October 22, 2026
Bill Streicher/IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Villanova is done with the Big 5.
Villanova is leaving Big 5 basketball behind, a statement between the remaining city schools revealed Thursday morning.
Temple, La Salle, Penn, and Saint Joseph's will remain, and Drexel will take up the vacancy in a return to the old round-robin format beginning with the 2027-28 season.
For this 2026-27 season, Villanova will play the series out, along with December's Big 5 Classic at Xfinity Mobile Arena among all six schools, but then that will be it.
"In recent years, the evolving NCAA landscape has prompted institutions to evaluate how their athletics programs align with broader institutional priorities," the statement read. "Following thoughtful discussions and consideration of the interests and goals of all involved, the decision was made to move forward with the Men’s Philadelphia Big 5 championship format without Villanova’s participation."
The Big 5, like a lot of traditions in college athletics, isn't what it used to be. But it has tried to adapt and evolve with the times, by bringing in Drexel in 2023, along with the adoption of a group play format through November that would culminate in an all-day triple-header at Xfinity Mobile Arena in early December dubbed "The Big 5 Classic."
The shakeup away from the traditional round-robin format, though, could only garner so much interest, and really, wouldn't ever have been able to compensate for the fact that Temple, Saint Joe's, La Salle, and Penn aren't the names they were in college basketball – and haven't been for more than a decade – all while Villanova pulled away in power and status a long time ago, despite the program's recent struggles in the post-Jay Wright era.
So Villanova is out now.
And the remaining schools will try to pick up the pieces and keep the tradition going.
"These institutions are united in their commitment to preserving the history and enhancing the future of the Philadelphia Big 5," read the statement. "The round-robin format represents a renewal of the competitive spirit that has defined the city's college basketball landscape for more than 70 years, while also preserving the future of a partnership that is distinctively Philadelphia.
"With five Division I programs located within a 10-mile radius, the schools remain uniquely positioned in collegiate basketball. The resumption of a consistent round-robin format, featuring both home and away contests, will sustain traditional rivalries while providing valuable scheduling stability in an increasingly complex Division I environment."
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