Bracket Predictions 2025-26

[dahliaclone]

I refuse to name this thread 'bracketology' because it implies it's Lunardi and Palm, and it's not. And if there is already a general bracket prediction thread for this season, feel free to move this! NOTE: This isn't a thread about metrics and NET etc (those threads are amazing FYI), this is just thread about where pundits have the bracket shaping up on a weekly basis.

I'm guilty of posting Lunardi and Palm and their brackets, but they are seriously very bad at it. Anyone can add their updates here, I just hope everyone knows how bad they are at this...

Here are the some of the ones to pay attention to (per @NiceMarmot a year or two ago!):

1. Dave Ommen at Bracketville
2. Lukas Harkins at HeatCheckCBB
3. Delphi Bracketology
4. Rocco Miller at Bracketeer
5. Bauertology (really good at explaining why teams are where they are)
6. T3
7. Five Star
8. NKY

If there are others you like to follow every week, feel free to link in a response!

NOTE: Edited and added BRACKET MATRIX link as it's always one that people ask about.

 

[1UNI2ISU]

Bracket WAG shut down after last year. Going to be missed.

Burned out because of the portal and player movement.

 

[dahliaclone]

Bracket WAG shut down after last year. Going to be missed.

Burned out because of the portal and player movement.

Missed that, thanks. And edited him out and added a few more.

 

[NENick]

Matrix has 6 Big 12 teams in top 20 seeds. SEC, 5, Big10, 4.
Why choose to look just through the 5 seeds? Because I got to choose!

 

[dahliaclone]

Does Palm not do this anymore for CBS? That would be too bad (sarcasm)

Bracketology: SEC's early struggles, Big Ten's strong start shape projected 2026 NCAA Tournament field

Early results suggest a change in college basketball's conference hierarchy is coming

www.cbssports.com

 

[NorthCyd]

Does Palm not do this anymore for CBS? That would be too bad (sarcasm)

Bracketology: SEC's early struggles, Big Ten's strong start shape projected 2026 NCAA Tournament field

Early results suggest a change in college basketball's conference hierarchy is coming

www.cbssports.com

Longtime bracketologist Jerry Palm announces departure from CBS

Jerry Palm announces his departure from CBS on social media after 14 years as the lead bracketologist at the network.

awfulannouncing.com

 

[dahliaclone]

Longtime bracketologist Jerry Palm announces departure from CBS

Jerry Palm announces his departure from CBS on social media after 14 years as the lead bracketologist at the network.

awfulannouncing.com

Bye Felicia

 

[JM4CY]

Longtime bracketologist Jerry Palm announces departure from CBS

Jerry Palm announces his departure from CBS on social media after 14 years as the lead bracketologist at the network.

awfulannouncing.com

"Guy Who Sucks at His Job, Leaves Job"

 

[cyclones500]

Longtime bracketologist Jerry Palm announces departure from CBS

Jerry Palm announces his departure from CBS on social media after 14 years as the lead bracketologist at the network.

awfulannouncing.com

My favorite segment from that report:

Only time will tell where Palm lands in the future.

Y' think?

 

[cyclones500]

Although it's 3-plus weeks past, and probably few people care, this was my preseason bracket projection/s-curve. Quite a bit has changed since then, obviously.

1
1 Houston (Big 12) … SOUTH | Houston
2 Purdue (Big Ten) … MIDWEST | Chicago
3 Duke (ACC) … EAST | Washington, D.C.
4 Florida (SEC)… WEST | San Jose
2
5 UConn (Big East)
6 Michigan
7 Kentucky
8 BYU
3
9 UCLA
10 Arizona
11 St. John’s
12 Texas Tech
4
13 Illinois
14 Alabama
15 Tennessee
16 Louisville
5
17 Iowa State
18 Kansas
19 Gonzaga (West Coast)
20 Michigan State
6
21 Arkansas
22 San Diego State (Mountain West)
23 North Carolina
24 Oregon
7
25 Creighton
26 Wisconsin
27 Virginia
28 Memphis (American)
8
29 Auburn
30 Saint Mary’s
31 Baylor
32 Texas
9
33 USC
34 NC State
35 Marquette
36 Ole Miss
10
37 VCU (Atlantic 10)
38 Cincinnati
39 Boise State
40 Washington
11
41 Oklahoma
42 Iowa
43 Utah State
44 SMU
45 Mississippi State
46 Saint Louis
12
47 Liberty (C-USA)
48 Illinois State (Missouri Valley)
49 Akron (MAC)
50 Yale (Ivy)
13
51 McNeese (Southland)
52 UC Irvine (Big West)
53 James Madison (Sun Belt)
54 Utah Valley (WAC)
14
55 High Point (Big South)
56 Vermont (America East)
57 UNCW (CAA)
58 St. Thomas (Summit)
15
59 Chattanooga (Southern)
60 North Alabama (ASUN)
61 Montana (Big Sky)
62 Purdue Fort Wayne (Horizon)
16
63 Little Rock (Ohio Valley)
64 Colgate (Patriot)
65 Siena (MAAC)
66 LIU (NEC)
67 Norfolk State (MEAC)
68 Southern (SWAC)

FIRST 4 OUT
Ohio State
Vanderbilt
Texas A&M
Maryland

NEXT 4 OUT
Villanova
Indiana
Kansas State
Clemson

OTHERS (no specific order)
Dayton
South Florida
Nebraska
Missouri
Wake Forest
TCU
Georgia
West Virginia
Bradley
North Texas

 

[dahliaclone]

Updated today: yes please

Dave’s Bracket

This is where you will find my bracket projections for the 2026 NCAA Tournament. At the time of publication, the bracket reflects an overview of where the NCAA landscape currently stands. Bra…

bracketville.wordpress.com

 

[dahliaclone]

Updated yesterday: I'd take it but as of today, Michigan would be a tough 1

5-Star Bracketology

Compare at Bracket Matrix: 2026 Bubble Watch, 3/15 AM update HERE

fivestarbracketology.com

 

[cyclones500]

Updated yesterday: I'd take it but as of today, Michigan would be a tough 1

5-Star Bracketology

Compare at Bracket Matrix: 2026 Bubble Watch, 3/15 AM update HERE

fivestarbracketology.com

Either of those you posted I think are OK. Each has Alabama as 3 seed and I wonder if that style could cause trouble for ISU if both advance to second weekend. I like getting Houston instead of an East/West regional.

 

[CycloneErik]

Either of those you posted I think are OK. Each has Alabama as 3 seed and I wonder if that style could cause trouble for ISU if both advance to second weekend. I like getting Houston instead of an East/West regional.

I don't know. We're seeded a bit low.

 

[dahliaclone]

I don't follow this particular site, but saw it today. This, honestly, as of today, looks right in a lot of ways for a lot of teams. A few kinda questionable seeds though.

https://charliehergenrother.github.io/bracketology/

 

[83Clone]

I'm not buying all the Iowa hype. Two years ago most of these these guys were at NWMSU, and they lost Sandfort, Freeman and their 2 starting guards. I think we're going to truck them

 

[1UNI2ISU]

I'm not buying all the Iowa hype. Two years ago most of these these guys were at NWMSU, and they lost Sandfort, Freeman and their 2 starting guards. I think we're going to truck them

They have literally one player that ever played a game at NW Mo and he's by far their best player.

The NW Mo guys (Abreu and Mascari) used their one year last year at Drake.

I do think Iowa State wins comfortably but I also think it's important to get facts right.

 

[dahliaclone]

Not a bracket, but a huge jump from last week

Men's college basketball Power Rankings: Michigan leaps to No. 1

The Wolverines had perhaps the best Feast Week to take them over Arizona and Purdue in a roller-coaster No. 1 race.

www.espn.com

 

[VeloClone]

Not a bracket, but a huge jump from last week

Men's college basketball Power Rankings: Michigan leaps to No. 1

The Wolverines had perhaps the best Feast Week to take them over Arizona and Purdue in a roller-coaster No. 1 race.

www.espn.com

Jefferson as "the offensive fulcrum." What a great description.

 

[dahliaclone]

Jefferson as "the offensive fulcrum." What a great description.

And I've said this since last year. He might have gotten more $$ at LSU but THIS GROUP of players we have give him the chance to showcase his skills AND have the team do great things. I respect the **** outta him.