Nearing Michael Malone’s first season as coach, UNC released its nonconference schedule for the 2026-27 season.
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The Tar Heels will face eight high-major teams in the 14-game slate. They will also play three exhibition games before the regular season kicks off.
“It’s a very competitive schedule,” Malone said Wednesday. “I’m not afraid to play people. We’ll play the best teams.”
UNC begins its schedule with a meeting against Western Carolina on Nov. 2, but it won’t play its first power conference opponent until facing Georgia on Nov. 13. It plays just one road game at Georgetown on Dec. 12, but will travel for several showcases.
Notably, the Tar Heels will face Arkansas on Dec. 1 at the Smith Center in the ACC-SEC Challenge, Kentucky in the CBS Sports Classic at New York on Dec. 19 and Illinois in the Nashville Hoops showdown Jan. 30.
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N.C. State, a conference rival, will also be a part of UNC’s non-conference schedule, the schools jointly announced Wednesday. They are playing in Greensboro in what is dubbed the Tobacco Road Classic.
“Talking to people around the program and around the state,” Malone said, “you realize that this game matters … It’s great that we’re going to have a chance to play (N.C. State) twice.”
A year after the ACC expanded to 18 schools in 2024, it reduced its conference schedule from 20 to 18 games, eliminating some guaranteed home-and-home series. UNC and N.C. State wanted to ensure they would play each other twice, so they added a matchup during the nonconference schedule.
UNC’s preseason slate will take place across three weeks, facing Southern California on Oct. 9 in Greensboro, Indiana on Oct. 18 in Indianapolis and Charlotte on Oct. 27 at home.
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