UConn, Michigan set for NCAA championship game rematch in first week of 2026-27 college basketball season

The NCAA knows it had a good thing when Michigan and UConn squared off in the national championship game in April. While the game was, at times, not pretty, it was exciting, with Michigan pulling off a 69-63 win to claim the national title.

If Dan Hurley and UConn are seeking revenge for that loss, they won’t have to wait long for the opportunity. The two teams will meet in a rematch of the national championship game during the first week of the 2026-27 college-basketball season, the NCAA announced Wednesday.

That rematch is scheduled for Nov. 6.

The contest will take place at TD Garden in Boston, making it a neutral-site game. Given its location on the East Coast, however, UConn may have the fans on its side.

Prior to the national championship game, UConn and Michigan had never played each other during the Dan Hurley era. Hurley, who has led the team to six NCAA tournament appearances and two national championships in eight seasons, managed to avoid Michigan until the final game of the 2025-26 season.

As fans might expect, the national championship rematch should be a good one. Michigan and UConn both rank highly in way-too-early top 25 men’s basketball rankings. They are each bringing back core players who helped lead in the run to the national championship game.

The NCAA is clearly prioritizing big matchups early in the college basketball season. On Tuesday, it was revealed the UConn women’s team will take on South Carolina on Nov. 24. That will be a rematch of the women’s Final Four, which saw the teams square off in a contentious game. Coaches Geno Auriemma and Dawn Staley were involved in a tense altercation postgame, which led to multiple apologies after the fact.

Both contests should draw massive ratings, which is exactly what the NCAA is looking for early in the college basketball season.