As the Dayton Flyers approach the 2025-26 college basketball season, it is always important for mid-major programs to schedule as many resume-building games as possible to increase their chances of earning an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament. That is exactly what the Flyers have done, scheduling six Power Five opponents across three different conferences. The Flyers had some luck with big opponents last season but missed the tournament. Can they get lucky this year and return to the NCAA Tournament?
Dayton @ Cincinnati (Nov. 11)
The first key matchup on the Flyers’ schedule is against the Cincinnati Bearcats on Nov. 11. This will mark the third straight season the Flyers and Bearcats play each other, with the two previous games being held at a neutral site in downtown Cincinnati. The game this season will take place at Fifth Third Arena, the home court of the Bearcats, and will move to UD Arena next season as part of a home-and-home series.
The Bearcats won their matchup last season, 66-59. Dayton won during the 2023-24 season, 82-68. With this game being on Cincinnati’s homecourt, it will likely end up as a Quad 1 game, something that the Flyers won’t get in abundance and will need to win to make a strong case for an at-large bid.
Dayton @ Marquette (Nov. 19)
The Flyers take on the Marquette Golden Eagles on Nov. 19 to conclude their home-and-home series, which began last season at UD Arena. When the Flyers took on the Marquette last season, the Golden Eagles were the sixth-ranked team in the country, the highest-ranked visiting team to come to UD Arena since 2007. The Flyers ultimately prevailed 71-63, overcoming a 10-point halftime deficit.
Much like the matchup with Cincinnati, this game takes place on Marquette’s home court, meaning it will likely be a Quad 1 game. Both teams will look a little different from the last time they played, as they have lost their top two scorers from last season. The game at Fiserv Forum should be just as entertaining as it was last season.
Terry’s Chocolates ESPN Events Invitational (Nov. 27 & 28)
The Flyers will be participating in a new Feast Week tournament this season as opposed to the usual Maui Invitational they usually participate in. The ESPN Events Invitational is a 16-team, three-bracket event set for Thanksgiving week. The Flyers are in the “Magic Bracket,” which includes the BYU Cougars, the Georgetown Hoyas and the Miami Hurricanes. Dayton will only play two of these three schools, as it’s a two-game event. ESPN has not yet announced the pairings for the invitational.
BYU made the tournament last season with a record of 26-10 and won two tournament games before losing in the Sweet 16 to Alabama. The Cougars will likely be a top-25 team in the country by the time the Flyers play them next season. They revamped last year’s team with the No. 1 overall recruit, A.J. Dybantsa, and top-10 transfer, Rob Wright. This game will be another Quad 1 opportunity for the Flyers and a key indicator of what kind of team the Flyers have.
Georgetown will be an interesting matchup for the Flyers as the Hoyas attempt to regain their national spotlight after a rough couple of years. The Hoyas finished 18-16 overall with an 8-12 record in the Big East, good enough for seventh in the conference. Ed Cooley is entering his third season as head coach and aims to lead the program to the next step in its transformation back to prominence. This game will likely fall under the Quad 2 category.
The Miami Hurricanes have a new head coach for the upcoming season, following a 7-5 overall record and a 3-14 conference record in the Atlantic Coast Conference. Jai Lucas, a former Duke assistant, is taking the challenge of getting Miami back on track after they went to the Final Four in 2023. The Hurricanes have the 21st-best transfer class in the country and the third-best in the ACC. Miami should be a lot better from where it was last season, but it’s too early to tell what impact this matchup will have on Dayton’s chances of an at-large bid.
In last year’s Feast Week tournament, the Flyers performed surprisingly well. The Flyers lost to North Carolina 92-90 after leading 19 at halftime. They then lost to Iowa State 89-84 after being up by 4 at halftime. They dominated UConn, the No. 2-ranked team in the country, in rebounding and pure hustle to claim a statement victory, 85-67, over the back-to-back defending champs at the time.
Dayton vs. Florida State (Dec. 16)
The Flyers are taking on the Florida State Seminoles on Dec. 16 at UD Arena for their last Power Five matchup of the non-conference schedule. The Seminoles finished with an overall record of 17-15 and 8-12 in ACC play, good enough for ninth.
The Seminoles lost 10 players to the transfer portal but are bringing in seven transfers, most of whom are coming from mid-major programs and are unproven but have a lot of upside. Their portal class is ranked 12th in the ACC, but it is still impressive. They add Lajae Jones and Shahid Muhhamad, both former Atlantic 10 players who have previously played against the Flyers.
This will likely be a Quad 2 game for the Flyers, but it has the potential to be a Quad 1 game if Florida State’s season unfolds as many analysts expect. Florida State is predicted to finish in the top five of the ACC and compete for an NCAA Tournament spot.
Final Thoughts
The out-of-conference games noted above will be key indicators for the Flyers if they have a chance at an at-large bid, something that is particularly challenging for mid-major schools. This schedule isn’t as top-heavy as last year, but it givesthe same opportunities plus some. If the Flyers can win three or four of the five games, they will give themselves a fantastic chance to make March Madness if the conference schedule goes as planned.
