The NCAA Tournament bracket will be revealed today at 6 PM ET on CBS. This show marks the start of “March Madness,” featuring 68 teams battling for the national championship. Out of these, 31 teams will earn automatic bids, while 37 will gain at-large spots based on their season performance.
To determine the bracket, the NCAA relies on the NET Rankings. This ranking system evaluates teams based on four quadrants of wins and losses. It guides the selection committee in organizing the teams into the tournament bracket. Bracketology helps predict how teams might be seeded based on their current performance and other influencing factors.
With just hours to go before the selection show, there’s a clearer picture of which teams are in limbo. Here’s a glimpse of the projected field from On3’s Bracketology for 2026.
The Bracketology updates will continue until the show, reflecting last-minute changes. The latest update was at 3:15 PM ET on March 15.
Projected Top Teams: Duke, Michigan, Arizona, Florida
Last Four Byes: Texas A&M, Santa Clara, NC State, UCF
Last Four In: Miami (OH), Missouri, SMU, Texas
First Four Out: Auburn, Oklahoma, SDSU, Indiana
First Four Matchups (Dayton):
16 Idaho vs. 16 Howard
16 Lehigh vs. 16 Prairie View
11 Miami (OH) vs. 11 Missouri
11 SMU vs. 11 Texas
East Region (Washington):
1 Duke vs. 16 Siena
8 Villanova vs. 9 Georgia
5 Kansas vs. 12 Northern Iowa
4 Alabama vs. 13 North Dakota State
6 Louisville vs. 11 South Florida
3 Michigan State vs. 14 Tennessee State
7 UCLA vs. 10 Santa Clara
2 Iowa State vs. 15 Queens
Duke has secured the No. 1 overall seed by winning the ACC Tournament. They will kick off their tournament in Greenville, with hopes of advancing to Washington D.C. during the next round.
Meanwhile, Iowa State will start as a 2-seed after their impressive performance in the Big 12 Tournament. Their path may lead to strong contenders like Michigan or Duke, depending on how other teams are seeded.
South Region (Houston):
1 Florida vs. 16 Lehigh/Prairie View
8 Ohio State vs. 9 St. Louis
5 Wisconsin vs. 12 Akron
4 Gonzaga vs. 13 Hawaii
6 BYU vs. 11 SMU/Texas
3 Illinois vs. 14 Troy
7 Miami vs. 10 Texas A&M
2 Houston vs. 15 Furman
Despite losing in the SEC semifinals, Florida remains a 1-seed after watching competitors UConn and Houston stumble in their games.
In Houston’s case, they missed out on a chance to rise in the rankings after a loss in the Big 12 title game. They will likely settle for a 2-seed on Selection Sunday, possibly landing a spot among the tournament’s top seeds.
Midwest Region (Chicago):
1 Michigan vs. 16 LIU
8 Utah State vs. 9 TCU
5 Texas Tech vs. 12 High Point
4 Arkansas vs. 13 Cal Baptist
6 North Carolina vs. 11 Miami (OH)/Missouri
3 Nebraska vs. 14 Tennessee State
7 Kentucky vs. 10 NC State
2 UConn vs. 15 UMBC
Michigan stands to be a top seed, holding a strong position regardless of their performance in the Big Ten Championship.
West Region (San Jose):
1 Arizona vs. 16 Idaho/Howard
8 Clemson vs. 9 Iowa
5 St. John’s vs. 12 McNeese
4 Vanderbilt vs. 13 Hofstra
6 Tennessee vs. 11 VCU
3 Virginia vs. 14 Kennesaw
7 St. Mary’s vs. 10 UCF
2 Purdue vs. 15 Penn
Arizona claimed the Big 12 championship, but their seeding won’t change significantly after the strong finishes from Duke and Michigan. They’ll begin in the West region, starting their journey in San Diego.
Fun Fact: According to a recent NCAA report, March Madness generates more than $1 billion in revenue each year from TV rights, ticket sales, and advertising. This makes it one of the biggest revenue-generating events in sports.
As the tournament approaches, fans eagerly interact on social media, sharing predictions and favorite teams, highlighting the excitement surrounding March Madness.
