How To Watch Kansas Jayhawks Men’s Basketball in 2025
✦ Edited and fact-checked by Managing Editor Mike Strayer, our editorial lead with over 10 years of experience covering TV and sports.
An overarching look at the 2025–2026 Jayhawks men’s basketball season
Last season was a rough one. A 21-13 record and a first-round NCAA Tournament exit as a No. 7 seed isn’t the standard in Lawrence. The team lacked depth and couldn’t defend the interior, and the season mercifully ended with an upset loss to Arkansas. With All-American Hunter Dickinson and veteran point guard Dajuan Harris Jr. gone, this isn’t a “reload”—it’s a complete roster reinvention for Bill Self. Frankly, it’s a necessary one.
The entire season hinges on one person: Darryn Peterson. The No. 1 recruit in the nation is the consensus favorite to be the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, and he’s the new focal point. He’s joined by a haul of senior transfers (like Melvin Council Jr. and Tre White) and the long-awaited sophomore “leap” of Flory Bidunga. This roster finally shifts the team’s identity away from Dickinson’s plodding offense to the hyper-athletic, rim-protecting defense we’ve been missing. Fans are justifiably excited about the massive upgrade in team athleticism, even if we’re all wondering where the three-point shooting will come from.
This high-ceiling, low-floor Kansas team will be fascinating. But tracking them down on TV is now a full-time job. The new Big 12 media deal is confusing, spreading games across five broadcast partners—ESPN, FOX Sports, CBS Sports, and TNT—and offering exclusive streaming on Peacock and ESPN+. My goal is to make it simple. This is your complete guide on how to watch Kansas basketball and not miss a single moment of the Peterson era.
2025–2026 Kansas men’s basketball TV schedule
The schedule is loaded from the start. The regular season tips off on November 3 on ESPN+ against Green Bay, but the real tests come immediately. We get a road trip to North Carolina (November 7 on ESPN), the Champions Classic against Duke (November 18 on ESPN), and the new Players Era Tournament in Las Vegas, which introduces TNT as a broadcast partner.
Big 12 play starts January 3 at UCF on Peacock—a perfect example of the Jayhawks’ new media rights landscape. I’ve already circled the big ones: the first Sunflower Showdown at K-State (January 24 on FOX), two Big Monday clashes at home against Arizona (February 9) and Houston (February 23), and Senior Night against K-State (March 7 on CBS). And don’t miss January 31 vs. BYU on ESPN, which features the No. 1 (Peterson) vs. No. 2 (AJ Dybantsa) prospects for the 2026 NBA Draft.
| Opponent | Day | Time (ET) | Channel |
|---|---|---|---|
| Green Bay Phoenix | Monday, Nov. 3 | 8:00 p.m. | ESPN+ |
| At North Carolina (#25) | Friday, Nov. 7 | 7:00 p.m. | ESPN |
| Texas A&M-Corpus Christi Islanders | Tuesday, Nov. 11 | 8:00 p.m. | ESPN+ |
| Princeton Tigers | Saturday, Nov. 15 | 2:00 p.m. | ESPN+ |
| At Duke (#6) | Tuesday, Nov. 18 | 9:00 p.m. | ESPN |
| Notre Dame Fighting Irish | Monday, Nov. 24 | 3:30 p.m. | TNT |
| Syracuse Orange | Tuesday, Nov. 25 | 3:30 p.m. | TNT |
| UConn (#4) | Tuesday, Dec. 2 | 9:00 p.m. | ESPN2 |
| Missouri Tigers | Sunday, Dec. 7 | 1:00 p.m. | ESPN2 |
| At NC State Wolfpack | Saturday, Dec. 13 | 5:30 p.m. | ESPN |
| Towson Tigers | Tuesday, Dec. 16 | 9:00 p.m. | ESPN2, ESPN |
| Davidson Wildcats | Monday, Dec. 22 | 8:00 p.m. | ESPN+ |
| At UCF Knights | Saturday, Jan. 3 | 2:00 p.m. | Peacock Premium |
| TCU Horned Frogs | Tuesday, Jan. 6 | 9:00 p.m. | TBA |
| At West Virginia Mountaineers | Saturday, Jan. 10 | 12:00 p.m. | TBA |
| Iowa State (#16) | Tuesday, Jan. 13 | 9:00 p.m. | TBA |
| Baylor Bears | Friday, Jan. 16 | 8:00 p.m. | FOX |
| At Colorado Buffaloes | Tuesday, Jan. 20 | 11:00 p.m. | ESPN |
| At Kansas State Wildcats | Saturday, Jan. 24 | 8:00 p.m. | FOX |
| BYU (#8) | Saturday, Jan. 31 | 4:00 p.m. | ESPN |
| At Texas Tech (#10) | Monday, Feb. 2 | 9:00 p.m. | ESPN |
| Utah Utes | Saturday, Feb. 7 | 2:30 p.m. | FOX |
| Arizona (#13) | Monday, Feb. 9 | 9:00 p.m. | ESPN |
| At Iowa State (#16) | Saturday, Feb. 14 | 1:00 p.m. | ABC |
| At Oklahoma State Cowboys | Wednesday, Feb. 18 | 9:00 p.m. | Peacock Premium |
| Cincinnati Bearcats | Saturday, Feb. 21 | 1:00 p.m. | CBS |
| Houston (#2) | Monday, Feb. 23 | 9:00 p.m. | ESPN |
| At Arizona (#13) | Saturday, Feb. 28 | 4:00 p.m. | ESPN |
| At Arizona State Sun Devils | Tuesday, March 3 | 9:00 p.m. | FS1 |
| Kansas State Wildcats | Saturday, March 7 | 2:00 p.m. | CBS |
Data effective as of post date.
Best TV plans for watching Kansas men’s basketball
Watching every KU game this season is more complicated than ever. To get 100% coverage, you’ll need access to four separate “buckets”:
- Local broadcast affiliates (ABC, FOX, CBS)
- National cable channels (ESPN, ESPN2, FS1, CBS Sports Network, and TNT)
- Exclusive Big 12 streaming games on Peacock
- Exclusive non-conference and conference games on ESPN+
My top recommendation for a foundational service is Hulu + Live TV. It bundles your local channels, all the essential cable networks (ESPN, FS1, TNT, etc.), and ESPN+ in one package. This single subscription will cover most of the major national games, including the Champions Classic, the Border Showdown, and the majority of the Big 12 Championship. For fans in rural areas without high-speed internet, a traditional cable or satellite (like DISH or DIRECTV) plan remains a reliable, if more expensive, option.
But that’s not enough. To be a complete Jayhawk fan, you must add a standalone subscription. You’ll need Peacock for its slate of exclusive Big 12 conference games (like the conference opener at UCF). Unfortunately, this “streaming-plus” combo of one live TV service and one or two standalone apps is the new normal for Big 12 basketball streaming.
How to watch Kansas men’s basketball FAQ
Where can I watch Kansas men's basketball for free?
You can watch some Jayhawks games for free with a good over-the-air (OTA) antenna. This will pick up your local ABC, CBS, and FOX affiliates, which carry key regular season games (like the K-State finale) and postseason action. For any games on ESPN, FS1, Peacock, or ESPN+, you'll need a paid subscription.
How can I stream Kansas basketball without cable?
The best way is to combine Hulu + Live TV, which includes ESPN+, with a standalone Peacock subscription to stream all the exclusive Big 12 games that aren't on national television.
Can I watch Kansas basketball on Peacock?
Yes, as part of the new Big 12 media deal, Peacock has the exclusive streaming rights to a significant number of conference games. You can't watch these specific games anywhere else, not even on linear TV.
How can I watch Kansas basketball in the Players Era Tournament?
For the first time, KU games will be on TNT. The Players Era Tournament in November will air across TNT and truTV. These games will also be available to stream on HBO Max as part of its live sports add-on.
Why you should trust us
Our CableTV.com editorial team cross-referenced the official Kansas men’s basketball schedule with the channel lineups of every major TV provider. Using those details, we selected our viewing recommendations based on channel availability, pricing, and ease of use.
This guide is updated regularly throughout the season to ensure our information is accurate. To learn more about our methods, check out our How We Rank page.
