from a fan's prospective. I'm just jaded by money now and feel they'll simply do what an algorithm says will generate most total views among the contract, not just one game.
 
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phunterd

All-Conference
Aug 1, 2006
2,196
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Pretty sure they don't care what's "good for the sport". I'm not disagreeing with you, from a fan's prospective. I'm just jaded by money now and feel they'll simply do what an algorithm says will generate most total views among the contract, not just one game.

Perhaps not. But they absolutely care about ratings which is why I listed that first.
 
Apr 22, 2011
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Do not think sec/acc series will 100% make uk and duke play home-home in 25 and 26

Last two years this series changed opponents

But I remember in SEC/Big12 challenge, we played multiple home/home with Kansas

Don't think there is any way that Kentucky would be okay with the SEC league office, or Duke being okay with the ACC league office, for scheduling a road game against each other and not getting a home game in return the following year, or having to wait 3 years to get the return game.

This is the biggest possible matchup the 2 leagues can provide, by a large, large margin, so when they do it, they'll do it right (home and home in consecutive years). So either next year, or 3 years from now.
 

Broker

All-Conference
Aug 29, 2012
1,524
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I think we will get duke

We got miami in 23 (ff in previous season) and clemson (elite eight in previous season) in 24

Do not think we will play lou twice and play clemson in second year
We will not get Duke. Duke will play TN because they want revenge for losing to them a couple of years sago. They felt like TN was too physical and have been wishing they could put a beat down on TN. I think I would support that beat down. Duke will be allowed to hand pick their opponent and you can bet your sweet ***, they don't want us next year.
 

docholiday51

Heisman
Oct 19, 2001
22,011
26,718
0
It will be in Rupp so it will not be Dook. Probably someone like NC State / Clemson / insert lamb to slaughter here.
The powers that be won't allow Duke to come to Rupp. They are only allowed to leave North Carolina or MSG
twice in the OOC schedule
 

Digger-Cat

All-Conference
Oct 31, 2024
2,317
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Guess we'll see. Personally, I don't think it's a given. They know they will get Kentucky and Duke fans tuning in either way.
It's not UK fans that are going to make viewership boil over, it will be the casual fans and most of the fans from almost every other program in the country.
Nobody really cares about UK playing Miami, or Florida State and with Hubert Davis at uNC, that matchup has lost some luster, not to mention, it's been done multiple times in recent history.
If you get Duke @ UK, the viewership will be off the charts.
 

Digger-Cat

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Oct 31, 2024
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The powers that be won't allow Duke to come to Rupp. They are only allowed to leave North Carolina or MSG
twice in the OOC schedule
We're going to find out just how much power Duke brass has when the matchups come out and it will also tell us just how protected duke is.
 
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catsfanbgky

All-American
Oct 18, 2006
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Seeing how the game is in Rupp, I would expect to draw a Wake Forest, BC, FSU, or Georgia Tech, LOL. On the road, it would most certainly be Duke.
 

anon1751545683

All-American
Dec 14, 2020
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Those games have absolutely nothing to do with competition.

It has to do with viewership.

UK and Duke are the biggest draws no matter who they play.

So they won’t put them in the same game.
 

ukwildcatwildfan

All-Conference
Oct 17, 2008
1,358
2,215
18
I'm not predicting it (yet!) but we could very reasonably go undefeated in the non-con. We beat better teams this year than probably anyone we play next year, and I think our team will be better
 

BelfryPride

Senior
Mar 7, 2022
486
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Who do you think we get in the SEC/ACC challenge? I’m hoping Duke
I suspect they would never allow Duke to have to come to Lexington. My Guess it'll be UNC since we just had Clemson last season.

Here's my guess for the top 8 teams in the SEC\ACC Challenge

UNC at Kentucky
Auburn at Louisville
Duke at Florida
Clemson at Tennessee
 
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CRZ4UK

All-American
Jun 6, 2008
4,666
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It will be in Rupp so it will not be Dook. Probably someone like NC State / Clemson / insert lamb to slaughter here.
I believe this too Duke Alums have to much political power. They won’t come to Rupp. We may go to Cameron in 26. ESPN won’t allow Duke in Rupp. To much chance of two straight losses.
 
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CRZ4UK

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Jun 6, 2008
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Don't think there is any way that Kentucky would be okay with the SEC league office, or Duke being okay with the ACC league office, for scheduling a road game against each other and not getting a home game in return the following year, or having to wait 3 years to get the return game.

This is the biggest possible matchup the 2 leagues can provide, by a large, large margin, so when they do it, they'll do it right (home and home in consecutive years). So either next year, or 3 years from now.
The internet says ESPN chooses who plays each other. It is not either league who controls that.
If any sane person watched ESPN slob Flaggs knob last year can only come to one rational decision. Dukes Alumni controls ESPN. Zero chance they allow Duke in Rupp.
 
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PoBilly

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Mar 18, 2012
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Only way Duke comes to Rupp is to play in the KHSAA Sweet 16. That is iffy as well.
 

Ron Mehico

Heisman
Jan 4, 2008
15,473
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The internet says ESPN chooses who plays each other. It is not either league who controls that.
If any sane person watched ESPN slob Flaggs knob last year can only come to one rational decision. Dukes Alumni controls ESPN. Zero chance they allow Duke in Rupp.

The NBA commissioner and the head of USA basketball are both Duke Alumni.
 
Apr 22, 2011
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The internet says ESPN chooses who plays each other. It is not either league who controls that.
If any sane person watched ESPN slob Flaggs knob last year can only come to one rational decision. Dukes Alumni controls ESPN. Zero chance they allow Duke in Rupp.

This is a bit delusional.

You think the entire ACC/SEC challenge, they will arrange for Duke to just never play Kentucky?

ESPN works in conjunction with the leagues to create matchups that will make ESPN (and the leagues) the most money. That is ALL that matters.
 

CRZ4UK

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This is a bit delusional.

You think the entire ACC/SEC challenge, they will arrange for Duke to just never play Kentucky?

ESPN works in conjunction with the leagues to create matchups that will make ESPN (and the leagues) the most money. That is ALL that matters.
Money doesn’t matter as much to the rich from one game if their team is involved. If it did, we wouldn’t have 10 million dollar donations from fans to pay players. You think the Crafts donate 6 million to UK and are worried about pennies from ESPN ? We can play UNC, and not lose hardly anything. UNC alum may control the NCAA, because they are littered with their graduates. Duke Alumni controls ESPN and the NCAA. I stand by my comment 100%. I would be willing to wager. Zero chance ESPN puts Duke inside Rupp Arena to possibly lose back to back years. Their corporate lawyers Alumni would block it. Zero.
The Alums would allow us a trip there, but not in a a year after we just beat them. That would look bad.
Dukes Alumni is extremely powerful. Like the poster said. NBA and USA basketball heads. They were placed there by even more powerful people. ESPN is tiddly winks to what these people control.
 
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CRZ4UK

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Jun 6, 2008
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The NBA commissioner and the head of USA basketball are both Duke Alumni.
If you haven’t been around government or worked for large corporations you don’t know how much power people wield I guess.
David Stern had the director of the FBI shut down an investigation in 24 hours. The officiating scandal.
I worked at Toyota for 28 years. The things they would do for important people were insane.
I was once part of a coverup operation. Literally. lol. An extremely important executive from Japan was coming to our area to walk thru. It was Thursday when they found out. We had hundreds of engines we had built in advance to save on overtime which was a no no. We hired 10 construction firms and payed them triple to build a wall by Monday to hide them. I think the total was 800 thousand to work that quickly thru the weekend for 10 companies. 800k to. Hide something from one man. He walked thru and didn’t notice. That’s power.
If he had seen them, those managers careers were over. They would have been moved out in time and blackballed from moving up. They saved their careers with money and deception.
 
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Money doesn’t matter as much to the rich from one game if their team is involved. If it did, we wouldn’t have 10 million dollar donations from fans to pay players. You think the Crafts donate 6 million to UK and are worried about pennies from ESPN ? We can play UNC, and not lose hardly anything. UNC alum may control the NCAA, because they are littered with their graduates. Duke Alumni controls ESPN and the NCAA. I stand by my comment 100%. I would be willing to wager. Zero chance ESPN puts Duke inside Rupp Arena to possibly lose back to back years. Their corporate lawyers Alumni would block it. Zero.
The Alums would allow us a trip there, but not in a a year after we just beat them. That would look bad.
Dukes Alumni is extremely powerful. Like the poster said. NBA and USA basketball heads. They were placed there by even more powerful people. ESPN is tiddly winks to what these people control.

Okay let's revisit this in June then.
 

Catapult_rivals218351

All-Conference
Dec 31, 2002
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Macy was clearly fouled with no call on the last shot. So much for homecourt advantage.
Not only that, but Gene Banks clearly lost the ball OOB on previous Duke possession (I was at the perfect angle to see it clearly). Only 2 officials back then and baseline ref who could not possibly have seen if any contact called the foul. Banks made both to give Duke the final score.
 

CRZ4UK

All-American
Jun 6, 2008
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The NBA commissioner and the head of USA basketball are both Duke Alumni.
If you haven’t been around government or worked for large corporations you don’t know how much power people wield I guess.
David Stern had the director of the FBI shut down an investigation in 24 hours. The officiating scandal.
I worked at Toyota for 28 years. The things they would do for important people were insane.
I was once part of a coverup operation. Literally. lol. An extremely important executive from Japan was coming to our area to walk thru. It was Thursday when they found out. We had hundreds of engines we had built in advance to save on overtime which was a no no. We hired 10 construction firms and payed them triple to build a wall by Monday to hide them. I think the total was 800 thousand to work that quickly thru the weekend for 10 companies. 800k to. Hide something from one man. He walked thru and didn’t notice. That’s poweri
Okay let's revisit this in June then.
i did say I would wager. If this wasn’t the internet and you were a friend. I’d put 5K on it. That’s how sure I am. Zero way those doners allow it.