The SEC released dates for the full conference schedule on Tuesday, pinpointing when the potential game of the year in college basketball during the 2024-25 season will take place. John Calipari’s new-look Arkansas squad will travel to Rupp Arena to face Kentucky on Feb. 1 in the lone scheduled matchup between the Razorbacks and the Wildcats, Calipari’s former school.
Each SEC team will plays the other 15 teams in the conference at least once and will face three teams a second time in a “home-and-home” series. Two of those three teams will be play twice each season as permanent opponents with the other team changing every year.
The three teams Kentucky will play twice this season are Alabama, Tennessee and Vanderbilt. The three teams Arkansas will play twice are LSU, Missouri and Texas.
Arkansas and Kentucky will feature rosters that will look drastically different from the previous season. Since Calipari’s arrival in Arkansas, he’s helped land five former Kentucky pledges (Karter Knox, Zvonimir Ivišić, Boogie Fland, Adou Theiro, and Billy Richmond) to pair with former Tennessee big man Jonas Aidoo and FAU star guard Johnell Davis.
Kentucky coach Mark Pope is building a roster that features zero returning scholarship players. His first transfer portal commitment came from incoming freshman guard Collin Chandler, who spent the last two years on a Mormon mission. Chandler was Pope’s highest-rated signee (No. 33 overall) during his tenure at BYU.
Kentucky has landed high-profile commitments from BYU guard Jaxson Robinson, Dayton sharpshooter Koby Brea, West Virginia guard Kerr Kriisa, San Diego State guard Lamont Butler, and Oklahoma guard Otega Oweh.
Another wrinkle of the schedule release includes Texas and Oklahoma receiving their respective conference opponents as part of an expanded SEC. The Sooners will face Alabama on the road in its first SEC game on Jan. 4, while the Longhorns will renew its rivalry on the road at Texas A&M on the same day.
Here are five SEC conference games to watch this season.
1. Arkansas at Kentucky
When: Feb. 1, 2025 | Where: Lexington, Kentucky
Kentucky’s showdown with Arkansas is shaping up to be one of the top games of the year in the sport. Calipari spent the last 15 years on the home sidelines in Lexington and will coach against his old school at the midpoint of the SEC schedule. This will be the lone matchup between the Razorbacks and the Wildcats this season, as Arkansas and Kentucky unfortunately won’t face each other in a home-and-home series. The only other time(s) the programs could meet this season is the SEC Tournament or the NCAA Tournament.
2. Alabama at Auburn
When: March 8, 2025 | Where: Auburn, Alabama
The final day of the 2024-25 SEC schedule will see Alabama, the No. 2 team in the CBS Sports’ Top 25 And 1 rankings, facing Auburn on the road. While it’s impossible to project how the next seven months will transpire, this game will certainly matter in the grand scheme of the SEC title race. The Crimson Tide are the (current) favorites to win the league because of the firepower the program returns and the additions made via the transfer portal and high school recruiting. Auburn is ranked No. 10 in the Top 25 And 1 because of the return of three of its top five scorers: Johni Broome, Chad Baker-Mazara and Denver Jones. Broome is an All-American/SEC Player of the Year candidate, and no matter where these teams are ranked heading into this game, it will be one to watch.
3. Texas at Texas A&M
When: Jan. 4, 2025 | Where: College Station, Texas
For the first time in over five years, Texas A&M will face Texas on the hardwood. The last matchup between the in-state schools was on Dec. 8, 2019, when the Longhorns defeated the Aggies 60-50 at a neutral site. What makes this game significant (for two reasons) is not only will it be Texas’ first game as a member of the SEC, but it will be the first time in over a decade that these programs will face off at each other’s home gyms. Texas leads the all-time series 78-56 and has won six of the last seven showdowns with the Aggies. Texas A&M is ranked No. 11 in Gary Parrish’s Top 25 And 1, while Texas isn’t far behind at No. 20.
4. Arkansas at Tennessee
When: Jan. 4, 2025 | Where: Knoxville, Tennessee
Calipari’s first SEC game at his new school will be in a very hostile environment. Tennessee is coming off a season in which the program reached the Elite Eight for the first time in over a decade but will have to replace the production of SEC Player of the Year Dalton Knecht. This game will also serve as a homecoming for Aidoo, who transferred from Tennessee to Arkansas this past offseason.
5. Oklahoma at Alabama
When: Jan. 4, 2025 | Where: Tuscaloosa, Alabama
Oklahoma will get its first taste as a member of the SEC when they face Alabama on the road. The Crimson Tide is one of the top contenders to be ranked high in the first preseason poll because of the return of All-American guard Mark Sears. Alabama reached the Final Four for the first time in program history this past spring, and expectations remain high. As for the Sooners, the program is entering a turning point in Year 4 of the Porter Moser era. Oklahoma has missed the NCAA Tournament in the first three seasons of Moser’s tenure, and with the program joining a loaded conference, breaking that drought won’t be easy.
SEC 2024-25 conference schedule
Thursday, January 4Oklahoma at AlabamaThursday, January 4Missouri at AuburnThursday, January 4Florida at KentuckyThursday, January 4Vanderbilt at LSUThursday, January 4Georgia at Ole MissThursday, January 4South Carolina at Mississippi StateThursday, January 4Arkansas at TennesseeThursday, January 4Texas at Texas A&MSunday, January 7Auburn at TexasTuesday/Wednesday, January 7/8Ole Miss at ArkansasTuesday/Wednesday, January 7/8Tennessee at FloridaTuesday/Wednesday, January 7/8Kentucky at GeorgiaTuesday/Wednesday, January 7/8LSU at MissouriTuesday/Wednesday, January 7/8Alabama at South CarolinaTuesday/Wednesday, January 7/8Mississippi State at VanderbiltTuesday/Wednesday, January 7/8Texas A&M at OklahomaThursday, January 11Florida at ArkansasThursday, January 11Oklahoma at GeorgiaThursday, January 11LSU at Ole MissThursday, January 11Kentucky at Mississippi StateThursday, January 11Vanderbilt at MissouriThursday, January 11Auburn at South CarolinaThursday, January 11Alabama at Texas A&MThursday, January 11Tennessee at TexasTuesday/Wednesday, January 14/15Ole Miss at AlabamaTuesday/Wednesday, January 14/15Mississippi State at AuburnTuesday/Wednesday, January 14/15Missouri at FloridaTuesday/Wednesday, January 14/15Texas A&M at KentuckyTuesday/Wednesday, January 14/15Arkansas at LSUTuesday/Wednesday, January 14/15Georgia at TennesseeTuesday/Wednesday, January 14/15South Carolina at VanderbiltTuesday/Wednesday, January 14/15Texas at OklahomaThursday, January 18Texas at FloridaThursday, January 18Auburn at GeorgiaThursday, January 18Alabama at KentuckyThursday, January 18Ole Miss at Mississippi StateThursday, January 18Arkansas at MissouriThursday, January 18LSU at Texas A&MThursday, January 18Tennessee at VanderbiltThursday, January 18South Carolina at OklahomaSunday, January 21Mississippi State at TennesseeTuesday/Wednesday, January 21/22Vanderbilt at AlabamaTuesday/Wednesday, January 21/22Georgia at ArkansasTuesday/Wednesday, January 21/22Texas A&M at Ole MissTuesday/Wednesday, January 21/22Florida at South CarolinaTuesday/Wednesday, January 21/22Missouri at TexasThursday, January 25LSU at AlabamaThursday, January 25Oklahoma at ArkansasThursday, January 25Tennessee at AuburnThursday, January 25Georgia at FloridaThursday, January 25Ole Miss at MissouriThursday, January 25Mississippi State at South CarolinaThursday, January 25Kentucky at VanderbiltThursday, January 25Texas A&M at TexasSunday, January 28Kentucky at TennesseeTuesday/Wednesday, January 28/29South Carolina at GeorgiaTuesday/Wednesday, January 28/29Auburn at LSUTuesday/Wednesday, January 28/29Texas at Ole MissTuesday/Wednesday, January 28/29Alabama at Mississippi StateTuesday/Wednesday, January 28/29Oklahoma at Texas A&MThursday, February 1Georgia at AlabamaThursday, February 1Arkansas at KentuckyThursday, February 1Texas at LSUThursday, February 1Auburn at Ole MissThursday, February 1Missouri at Mississippi StateThursday, February 1Texas A&M at South CarolinaThursday, February 1Florida at TennesseeThursday, February 1Vanderbilt at OklahomaTuesday/Wednesday, February 4/5Oklahoma at AuburnTuesday/Wednesday, February 4/5Vanderbilt at FloridaTuesday/Wednesday, February 4/5LSU at GeorgiaTuesday/Wednesday, February 4/5Kentucky at Ole MissTuesday/Wednesday, February 4/5Missouri at TennesseeTuesday/Wednesday, February 4/5Arkansas at TexasThursday, February 8Alabama at ArkansasThursday, February 8Florida at AuburnThursday, February 8Mississippi State at GeorgiaThursday, February 8South Carolina at KentuckyThursday, February 8Ole Miss at LSUThursday, February 8Texas A&M at MissouriThursday, February 8Texas at VanderbiltThursday, February 8Tennessee at OklahomaTuesday/Wednesday, February 11/12LSU at ArkansasTuesday/Wednesday, February 11/12Tennessee at KentuckyTuesday/Wednesday, February 11/12Florida at Mississippi StateTuesday/Wednesday, February 11/12Oklahoma at MissouriTuesday/Wednesday, February 11/12Ole Miss at South CarolinaTuesday/Wednesday, February 11/12Georgia at Texas A&MTuesday/Wednesday, February 11/12Auburn at VanderbiltTuesday/Wednesday, February 11/12Alabama at TexasThursday, February 15Auburn at AlabamaThursday, February 15South Carolina at FloridaThursday, February 15Missouri at GeorgiaThursday, February 15Mississippi State at Ole MissThursday, February 15Vanderbilt at TennesseeThursday, February 15Arkansas at Texas A&MThursday, February 15Kentucky at TexasThursday, February 15LSU at OklahomaTuesday/Wednesday, February 18/19Arkansas at AuburnTuesday/Wednesday, February 18/19Oklahoma at FloridaTuesday/Wednesday, February 18/19Vanderbilt at KentuckyTuesday/Wednesday, February 18/19South Carolina at LSUTuesday/Wednesday, February 18/19Texas A&M at Mississippi StateTuesday/Wednesday, February 18/19Alabama at MissouriThursday, February 22Kentucky at AlabamaThursday, February 22Missouri at ArkansasThursday, February 22Georgia at AuburnThursday, February 22Florida at LSUThursday, February 22Texas at South CarolinaThursday, February 22Tennessee at Texas A&MThursday, February 22Ole Miss at VanderbiltThursday, February 22Mississippi State at OklahomaSunday, February 25South Carolina at MissouriTuesday/Wednesday, February 25/26Mississippi State at AlabamaTuesday/Wednesday, February 25/26Texas at ArkansasTuesday/Wednesday, February 25/26Ole Miss at AuburnTuesday/Wednesday, February 25/26Florida at GeorgiaTuesday/Wednesday, February 25/26Tennessee at LSUTuesday/Wednesday, February 25/26Vanderbilt at Texas A&MTuesday/Wednesday, February 25/26Kentucky at OklahomaFriday, March 1Texas A&M at FloridaFriday, March 1Auburn at KentuckyFriday, March 1Oklahoma at Ole MissFriday, March 1LSU at Mississippi StateFriday, March 1Arkansas at South CarolinaFriday, March 1Alabama at TennesseeFriday, March 1Missouri at VanderbiltFriday, March 1Georgia at TexasTuesday/Wednesday, March 4/5Florida at AlabamaTuesday/Wednesday, March 4/5LSU at KentuckyTuesday/Wednesday, March 4/5Tennessee at Ole MissTuesday/Wednesday, March 4/5Texas at Mississippi StateTuesday/Wednesday, March 4/5Georgia at South CarolinaTuesday/Wednesday, March 4/5Auburn at Texas A&MTuesday/Wednesday, March 4/5Arkansas at VanderbiltTuesday/Wednesday, March 4/5Missouri at OklahomaFriday, March 8Mississippi State at ArkansasFriday, March 8Alabama at AuburnFriday, March 8Ole Miss at FloridaFriday, March 8Vanderbilt at GeorgiaFriday, March 8Texas A&M at LSUFriday, March 8Kentucky at MissouriFriday, March 8South Carolina at TennesseeFriday, March 8Oklahoma at Texas
