Kansas Basketball to Play Two ACC Schools in Players Era Festival

One of the most anticipated early-season events in the upcoming college basketball season is the 2025 Players Era Festival.

A recent report from CBS Sports' Matt Norlander revealed that the Kansas Jayhawks will play the Notre Dame Fighting Irish and Syracuse Orange in the first two games of the tournament.

The Jayhawks are scheduled to face Notre Dame on Monday, Nov. 24, at 2:30 p.m. CT, followed by a matchup with Syracuse on Tuesday, Nov. 25, also at 2:30 p.m. CT.

Neither school was particularly good in the previous campaign, with the Fighting Irish finishing the season 15-18 while the Orange stumbled to a 14-19 record.

Both games will take place in Las Vegas, where the second-ever iteration of the tournament features an expanded 18-team field (was previously eight).

According to Norlander's report, over $20 million of NIL-related earnings will be dispersed throughout the field.

Teams that go 2-0 in the first two days can advance to the championship round, and tiebreakers will be utilized if too many teams remain unbeaten. Those who fall short will compete in consolation contests on Wednesday, Nov. 26.

Along with KU and its two opponents, other schools competing in the tournament include Maryland, UNLV, Auburn, Tennessee, Creighton, Houston, Alabama, Michigan, Oregon, Iowa State, Rutgers, Baylor, San Diego State, St. John’s, and Gonzaga.

The Players Era Festival is just one of Bill Self and Co.'s challenging nonconference tests.

The Jayhawks will face Duke before the tournament in the Champions Classic on Nov. 18, later taking on UConn in Allen Fieldhouse one week after the tournament concludes on Dec. 2.

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