Notre Dame rallies to upset Villanova in Eternal City Tip-Off in a glorious college basketball season opener
What we learned about the Irish and Wildcats as the college basketball season opens in Rome…

Eternal City Tip-Off: What Happened
CBS Sports reported on Sunday, November 1, 2026 in a story involving Eternal City Tip-Off, Notre Dame, Villanova. Here is how the report opens:
What we learned about the Irish and Wildcats as the college basketball season opens in Rome…

Photos: CBS Sports
It is one of many College Basketball stories we are following today. Below are the key takeaways, how the story is being reported across the sport, background on College basketball and what to watch next.
Key Takeaways
- The story: Notre Dame rallies to upset Villanova in Eternal City Tip-Off in a glorious college basketball season opener
- Who’s involved: Eternal City Tip-Off, Notre Dame, Villanova and Irish
- League: College Basketball
- First reported: Sunday, November 1, 2026 by CBS Sports
Background: College basketball
College basketball is basketball that is played by teams of student-athletes at universities and colleges. In the United States, colleges and universities are governed by collegiate athletic bodies, including the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), the United States Collegiate Athletic Association (USCAA), the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA), and the National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA). These national affiliation organizations may be subdivided into divisions, generally based on the number and level of scholarships that may be provided to the athletes. Institutions that play in Division II of the NCCAA are typically small Bible colleges.
Text from Wikipedia’s College basketball article, CC BY-SA 4.0.
What’s Next for Eternal City Tip-Off
For fans following Eternal City Tip-Off, the next things to watch are the AP Top 25, bracketology, transfer portal and recruiting. Stories like this one tend to move quickly, so check back for follow-up reports and reaction as more outlets pick it up.
- Latest College Basketball news today: every CBB headline as it breaks
- Live scores and schedules across every sport we cover
- More Eternal City Tip-Off news from around the web
- Around the Web: today’s top sports stories from every outlet
More College Basketball News Today
College basketball scores, opening night winners and losers: UCLA upsets No. 5 Arizona; No. 3 Illinois rolls
The Bruins shocked the Wildcats in a battle of former Pac-12 rivals as the college basketball season got off to a great start
Villanova vs. Notre Dame prediction, pick, odds, spread: Why Irish, Wildcats are opening season in Rome
Notre Dame is playing Villanova in Rome to start the 2026-27 college basketball season
Villanova vs. Notre Dame betting: Odds, preview, picks, start time for Sunday college basketball from Rome
The Eternal City Tip-Off in Rome pits Villanova against Notre Dame to start the 2026-27 college basketball season
Top-25 senior Jordan becomes Pitino's highest-ranked recruit at St. John's
Top-25 senior Malachi Jordan has committed to St. John's, he told ESPN, giving Rick Pitino his highest-ranked recruit since taking over the Red Storm.
Sooners coach apologizes after East Texas A&M authors historic upset of OU
East Texas A&M, selected to finish last in the 12-team Southland Conference preseason poll this season, shocked Oklahoma with a 68-64 season-opening win Monday night, an effort that Sooners coach Porter Moser apologized…
Iowa starting center Winter expected to miss game vs. Northwestern
Iowa starting center Cael Winter is expected to miss Saturday's game with an undisclosed injury and will be replaced by sixth-year lineman Michael Myslinski.
Frequently Asked Questions
What happened with Eternal City Tip-Off?
What we learned about the Irish and Wildcats as the college basketball season opens in Rome… CBS Sports reported the story on Sunday, November 1, 2026.
Who reported this CBB story?
CBS Sports first reported it on Sunday, November 1, 2026. ForTheFans summarizes it here with background and related College Basketball news.
Where can I get the latest College Basketball news today?
The ForTheFans College Basketball page collects every CBB headline as it breaks, including AP Top 25, bracketology and transfer portal, with live scores on our scores page.
Summarized by ForTheFans from reporting by CBS Sports. Headlines, quoted text and photos belong to their publishers. How we report
College Basketball Explainers From ForTheFans
College Basketball's Wild Opening Week: East Texas A&M Stuns Oklahoma, UCLA Upsets Arizona
East Texas A&M, a 28.5-point underdog picked to finish last in its own conference, beat Oklahoma 68-64 in the season opener. Hours later, UCLA knocked off No. 5 Arizona 84-75 in Las Vegas, ending the Wildcats' 20-year streak of opening-night wins.
AP Preseason Poll 2026-27: Florida Is a Runaway No. 1 in Men's College Basketball
The Gators earned a landslide of first-place votes, with Duke the only other team to get any real support.
College Basketball 2026-27 Preview: Duke Dominates Exhibitions, NIL Arms Race and Eligibility Chaos
Exhibition takeaways, the best defenders in the country and the money and eligibility fights reshaping the sport.







