How to Watch the 2026-27 College Basketball Season on DIRECTV
The 2026-27 men's college basketball season starts Sunday, November 1, 2026, when Notre Dame and Villanova play in Rome at 9:30 a.m. ET on FOX. A full slate follows on Monday, November 2, and the season ends with the national championship game on Monday, April 5, 2027. This is the first season with a 76-team NCAA tournament. Here's how to watch on DIRECTV, as of October 21, 2026.
2026-27 season at a glance
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Season opener | Sun., Nov. 1: Notre Dame vs. Villanova (Rome), 9:30 a.m. ET, FOX |
| Full opening night | Mon., Nov. 2: games across ESPN networks |
| Conference play (ACC) | Begins Tuesday, Dec. 29 |
| Selection Sunday | Sunday, March 14, 2027 |
| Final Four | April 3, 2027 |
| Championship | Monday, April 5, 2027 |
| Defending champion | Michigan |
College basketball channels on DIRECTV
- ESPN: channel 206
- ESPN2: channel 209
- ESPNU: channel 208
- FS1: channel 219
- CBS Sports Network: channel 221
- Big Ten Network: channel 610
- ABC, CBS and FOX: your local stations
ESPN says more than 250 ACC games will air across ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, ACC Network, ESPNU and the ESPN app, and 30 ACC games distributed by The CW will also stream in the ESPN app with ESPN Unlimited.
Opening week games to know
- Sun., Nov. 1, 9:30 a.m. ET: Notre Dame vs. Villanova in Rome, FOX (women's game at noon on FS1)
- Mon., Nov. 2, 6 p.m. ET: Miami vs. Florida, Orion180 Tipoff Classic in Tampa, ESPN2
- Mon., Nov. 2, 6:30 p.m. ET: Army at Duke, ESPNU
- Tue., Nov. 10, 7 p.m. ET: Duke vs. Michigan State, Champions Classic in Chicago, ESPN
Big games later in the season
Duke plays at Florida on December 1 at 9:30 p.m. ET on ESPN in the SEC/ACC Challenge. North Carolina at Duke airs on ABC on Saturday, February 13, at 5:30 p.m. ET, the first Duke-UNC game on ABC since 2002. The Players Era 8 (Nov. 17-19) and Players Era 16 (Nov. 24-28) are in Las Vegas, and the Maui Invitational runs Nov. 23-25.
Before the season: exhibitions
Duke plays at Kansas in an exhibition on Sunday, October 25, at 1 p.m. ET on ESPN2.
Frequently asked questions
When does the 2026-27 college basketball season start?
Sunday, November 1, 2026, with Notre Dame vs. Villanova in Rome at 9:30 a.m. ET on FOX.
When is the 2027 national championship game?
Monday, April 5, 2027. The Final Four is April 3.
How many teams are in the 2027 NCAA tournament?
76 teams. This is the first season with the expanded bracket.
What channels show college basketball on DIRECTV?
ESPN (206), ESPN2 (209), ESPNU (208), FS1 (219), CBS Sports Network (221), Big Ten Network (610) and your local ABC, CBS and FOX stations.
Questions about your DIRECTV package? Call 1-855-690-9884 to check options at your address.
Details reviewed October 21, 2026 from NCAA.com's 2026-27 season-start guide (August 28), ESPN and the ACC's October 7 schedule release, FOX Sports' Eternal City Tip-Off announcement, Orion180 Tip-Off Classic details and live AmericanTV.com channel guides. Start times, broadcast assignments, prices and package contents can change and vary by account, device and address. Team, league, network and service names, DIRECTV and related marks belong to their respective owners. American TV is an independent dealer and resource site.