The preseason shakedown period is ending as Big East programs prepare to test their depth against high-major opponents this week.
According to a rundown by Anonymous Eagle, the conference is moving past initial openers and entering a stretch where schedules become increasingly grueling.
The upcoming slate features several programs facing heavy travel schedules and high-stakes matchups. For many teams, these games serve as the first true litmus test for their season ambitions, moving beyond local non-conference bouts into more established territory.
The Creighton Bluejays begin a difficult three-game road trip through the Dakotas starting Monday, November 9. They travel to face the North Dakota State Bison at 6:00 PM Central, a contest broadcast on Midco Sports Plus. While Jim Flanery’s Bluejays secured a road win against South Dakota State in their opener, data from BartTorvik.com indicates the Bison are favored in this matchup.
Creighton’s schedule remains particularly dense, as they face Northern Iowa on Sunday following a week-long break between their first two Dakotas games. This pattern of heavy travel highlights the physical toll often seen in early-season scheduling.
Marquette is also playing a high-profile stretch of games. The Golden Eagles travel to Ann Arbor on Wednesday, November 11, to take on the Michigan Wolverines at 6:00 PM on FS1. This is Marquette's first official test this season, while Michigan enters the game following a neutral-site loss to UConn. If Marquette survives Michigan, they must immediately follow up against the Missouri Tigers at the United Center on Sunday, November 15.
The women’s side of the conference features an equally intense schedule for the #2 Connecticut Huskies. Geno Auriemma’s squad is preparing for a sequence of notable games that includes a matchup against #18 Ohio State on Thursday, November 12, at 5:30 PM Central on FS1. This specific game is part of a broader, non-conference schedule that has drawn attention for its difficulty.
The Huskies will also see action on Friday, November 13, when they face #4 Ohio State at 6:30 PM on TNT. This matchup carries the In-Season Cup, which Silas Demary’s squad acquired from Michigan. The week concludes with a heavy Sunday matchup against #7 Louisville on November 15 at 4:30 PM on ESPN.
For other Big East programs, the road ahead looks equally complicated. Seton Hall’s men’s team faces a series of four large tests, with their matchup against unranked Fairfield serving as the only game where they enter as the favorite. Meanwhile, the women’s Villanova Wildcats travel to face Princeton on Tuesday, November 10, at 6:00 PM on NBC Sports Philly/SNY.
The week’s schedule continues with Creighton playing the Iowa Hawkeyes in Des Moines on Sunday, November 15, at 2:00 PM on FS1.
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