What Makes UNC-BYU’s Exhibition a Game-Changer for College Basketball

North Carolina will host a marquee sports event this week, and no, it's not the 130th edition of the South’s Oldest Rivalry. Instead, it’s an exhibition basketball game.

Thanks to a recent NCAA rule change allowing Division I programs to play up to two televised exhibitions, North Carolina will take on BYU at Salt Lake City’s Delta Center.

It will be a top-25 matchup, as the Tar Heels are ranked No. 25 in the preseason AP Top 25 poll, while BYU is ranked No. 8. The game will take place Friday, Oct. 24, at 9 p.m. ET and will be broadcast on ESPN.

BYU head coach Kevin Young — Mar 27, 2025; Newark, NJ, USA; Brigham Young Cougars head coach Kevin Young calls to his team during the first half against the Alabama Crimson Tide during an East Regional semifinal of the 2025 NCAA tournament at Prudential Center. | Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images

The matchup against BYU will be Carolina’s first appearance in Salt Lake City since 1988, when the Tar Heels defeated North Texas and Loyola Marymount in the Huntsman Center in the first two rounds of the 1988 NCAA Tournament.

While this concept is new in college sports, I like the idea of having highly anticipated matchups. Here are some reasons why UNC should continue to do this in the near future.

It Helps Prepare Teams For the Season

UNC, Luka Bogavac and Jaydon Young — Oct 4, 2025; Charlotte, NC, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels guard Luka Bogavac (44) with the ball as guard Jaydon Young (4) defends in the second half at Dean E. Smith Center. | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

One of the things I appreciate about a marquee preseason game is the opportunity to assess where your team stands before the season officially begins and to work out any early issues.

Often, larger schools across the country schedule exhibition games against Division II or NAIA programs as a warm-up before the season. In fact, UNC will play Winston-Salem State nearly a week later, on Oct. 29, so it remains a common practice.

However, the fact that North Carolina is playing a nationally televised preseason game against one of the top teams in the country is notable.

This will benefit the Tar Heels, as they have added 11 new players who still need to learn how to play together in all aspects of the game.

It's All About the Benjamins

Feb 5, 2025; New Orleans, LA, USA; The ESPN logo at the Super Bowl LIX media center at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

While a preseason game certainly offers a chance to see where the team stands, staging a matchup between two top-25 teams before the season opens brings another clear motivation: money.

While the game will not count toward either team’s record, it offers valuable experience, exposure, and, for UNC, a $500,000 payday.

According to SB Nation’s Robby McCombs, UNC is set to receive a guaranteed $500,000 payment 30 days after the contest. As the visiting team, the University of North Carolina will advise Brigham Young University on the payment details.

UNC head coach Hubert Davis along with players Seth Trimble and Henri Veesaar at ACC Tipoff.; Oct. 7, 2025 | Jackson McCurdy, North Carolina Tar Heels In SI

Attendance at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City is expected to be high, if not a sellout. BYU’s campus is just 45 minutes away, and the university is run by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Utah’s largest religious denomination, making this essentially a home game for BYU.

The Tar Heels are entering what some would call a "Holy Land"—or, from UNC’s perspective, perhaps an unholy one.

With North Carolina—arguably the biggest brand in college basketball—coming to town, the crowd is almost certain to be at capacity.

AJ Dybantsa is all smiles as the audience guesses his favorite foods, and music during his 2nd annual backpack giveaway at West Middle School in Brockton on Wednesday, Aug. 27, 2025. | Marc Vasconcellos/The Enterprise / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Not only is a sellout likely, but TV ratings could also be strong. With the game airing on ESPN, it is positioned to draw a large national audience on a Friday night. The matchup will feature two projected first-round picks—BYU’s AJ Dybantsa and North Carolina’s Caleb Wilson—who are expected to guard each other throughout the night.

It’s a smart move by BYU, North Carolina and ESPN to capitalize on this opportunity. Expect other programs to follow this trend in the near future.

To follow us on Twitter, CLICK HERE!

Also, follow our Facebook page!