Ranking Kansas' out-of-conference games after schedule reveal

The typical out-of-conference slate for college basketball is oftentimes in limbo. 

Unlike in college football, where every game truly matters no matter the prestige of a program, most coaches in college basketball like to schedule harder out-of-conference games to get a good measurement of how their team is developing against some opponents they may face in March, and with such a large field, the odd loss doesn’t hurt as much. 

Earlier this month, Kansas had its annual out-of-conference slate revealed, tying them up against some of the most historic programs, including Kentucky, Villanova and Connecticut. 

Here is their schedule listed below 

Fordham Nov. 2 (H)

Middle Tennessee Nov. 6 (H)

State Farm Champions Classic, Kentucky Nov. 10 (N)

Players Era, UNLV  Nov. 17-19 (N)

Denver Nov. 23 (H)

Villanova Nov. 27 (H)

Northern Iowa Dec. 1 (H)

Missouri Dec. 6 (N)

Connecticut Dec. 13 (A) 

CBS Sports Classic, Ohio State Dec. 19 (N)

Indiana State Dec. 22 (H)

New Orleans Dec. 29 (H)

Today’s task is to list these games in order from easiest to hardest with the help of the Bart Torvik 2026-27 projections page. We will take exception to the Players Era, as this tournament could see the Jayhawks facing several opponents ranging in difficulty. 

No. 11 Denver Nov. 23 (H) Torvik: 244

While being just four days after the end of the Players Era (assuming the Jayhawks thrive in the eight-team field) and four days before hosting Villanova, Denver ranks according to Torvik as the lowest team Kansas faces and with the regular season already taking shape, KU should have dusted off any match-sharpness issues. 

No. 10 New Orleans Dec. 29 (H) Torvik: 211

Oftentimes these games can feel like lags before conference play gets underway, which can sometimes pan out to flat starts, but this should be a game Kansas handles with ease. 

No. 9 Indiana State Dec. 22 (H) Torvik: 202

Like against New Orleans a week later, Indiana State will likely not cause the Jayhawks too much turmoil as both New Orleans and Indiana State are rated outside the top 200 according to Torvik.

No. 8 Northern Iowa Dec. 1 (H) Torvik: 116

Sitting on a chilly Tuesday in between Villanova and Missouri creates the early stages of a team waiting to be shocked. The problem with Northern Iowa is that KU would have already played at least six games and would have probably figured out their best starting five and would be finalizing their rotational wrinkles. 

No. 7 Middle Tennessee Nov. 6 (H) Torvik: 143

The biggest reason why Middle Tennessee State is propped ahead of the likes of Northern Iowa despite being ranked 27 spots lower than Northern Iowa (No. 116 vs No. 143)  is because of how fresh this matchup is. While there is no doubt Kansas wins the talent edge, both teams will still be novice, building their respective chemistries. 

No. 6 Fordham Nov. 2 (H) Torvik: 132

This was a flip-flop between Middle Tennessee. Both teams are projected to be significantly weaker than KU, but both come at points where Kansas can see early stumbles. I would look at the games against both Middle Tennessee and Fordham much like when Kansas faced Princeton last season: slow starts thanks to rotation issues that get cleared up as the first half wears on and turn into eventual KU double-digit wins. 

No. 5 Villanova Nov. 27 (H) Torvik: 29

While the Wildcats will always be a team that holds one of the biggest brands in basketball, since Jay Wright’s exit following the 2021-22 season, things haven’t been the same. Following a disappointing three-year stint under head coach Kyle Neptune, Kevin Willard stepped in and immediately saw a 24-9 season that ended in an NCAA Tournament bid. While Villanova’s Torvik is higher than the next team on this list, the fact this is played inside the Fieldhouse gives Kansas a big advantage.

No. 4 Missouri Dec. 6 (N) Torvik: 38

Maybe we are showing too much respect to the Tigers, but in rivalry games, momentum often goes out the window. Dennis Gates has seen three very promising years over the last four seasons with the SEC side, and their recruiting class is touted as the nation’s 14th-best with five-star combo guard Jason Crowe forging the way. It is also worth considering that the departure of former Jayhawk rising star Bryson Tiller may make tensions on both sides flare. 

No. 3 Ohio State CBS Sports Classic Dec. 19 (N) Torvik: 16 

Perhaps the Buckeyes deserve the No. 2 spot. After all, Ohio State is currently projected as a better team than who we have at No. 2; the biggest thing in favor of the Jayhawks is that this is the last major matchup before Big 12 play tips off, and it comes a whole week after Kansas takes on the UConn Huskies, meaning Kansas should be nearing their best basketball. 

No. 2 Kentucky State Farm Champions Classic Nov. 10 (N) Torvik: 23

Playing at the United Center in just the third game of the season against the team that you fought tooth and nail for, for the nation’s No. 1 recruit, feels like one of the most enticing games of the season. While you can expect both teams to come into this game unblemished, Kentucky head coach Mark Pope has seen tremendous comebacks against some elite teams on one day, just for things to come crashing down to earth the next, meaning you never know which Kentucky you will get.

No. 1 UConn Dec. 12 (A) Torvik: 13

While UConn’s Torvik feels a bit odd for a team that just made it to the national championship, while possessing possibly the game’s best mind, don’t let their low-ish ranking fool you; there is no doubt this will be the Jayhawks’ toughest out-of-conference matchup. Moving beyond how tough it is for teams to take UConn the distance, it is even harder to do it away from home.

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