Blue Blood Showdown Looms as UNC Reportedly Set to Face Kentucky in 2025 ACC-SEC Challenge
Two of college basketball’s most storied programs are on a collision course once again.
According to early leaks surrounding the 2025-26 ACC-SEC Challenge matchups, North Carolina is expected to travel to Lexington to take on Kentucky at historic Rupp Arena — marking a marquee showdown in this year’s event.
Since the ACC-SEC Challenge replaced the previous ACC-Big Ten Challenge, the Tar Heels and Wildcats have yet to meet under this format. North Carolina has previously matched up against Tennessee and Alabama, while Kentucky faced Miami and Clemson. Notably, this will be UNC’s first road game in the Challenge after hosting the past two years in Chapel Hill.
While this isn’t a new rivalry — the two teams have squared off multiple times in recent years as part of the CBS Sports Classic (2018, 2020, 2021, and 2023), as well as that unforgettable 2017 NCAA Tournament showdown — it has been a while since these powerhouses met in a true home-and-home setting. The last on-campus battle came back in 2014 in Lexington, before the series went neutral.
Recent history hasn’t been kind to Carolina in this matchup. Aside from Luke Maye’s iconic buzzer-beater in 2017 and a 2020 win over a struggling UK squad, the Tar Heels have come up short. However, with John Calipari now at Arkansas, this will be UNC’s first look at a Mark Pope-coached Kentucky team. Pope’s debut campaign was promising — the Wildcats earned a No. 3 seed and reached the Sweet 16 before falling to SEC rival Tennessee.
Elsewhere in the ACC-SEC Challenge, Duke will take on reigning national champion Florida in a heavyweight bout, while new NC State head coach Will Wade will lead the Wolfpack against Auburn. And for the die-hard college hoops fans, Boston College vs. LSU adds another intriguing layer.
With two massive brands and passionate fanbases, UNC vs. Kentucky promises to be one of the premier games of the early season — and it was only a matter of time before ESPN paired them up for a primetime spotlight.
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