Everything about the current state of BYU basketball would be absolutely unimaginable just three years ago -- heck, maybe even two years ago. Under head coach Kevin Young, Provo has become a premier destination for top-tier recruits. Preseason All-Americans and All-Big 12 players speckle the depth chart. The University of North Carolina, an undisputed blue blood, came to the Beehive State for a preseason exhibition against the Cougs in the Delta Center. That was a game that BYU won, by the way.
So yes, please excuse me if my excitement and buzz for this incoming basketball season trickles down and soaks into my verbiage, tone, and voice here, because there has never been a more exciting time to be a supporter of BYU basketball. In all honesty, this year projects to be the best season in the history of the program, and very well could be the peak of basketball on the campus of Brigham Young University in its entire history.
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AJ Dybantsa, Richie Saunders, Rob Wright III, Keba Keita, Nate Pickens, Kennard Davis Jr. This roster is absolutely stacked with talent from top to bottom, with a starting five that can (at least on paper) compete with anybody in the country. Duke, UConn, Houston, and the like are standing shoulder to shoulder with this little church school from the state of Utah. This isn't the scrappy team that could like last year's bunch -- BYU basketball is a giant this year.
This team will face off against teams like Houston, UConn, Wisconsin, Arizona, Texas Tech, and so many more in a non-conference and conference slate about as challenging and star-studded as any you could find in the nation. How is this real life?
The season opener pits this BYU basketball team against Villanova, a team that has taken a visible dip since the departure of legendary coach Jay Wright, but still boasts a big name and the pedigree of a blue-blooded program. This team will be on full display in an official capacity for the first time, and it'll be on a national stage.
Of course you clicked on this article. Of course you want to watch some BYU basketball.
How can I watch BYU vs Villanova?
Date: Monday, November 3, 2025
Time: 7:00 PM MT
Location: T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas, NV
Channel: TNT
Odds: BYU -7.5