Jon Scheyer isn't ducking any smoke with Duke's non-conference slate. The Blue Devils have a loaded slate of games with seven NCAA Tournament teams from last season, including three of the Top 5 and four from the Top 10 of Jeff Borzello's way-too-early Top 25 for next season.
Duke will be battle-tested by the time ACC play starts, which is good because their path to a third consecutive ACC Championship looks more treacherous this season with several worthy challengers standing in their path.
On Friday, Duke announced its full non-conference slate for the 2026-27 season:
Duke has released its non-conference schedule for the 2026-27 season. pic.twitter.com/Bt8jy72WCF
— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) August 7, 2026
Duke's non-conference schedule, ranked from easiest to most difficult
14. Army
Duke opens the regular season after a strong exhibition slate at home against Mike Krzyzewski's alma mater. It will be a nice way to ease into the season with a new roster, and the fans in Cameron Indoor should get a glimpse of the Blue Devils' immense depth.
Army went 11-21 last season and finished the year ranked No. 339 in KenPom.
13. Grambling State
Grambling wasn't much better than Army last season, finishing 14-19 overall and 7-11 in the SWAC. They finished No. 298 in KenPom and shouldn't pose much of a threat for this matchup in mid-December in Duke's penultimate non-conference game before the start of the ACC schedule.
12. SIU-Edwardsville
SIUE was a solid team in the OVC last year, finishing 12-8 in league play and 19-13 overall. It'll be a different world for them walking into Cameron Indoor, though. This game is conveniently placed between matchups against Michigan State and Illinois, allowing Duke to work out whatever issues were exposed against the Spartans before battling the Illini.
11. Coastal Carolina
Coastal will come to Durham on November 5th in the last tune-up before things get real and the Blue Devils head to Chicago to face Tom Izzo and Michigan State five days later. The Chanticleers are coming off a 19-13 season with an 11-7 mark in the Sun Belt. It's a steady increase in competition from the opener against Army, but still nothing to be concerned about.
10. Campbell
Another buy game, but the first opponent on the list so far with a ranking better than No. 200 in KenPom a year ago (188). The matchup with the Camels begins a stretch of three games in six days between December 15th and 21st for Scheyer's team.
9. Harvard
This will be Tommy Amaker's highly anticipated return to Cameron and is smack dab in the middle of two SEC matchups with Florida on the road on December 1st and the matchup against Georgia in Madison Square Garden on December 8th. The Crimson are always well-coached and disciplined, and they'll provide a solid test for a Duke team with a lot of new pieces.
8. Washington State
The Cedric Coward game! The Cougars went just 12-20 a season ago, but this could be a tricky game for Duke as part of the Acrisure Series in Palm Springs, California. Duke draws the Cougars in the midst of a brutal stretch of games against Illinois, UConn, and Florida.
7. Georgia
Duke will face Georgia as part of the Jimmy V Classic in New York City, one of two matchups the Blue Devils will have in MSG during the non-conference slate. Mike White has turned the Bulldogs into a quality program, delivering back-to-back NCAA Tournament bids. This will have the feel of a 2nd Round NCAA Tournament game for Duke.
6. Texas Tech
Texas Tech replaced Michigan on the non-conference slate, and this will be a rematch at MSG from last season. Duke will be looking to avenge the loss to the Red Raiders in New York, and Grant McCasland's team will have plenty of firepower.
5. Gonzaga
Much like last season against Michigan, Duke will play a late-season non-conference matchup on February 20th at a neutral site. This year it'll be Gonzaga in Detroit, and the Bulldogs will provide an intense matchup for Scheyer's team. Mark Few is one of the best coaches in the country, and Gonzaga will be looking for a late-season statement win heading into the tournament.
4. Illinois
There's a strong argument that Illinois is the third-best team in the country on paper behind Duke and Florida, so you may consider it curious to have them as Duke's fourth-toughest non-conference game. But that speaks to how challenging a schedule Duke is facing. It also has everything to do with the fact that the Blue Devils host the Illini in Durham, with the others coming away from Cameron.
3. UConn
It's too bad this one isn't in Cameron because it might have produced one of the rowdiest environments ever in Durham. Duke will face UConn in Las Vegas the day before Thanksgiving, and they'll be looking to avenge last season's stunning loss to the Huskies in the Elite Eight. Nikolas Khamenia's decision to transfer to UConn added some extra spice to this matchup.
2. Michigan State
Duke travels to Chicago on November 10th to face Michigan State in one of the biggest games of the college basketball season. It's not Coach K vs. Izzo anymore, but this matchup will still pit two of the best teams in the country head-to-head, with both looking to make an early statement.
1. Florida
The only team on equal footing with Duke for next season is Florida, and the Blue Devils have to travel to Gainesville this year to face the Gators as part of the SEC/ACC challenge. Duke and Florida met in Durham this past season, with the Blue Devils earning a close win thanks to a game-winning three-pointer by Isaiah Evans. In what could be a preview of the National Championship Game, this is the most intriguing matchup of the season.
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