The 2025 NCAA Tournament just wrapped up three weeks ago, with the next season’s tip-off still about six months away. Nonetheless, ESPN’s Joe Lunardi has published an updated Bracketology forecast, giving a glimpse into what the 2026 NCAA Tournament might look like.
Lunardi indicated that a new bracket will be released monthly from now until October, adjusting for roster changes and expected team performance. This is the first edition predicting the Field of 68 for the ’26 tournament.
After an unprecedented year of achievements, the SEC leads the projected bracket with 13 teams, just one less than last year’s record-setting numbers. Following them, the Big Ten has 12 teams, retaining a significant presence despite only having eight teams in last postseason. The Big 12, ACC, and Big East contribute eight, five, and four teams respectively.
Despite this early outlook, many important decisions regarding transfers and draft entries are still pending as summer approaches, leading up to the November start of the season. Below is Lunardi’s initial projection for what March Madness might resemble in 2026, with Selection Sunday still ten and a half months away.
ESPN Bracketology: On the Bubble
Last Four Byes: Georgia, Maryland, Creighton, Miami
Last Four In: Marquette, Indiana, Ole Miss, NC State
First Four Out: SMU, Washington, Texas A&M, Nebraska
Next Four Out: TCU, Notre Dame, Clemson, Georgetown
The bubble comprises several teams that either qualified for the tournament last year or narrowly missed out. Notably, the SEC is close to tying a record with potentially 14 teams, while the Big Ten nears a total of 14 as well, and the ACC could have as many as eight teams.
New coaching hires are also prevalent among these squads. Coaches like Buzz Williams at Maryland, Jai Lucas at Miami, Darian DeVries at Indiana, and Will Wade at NC State have their new squads included in this bracket projection, while Bucky McMillan at Texas A&M is among those just missing out.
