ACC/SEC Challenge may make Kentucky's 2023-24 schedule one of its best

For years, fans have complained about the lack of marquee non-conference home games on Kentucky’s schedule. Fear not, Ryan Lemonds of the world because it’s going to get much better soon; next year, in fact.

Monday morning, ESPN announced it is replacing the Big 12/SEC Challenge with the ACC/SEC Challenge starting next season. While that takes away a home/away game vs. a Big 12 opponent like Kansas or West Virginia, it opens the door for a home/away game vs. teams like Duke, North Carolina, or Virginia. A game vs. the Blue Devils is especially intriguing. Kentucky and Duke play each other every three years in the Champions Classic, but the Cats have only played at Cameron Indoor Stadium twice, in 1956 and 1958. The Blue Devils have made the trip to Lexington six times, most recently in 1980 for the NCAA Tournament Sweet Sixteen at Rupp Arena.

If you’re looking to start the ACC/SEC Challenge with a bang, Kentucky vs. Duke in Cameron Indoor Stadium or Rupp is it. It also makes sense when you look at the schedule. Next year, Kentucky plays Kansas in the Champions Classic in Chicago, leaving Michigan State to face Duke. When the six-year series with Gonzaga was announced in October, John Calipari also shared that Kentucky will play North Carolina in the 2023 CBS Sports Classic, which eliminates the Tar Heels as a potential ACC/SEC Challenge opponent. The final game of Kentucky’s series vs. Notre Dame is also reportedly taking place next year at a neutral site, taking the Irish out of the running. Obviously, Kentucky won’t be paired with Louisville since they already play each other annually. There are other interesting options (Virginia) but none would bring the drama like the Blue Devis, especially when you consider Kentucky’s 2023 recruiting class is ranked No. 1 and Duke’s No. 2.

Regardless of who Kentucky draws, the 2023-24 non-conference schedule is loaded, with at least two marquee home games vs. Gonzaga and Michigan and a potential third vs. an ACC opponent.

• Nov. 14: vs. Kansas (Champions Classic, Chicago)
• Dec. 2: vs. Michigan (Rupp Arena, Lexington)
• TBD: vs. Gonzaga (Rupp Arena, Lexington)
• TBD: vs. ACC opponent
• TBD: vs. North Carolina (CBS Sports Classic, location TBD)
• TBD: at Louisville (Yum Center, Louisville)
• TBD: vs. Notre Dame (neutral site, unconfirmed)

Compare that to past non-conference schedules in the John Calipari Era:

2009-10

• vs. No. 10 North Carolina
• vs. No. 14 UConn (NYC)
• at Indiana
• vs. Louisville

2010-11

• vs. Oklahoma (Maui)
• vs. No. 13 Washington (Maui)
• vs. UConn (Maui)
• at North Carolina
• vs. No. 23 Notre Dame (Louisville)
• vs. Indiana
• at No. 22 Louisville

2011-12

• vs. No. 12 Kansas (Champions Classic)
• vs. No. 5 North Carolina
• at Indiana
• vs. No. 4 Louisville

2012-13

• vs. No. 9 Duke (Champions Classic)
• at Notre Dame
• vs. Baylor
• at No. 4 Louisville

2013-14

• vs. No. 2 Michigan State (Champions Classic)
• vs. Providence (New York)
• vs. No. 20 Baylor (AT&T Stadium)
• at No. 18 North Carolina
• vs. No. 6 Louisville

2014-15

• vs. No. 5 Kansas (Champions Classic)
• vs. No. 6 Texas
• vs. No. 21 North Carolina
• vs. UCLA (CBS Sports Classic)
• at No. 4 Louisville

2015-16

• vs. No. 5 Duke (Champions Classic)
• at UCLA
• vs. Ohio State (CBS Sports Classic)
• vs. No. 16 Louisville
• at No. 4 Kansas (Big 12/SEC Challenge)

2016-17

• vs. No. 13 Michigan State (Champions Classic)
• vs. No. 11 UCLA
• vs. No. 7 North Carolina (CBS Sports Classic)
• at No. 10 Louisville
• vs. No. 2 Kansas (Big 12/SEC Challenge)

2017-18

• vs. No. 4 Kansas (Champions Classic)
• vs. Virginia Tech
• vs. UCLA (CBS Sports Classic)
• vs. Louisville
• at No. 7 West Virginia (Big 12/SEC Challenge)

2018-19

• vs. No. 4 Duke (Champions Classic)
• vs. Seton Hall (Citi Hoops Classic, New York)
• vs. Utah
• vs. North Carolina (CBS Sports Classic)
• at Louisville
• vs. Kansas (Big 12/SEC Challenge)

2019-20

• vs. No. 1 Michigan State (Champions Classic)
• vs. Georgia Tech
• vs. Utah (Neon Hoops Showcase, Las Vegas)
• vs. No. 5 Ohio State (CBS Sports Classic)
• vs. No. 3 Louisville
• at No. 18 Texas Tech (Big 12/SEC Challenge)

2020-21

• vs. No. 7 Kansas (Champions Classic)
• vs. Notre Dame
• vs. No. 22 North Carolina (CBS Sports Classic)
• at Louisville

2021-22

• vs. No. 9 Duke (Champions Classic)
• at Notre Dame
• vs. North Carolina (CBS Sports Classic)
• at No. 5 Kansas (Big 12/SEC Challenge)

2022-23

• vs. Michigan State (Champions Classic)
• at No. 2 Gonzaga
• vs. Michigan (London)
• vs. No. 21 UCLA (CBS Sports Classic)
• vs. Louisville
• vs. No. 9 Kansas

[Note: This article was updated to include Jon Rothstein’s report from June 2022 that Kentucky will play Notre Dame in a neutral-site game in 2023-24.]