It is Friday night, January 16, 2026, and if you are staring at your remote wondering are there any college games on tonight, the short answer is: absolutely. But it’s not just a "basketball night" or a "hockey night." It is one of those weird, wonderful mid-January crossovers where you have top-tier gymnastics, a massive wrestling dual, and some high-stakes Big 12 and Big East hoops all fighting for your attention.
Honestly, the schedule is a bit of a jigsaw puzzle tonight. You have ranked teams hitting the floor in Lawrence, Kansas, while some of the best gymnasts in the country are facing off in the SEC. If you’ve ever felt like Friday nights are the "off-nights" for college sports, tonight is here to prove you wrong.
The Big Hoops Showdowns: Baylor, Kansas, and the Big East
Most people asking are there any college games on tonight are looking for a reason to cancel their plans and stay on the couch for four hours of basketball. The headliner tonight is undoubtedly Baylor at Kansas at 8:00 p.m. ET on FOX.
Phog Allen Fieldhouse is never quiet, but a Friday night tilt against a top-tier Baylor squad? That’s different. This is basically a chess match between Scott Drew and Bill Self, and in the current Big 12 landscape, every single one of these games feels like a Final Four preview.
If you prefer the grit of the Big East, you have a double-header that’s hard to ignore.
- Creighton at Providence (6:30 p.m. ET, FS1): Providence just pulled off a gritty 93-88 win over the Bluejays. Freshmen Stefan Vaaks went off for 24 points, showing that the Friars' rebuild is ahead of schedule.
- Marquette at DePaul (8:30 p.m. ET, FS1): Wintrust Arena is the site for this one. Marquette is trying to keep pace in the conference standings, and while DePaul has struggled, conference road games in January are never a "gimme."
Don't sleep on the mid-majors either. Toledo at Kent State (6:30 p.m. ET, CBSSN) is peak MAC-tion on hardwood. These two programs genuinely dislike each other, and the atmosphere in Kent is usually rowdy enough to rattle anyone.
🔗 Read more: Buddy Hield Sacramento Kings: What Really Happened Behind the Scenes
Friday Night Heights: SEC Gymnastics Dominance
There’s a specific kind of energy in college gymnastics that you just don't get in other sports. Tonight is "Friday Night Heights," and the SEC is putting on a clinic.
LSU is at Georgia (7:00 p.m. ET, SECN) in a meet that features some of the most decorated athletes in the sport. Meanwhile, Alabama is at Florida (7:00 p.m. ET, ESPN2). The Gators and the Tide are perennial powerhouses, and this meet is likely to come down to the final rotation on the floor exercise. Florida just edged out Alabama 197.425 to 197.275 in a nail-biter. If you aren't watching gymnastics because you think it's "niche," you're missing out on some of the most explosive athleticism in college sports.
Later in the evening, Oklahoma at Missouri (8:45 p.m. ET, SECN) takes center stage. The Sooners have been a juggernaut for years, but Mizzou has been closing the gap. Oklahoma took the win tonight with a 197.425, proving they’re still the team to beat.
Ice and Mats: Hockey and Wrestling
If you’re up north—or just a fan of "The Fastest Game on Earth"—college hockey has some massive matchups. Providence is at Boston College (7:00 p.m. ET, ESPNU). Hockey East is a gauntlet this year, and seeing the Friars take on the Eagles at Conte Forum is a treat for any puck fan.
Out west, the #9 Denver Pioneers just got a wake-up call against #5 North Dakota, falling 5-0 in a hostile Grand Forks environment. The NCHC is arguably the toughest conference in the country, and these types of Friday night blowouts usually lead to incredible Saturday night rematches.
💡 You might also like: Why the March Madness 2022 Bracket Still Haunts Your Sports Betting Group Chat
And we can't ignore the mats. College wrestling is having a moment, and tonight's duals are a big reason why:
- Penn State at Iowa (7:00 p.m. ET, BTN): This is the Super Bowl of college wrestling. Cael Sanderson’s Nittany Lions heading into Carver-Hawkeye Arena is the peak of the sport.
- Nebraska at Minnesota (9:00 p.m. ET, BTN): Another heavy-hitting Big Ten matchup that will have massive implications for the national rankings.
Where to Find Everything
Sorting through the channels can be a nightmare. Basically, if you have a standard cable package plus a few streamers, you’re set.
| Game/Match | Time (ET) | Channel/Stream |
|---|---|---|
| Creighton at Providence (MBB) | 6:30 PM | FS1 |
| Toledo at Kent St. (MBB) | 6:30 PM | CBSSN |
| Alabama at Florida (Gym) | 7:00 PM | ESPN2 |
| LSU at Georgia (Gym) | 7:00 PM | SECN |
| Penn St. at Iowa (Wrestling) | 7:00 PM | BTN |
| Providence at BC (Hockey) | 7:00 PM | ESPNU |
| Baylor at Kansas (MBB) | 8:00 PM | FOX |
| Marquette at DePaul (MBB) | 8:30 PM | FS1 |
| Ohio at Ball St. (MBB) | 8:30 PM | CBSSN |
| Oklahoma at Missouri (Gym) | 8:45 PM | SECN |
| Nebraska at Minnesota (Wres) | 9:00 PM | BTN |
| Colorado St. at Boise St. (MBB) | 10:30 PM | FS1 |
Why These Games Matter Right Now
We are in the "dog days" of the winter season. The New Year's hype has faded, and the madness of March is still a horizon away. But this is exactly where seasons are made or broken.
For a team like Providence, beating Creighton isn't just a win—it's a resume builder that keeps them in the conversation for an at-large bid. For a wrestling program like Iowa, hosting Penn State is about pride and recruiting dominance. The answer to are there any college games on tonight isn't just a list of times; it's a look at the internal pressure cookers these athletes are living in right now.
Actionable Tips for Tonight’s Viewing
If you’re planning to dive into the action, don't just channel flip randomly.
📖 Related: Mizzou 2024 Football Schedule: What Most People Get Wrong
First, prioritize the Big Ten Network and SEC Network. Friday nights are when these conferences showcase their "secondary" sports like gymnastics and wrestling, which often have better production value and higher stakes than a mid-level basketball game.
Second, check the local listings for ESPN+. While the big games are on FOX and ESPN2, there are dozens of women's basketball games and smaller conference matchups (like Boise St. vs BYU in gymnastics) that are streaming exclusively there.
Finally, keep an eye on the Colorado State at Boise State game late tonight (10:30 p.m. ET). The Mountain West is deceptively good this year, and that game will likely be a high-scoring affair that finishes well after midnight on the East Coast.
Start with the Big East hoops at 6:30, pivot to the wrestling or gymnastics at 7:00, and settle in for Baylor and Kansas at 8:00. That is a perfect Friday night triple-header.
Next Steps:
Check your local ESPN+ schedule for any specific regional matchups you might be missing, and make sure your DVR is set for those overlapping 7:00 p.m. starts.