News broke this week that the 2025-26 Kentucky-Louisville men’s basketball game is set for Nov. 11 — a surprising date that marks the earliest meeting ever between the two in the history of their rivalry. In fact, it will only be the third time they’ve played before December, with Kentucky winning both prior November matchups: 65-44 in 1983 and 78-70 in 1993, both at Rupp Arena.
The decision to play the game in November also reopens the door to a concept that’s been floated before — one that could electrify the sports scene in the state. With some creative planning and flexibility, Kentucky and Louisville could establish a “Super Bowl weekend” of college sports in the Bluegrass.
Traditionally, the football rivalry game has been held during the final weekend of November for the past decade. Last season, the women’s basketball showdown took place on Nov. 16. Now, with the men’s basketball game also moving to November, there’s a chance to align all three marquee matchups in one epic weekend.
Imagine this: Friday features UK vs. Louisville in women’s basketball. Saturday is the annual football clash. Then, on Sunday, the men’s basketball teams face off. Instead of awarding the Governor’s Cup solely to the football winner, the trophy could go to the school that claims victory in at least two of the three contests.
The week leading up to this hypothetical “Armageddon Weekend” would generate enormous excitement across the state. If it landed right after Thanksgiving, the holiday dinner table chatter — especially in households with fans from both schools — would be intense.
The idea isn’t new; it was first proposed in a column back on Aug. 23, 2013. Since then, several developments have made the plan feel more attainable:
- 2014: Kentucky-Louisville football moved to the regular-season finale, aligning with other SEC/ACC rivalries like Florida–Florida State and Georgia–Georgia Tech.
- 2024: With Kenny Brooks now coaching UK women’s basketball, the rivalry game with Louisville shifted to November.
- 2025: In their second seasons, new men’s basketball coaches Mark Pope (UK) and Pat Kelsey (U of L) have agreed to a November meeting.
Conveniently, the current rotation places all three games in the same city in a given year — Lexington in 2024-25 and Louisville in 2025-26.
The pitch is straightforward: one weekend in November, three back-to-back days of Cats vs. Cards across the state’s biggest sports, all in one city.
Of course, there are obstacles. Coaches today hold significant sway over scheduling, and they may be reluctant to lock in rivalry dates. Additionally, football coaches Mark Stoops and Jeff Brohm may not want to dilute the importance of the Governor’s Cup by tying it to other sports.
High-level coordination between the UK and U of L athletic departments would be essential — something that hasn’t been common in Kentucky’s college sports landscape. And with ongoing upheaval in college athletics, including conference realignments and scheduling uncertainties, even the long-term continuation of these rivalries isn’t guaranteed.
Still, as long as these games are already being played in November, why not consolidate them into a single, thrilling weekend and create a sports spectacle that would be the envy of the entire country?
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