Colorado Buffaloes Basketball To Rekindle West Coast Rivalries In Acrisure Holiday Classic

Coach Tad Boyle and the Colorado Buffaloes are set for an intriguing slate of possible opponents for the Acrisure Holiday Classic this November. A former Final Four foe, an old Pac-12 combatant and a nearby Wolfpack are in the brief early-season tourney.

Feb 8, 2025; Boulder, Colorado, USA; Colorado Buffaloes head coach Tad Boyle gestures in the first half against the Houston Cougars at CU Events Center. | Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

This Thanksgiving, Colorado Buffaloes men's basketball could carve up a decades-old rival and a fellow Pac-12 outcast.

Coach Tad Boyle and the Buffs' slate in the Acrisure Holiday Classic is official, with the first game against the San Francisco Dons scheduled for Thursday, Nov. 27 at noon MT.

From there, Colorado will play either the Washington Huskies or Nevada Wolfpack, who face off following the bout at 2:30 p.m. MT.

Feb 22, 2025; Boulder, Colorado, USA; Colorado Buffaloes head coach Tad Boyle during the first half against the Baylor Bears at the CU Events Center. | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

The game's winners will play in the championship game on Black Friday, Nov. 28 at 2:30 p.m. MT, with a preceding consolation contest between their losers at noon.

All action will take place at Acrisure Arena in Palm Desert, California, as part of the Acrisure Series,
college basketball's largest regular season event.

CBS Sports Network and TruTV will televise the festivities, which will feature over 20 teams from around the nation.

Colorado has met San Francisco five times, the last of which being at the CU Events Center in 2014. In the 1955 Final Four, the Dons, led by NBA legend Bill Russell, defeated Burdie Haldorson and the Buffaloes. To date, it's tied with 1942 for Colorado's deepest NCAA Tournament run.

Dec 3, 2014; Boulder, CO, USA; San Francisco Dons guard Corey Hilliard (1) attempts a basket as Colorado Buffaloes forward Tory Miller (14) prepares to block the shot in the second half at the Coors Events Center. The Buffaloes defeated the Dons 72-55. | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Overall, the Buffs hold a 3-2 advantage in the series.

San Francisco is fresh from a strong 2024 season under coach Chris Gerlufsen. He rose to the spot in 2022 after Todd Golden departed for the Florida Gators, where he'd win the National Championship in 2025.

Last year, the Dons finished third in the West Coast Conference and reached the second round of the NIT.

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Washington and Colorado have oodles of history dating back to the Pac-12 Conference. The Huskies hold a 21-17 all-time advantage, but the Buffaloes have won their last three meetings, including in the 2023 Pac-12 Tournament.

In its first year in the Big Ten, Washington faced similar struggles to those of Colorado and the Big 12. UW finished last in the conference at 4-16 (13-18 overall). This past offseason, second-year coach Danny Sprinkle brought in seven transfers in hopes of a bounce-back campaign.

Jan 21, 2025; Eugene, Oregon, USA; Washington Huskies head coach Danny Sprinkle during the second half against the Oregon Ducks at Matthew Knight Arena. | Craig Strobeck-Imagn Images

Nevada has faced Colorado four times but not since 1994, with the series split at 2-2. It's strange to say the Buffaloes haven't defeated the Wolfpack in nearly 90 years (1938), but a chance to do so will take place this November.

After reaching the NCAA Tournament in 2022 and 2023, Nevada suffered severe roster turnover and scuffled through the Mountain West last season. Veteran head coach Steve Alford's group finished 8-12 in conference play (17-16 overall) but now has a fresh start and renewed postseason hopes.

In Boulder, Boyle's Buffs are coming off a disastrous first season back in the Big 12. In one of the country's deepest leagues, room for error in nonconference play will be slim to none.

Feb 8, 2025; Boulder, Colorado, USA; Colorado Buffaloes forward Sebastian Rancik (7) attempts a shot as Houston Cougars forward J'Wan Roberts (13) defends in the second half at CU Events Center. | Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

In 2025, Colorado will continue to break in several talents who thrived as underclassmen. Forward Sebastian Rancik and guard Felix Kossaras will develop as sophomores in Boyle's system while junior big man Bangot Dak looks to diversify his already exciting, high-flying skillset.

Transfer guard Barrington Hargress adds a dynamic scoring punch and leadership to the backcourt, but the remaining roster is largely unproven.

The Acrisure Holiday Classic will be a crucial point of the upcoming campaign for Colorado's rotations, roles and overall vibes heading into conference play.