NCAA Approves Change to College Basketball Season Schedule

The new tweak will be instilled for the 2026-27 season.

Florida Gators players celebrate with the NCAA Tournament trophy. / Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images

The college basketball season is going to look a little bit different starting in the 2026-27 season after the NCAA voted to increase the schedule from 31 to 32 games, CBS Sports' Matt Norlander reported on Wednesday. The change will be seen in both men's and women's college basketball.

It's important to note that not all college basketball teams will play 32 games each season—it's just the cap they're given each year. Each team plays 28 to 29 predetermined games with the addition of a few extra contests throughout the season.

Norlander notes that a huge driving factor is multi-team events because the expansion allows more leeway for teams to compete in these tournaments or events throughout the season. It was more difficult for schools to participate in these events because of the cap of games.

A big benefit of the increase is that teams can now have more wiggle room to schedule non-conference matchups later in the season. Additionally, money plays a big part in the decision for the schedule to include one more game. More matchups means more money coming in for the schools.

This likely won't be the last expansion college basketball sees in the near future. Don't be surprised if the game cap continues to increase to the mid-30s in the next few years.

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