Welcome to the first bracketology of the 2026–27 men’s college basketball season! With opening day on tap, it is time to take our first look at what the road to March Madness could look like. This edition is particularly significant, as it marks the first ever 76-team bracketology.
With the NCAA Tournament expanding from 68 to 76 teams, the selection process, seeding, and path to a national championship are entering a new era. More teams will have an opportunity to compete for a title, but projecting the field has also become a little more complicated.
As always, there is plenty of uncertainty surrounding these early projections, especially in today’s ever-changing college basketball landscape. Between the transfer portal, player movement, recruiting classes, eligibility decisions, and the constant reshuffling of rosters, predicting which teams will ultimately emerge as tournament contenders is an increasingly difficult task. A team that looks like a national championship threat on paper today could look completely different by conference play, while an overlooked program could quickly establish itself as a legitimate contender.
That uncertainty is part of what makes this exercise so exciting. At this stage, these projections are less about declaring definitive answers and more about identifying potential contenders, examining the strength of each conference, and beginning to separate the teams with realistic tournament aspirations from those facing a much longer climb.
The expanded field adds another fascinating layer to the discussion. While 76 spots should create more opportunities for deserving programs, it also presents new questions about bracket construction, competitive balance, and how teams will navigate the additional opening-round games.
Nevertheless, regardless of the field’s size or the challenges that come with these changes, one thing remains unchanged: the NCAA Tournament is still the greatest single event in sports. There is simply nothing quite like the drama of March, when seasons are defined by buzzer-beaters, Cinderella stories, unforgettable upsets, and championship dreams that can disappear in an instance. From the opening tip to the cutting down of the nets, March Madness captures everything that makes college basketball special.
This first bracketology is only the starting point, and plenty will change between now and Selection Sunday. For now, the goal is to establish an early baseline, spark debate, and begin the long journey toward crowning a national champion in the first 76-team tournament. Let the road to March Madness begin!
Last 12 In (play-in game)
Baylor, Georgia, Ole Miss, Utah State, Providence, Oklahoma State, Marquette, Clemson, TCU, Oklahoma, Maryland, Saint Mary’s
First 4 Out
VCU, Xavier, LSU, Notre Dame
Next 4 Out
New Mexico, SMU, UCF, NC State
Bracketology
Illinois Fighting Illini
Howard Bison
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Southeast Missouri State Redhawks
North Carolina Tar Heels
Saint Louis Billikens
Michigan Wolverines
TCU Horned Frogs
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Oklahoma Sooners
Iowa State Cyclones
High Point Panthers
Kentucky Wildcats
Providence Friars
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Oklahoma State Cowboys
Virginia Cavaliers
Yale Bulldogs
UCLA Bruins
West Virginia Mountaineers
Texas Longhorns
North Dakota State Bison
Florida Gators
Queens Royals
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American Eagles
Villanova Wildcats
Iowa Hawkeyes
Alabama Crimson Tide
Wichita State Shockers
St. John's Red Storm
McNeese Cowboys
BYU Cougars
Utah State Aggies
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Georgia Bulldogs
Tennessee Volunteers
Akron Zips
Purdue Boilermakers
Auburn Tigers
Houston Cougars
Austin Peay Governors
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East Tennessee State Buccaneers
UConn Huskies
Long Island Sharks
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Bethune-Cookman Wildcats
Ohio State Buckeyes
Cincinnati Bearcats
Kansas Jayhawks
Santa Clara Broncos
Miami Hurricanes
UC Irvine Anteaters
Vanderbilt Commodores
Marquette Golden Eagles
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Clemson Tigers
Louisville Cardinals
Liberty Flames
Nebraska Cornhuskers
Virginia Tech Hokies
Arizona Wildcats
Robert Morris Colonials
Duke Blue Devils
Merrimack Warriors
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Vermont Catamounts
Indiana Hoosiers
Texas A&M Aggies
Texas Tech Red Raiders
Maryland Terrapins
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Saint Mary's Gaels
Gonzaga Bulldogs
Hofstra Pride
USC Trojans
Baylor Bears
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Ole Miss Rebels
Arkansas Razorbacks
Belmont Bruins
Missouri Tigers
Wisconsin Badgers
Michigan State Spartans
Montana Grizzlies
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James Madison Dukes
Bids by Conference
| Conference | No. of Bids |
|---|---|
| SEC | 13 |
| Big Ten | 12 |
| Big 12 | 11 |
| ACC | 7 |
| Big East | 5 |
| Pac-12 | 2 |
Meet your guide
