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KU Students Camp Out for Top 15 Basketball Matchup Against BYU
Blankets, pillows and homework fill Allen Fieldhouse as students prepare for the extended camping period.
Jan. 27, 2026 at 8:07pm
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Hundreds of Kansas University students filled Allen Fieldhouse on Tuesday morning for a lottery drawing to secure spots for Saturday's top 15 basketball matchup between the Jayhawks and BYU Cougars. The lottery system arranges student groups in order for the camping process leading up to the game, with College GameDay also set to broadcast from Lawrence for the highly anticipated matchup between projected 2026 NBA Draft lottery picks Darryn Peterson of KU and AJ Dybantsa of BYU.
Why it matters
The KU-BYU game is a marquee early-season matchup between two top-15 teams, drawing national attention and a passionate student response. The extended camping process highlights the fervent fanbase at KU, where students are willing to camp out for days to secure prime seats for a regular season game.
The details
Students filled Allen Fieldhouse to participate in a lottery that determined the order for the camping process leading up to Saturday's game. Groups that drew favorable lottery spots, like the group that landed the second position, were ecstatic. The camping process requires students to maintain their spots through a roll call system that runs from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily, with groups organizing schedules to ensure someone is present for all roll calls.
- The lottery system was held on Tuesday morning.
- The camping process will run from Tuesday through Saturday's game.
The players
Darryn Peterson
A projected top pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, Peterson is the star player for the Kansas Jayhawks.
AJ Dybantsa
A projected top pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, Dybantsa is the star player for the BYU Cougars.
What they’re saying
“It was pretty much a zoo inside it was just so packed.”
— Sutton Dodds, Sophomore at KU
“Oh my goodness, it was crazy.”
— Molly Walton, Sophomore at KU
“We actually ended up drawing the second spot. I'm pretty sure everyone could hear us screaming we were going crazy.”
— Presley Vera, Freshman at KU
What’s next
College GameDay will broadcast live from Lawrence on Saturday ahead of the highly anticipated matchup between KU and BYU.
The takeaway
The extended camping process and fervent student response underscores the passion of the Kansas fanbase and the significance of this early-season top-15 showdown between two potential NCAA title contenders.
