Men's Bracketology: 2026 NCAA Tournament
The nonconference portion of the 2025-26 season is slowly beginning to wind down, and the sport will be fully enmeshed in conference play in less than a month. We'll accordingly have updated Bracketology projections every Tuesday through the end of the calendar year, with twice-weekly updates (Tuesday and Friday) beginning in early January.
Bracket Watch
There are wins that get a team into the NCAA tournament, and there are wins that change a season. Iowa State managed both in one afternoon. Not that this year's Cyclones were ever going to be a bubble team, but what they did to Purdue on the road in Mackey Arena will certainly change the trajectory of their season. The Cyclones have never been a 1-seed -- twice a No. 2, in 2000 and 2001 -- but they're now firmly in the top line conversation after a 23-point blowout of the previously unbeaten and presumptive 1-seed Boilermakers. Iowa State also is one of only eight unbeaten teams remaining, alongside fellow top seeds Michigan, Duke and Arizona. Of course, there's no way of knowing how the Big 12 winds will blow and where the Cyclones will land on Selection Sunday. What we do know is that this team, especially with Tamin Lipsey back, could hang a Final Four banner for the first time since 1944.
On the Bubble
Last Four Byes
Last Four In
First Four Out
Next Four Out
68-Team Bracket
MIDWEST (CHICAGO)
Buffalo
San Diego
- 4 Kansas
Greenville
Portland
- 7
Nebraska - 10
NC State - 15 Colgate - aq
SOUTH (HOUSTON)
St. Louis
- 9 Kentucky
Philadelphia
- 12 Tulsa - aq
- 13
Liberty - aq
Buffalo
- 6 Auburn
- 14 Siena - aq
Portland
- 10 Ohio State
- 2 BYU
EAST (WASHINGTON D.C.)
Greenville
- 8 Georgia
Tampa
- 4 Illinois
Oklahoma City
- 6 USC
Philadelphia
WEST (SAN JOSE)
San Diego
Tampa
- 5 Florida
Oklahoma City
St. Louis
Photo illo by ESPN Illustration, additional photos courtesy of Getty Images, Associated Press, Imagn, USA TODAY Sports, Icon Sportswire, EPA/Shutterstock
