College Basketball: 5 Key Games to Watch on Opening Night

There's nothing like opening night!

Check out our list below as we identify five key games to watch on November 4th.

In no particular order:

College Basketball Games to Watch on Opening Night

Baylor vs. Gonzaga (Spokane Arena)

A Final Four caliber game on opening night? You better believe it. Gonzaga returns multiple starters from last season's team that reached the Sweet 16, headlined by point guard Ryan Nembhard and All-American candidate Graham Ike. This game will serve as the first major platform for Baylor freshman VJ Edgecombe, who's a likely one-and-done prospect.

Texas vs. Ohio State (Las Vegas)

Two of the best brands in college sports do battle in Sin City. Both rosters are filled with high-level transfers. Longhorns coach Rodney Terry has quietly won four NCAA Tournament games in his first two years in Austin. This will be the first official game for Jake Diebler as the Buckeyes' permanent head coach.

Texas A&M at UCF

The Aggies return 82.5 percent of their scoring from last season's team that came within inches of advancing to the Sweet 16. The Knights look like the sleeper team in the Big 12. Sounds delicious! This game is appointment television for the true college basketball junkie.

Missouri at Memphis

FedEx Forum will play host to this matchup as Memphis begins a ruthless non-conference schedule in November and December. Missouri didn't win a game in the SEC last season, but Dennis Gates added two key transfers --- Tony Perkins (Iowa) and Mark Mitchell (Duke) --- who should play a significant role in 2024-25.

Florida vs. South Florida (Jacksonville)

Amir Abdur-Rahim did one of the best coaching jobs in the country last season as he led the Bulls to the American Athletic Conference regular season title. He'll have a difficult task on opening night against the Gators, who are currently ranked 18th in the ROTHSTEIN 45. Keep an eye Florida's Walter Clayton Jr., an All-American candidate who averaged 17.6 points last season.

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Jon Rothstein is not a FanDuel employee. The reporting of Rothstein is not subject to FanDuel's verification and does not represent the views or input of FanDuel. Betting based on Rothstein's reporting will not guarantee a successful outcome. Always do your own due diligence and use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.

Rothstein has been a college basketball insider for CBS Sports since 2010 and a contributor to the CBS Broadcast Network since 2016. He joined FanDuel in 2022 as a Content Creator. Rothstein is also the host of the College Hoops Today Podcast via Compass Media Networks.