Men's Bracketology: 2026 NCAA Tournament
What do bracketologists do in the college basketball offseason? The answer, of course, is work on forecasting next season's field of 68! We've been tracking every transfer, portal maneuver and NBA draft entry (and exit) in a comprehensive database of rosters that we use to project the offensive and defensive efficiency of each team and its rank within every conference. The result is an updated bracket each month until October.
Bracket Watch
No one would question the significant personnel losses incurred by defending NCAA champion Florida. Replacing a backcourt of Walter Clayton Jr., Will Richard and Alijah Martin is no easy task: The trio combined for better than 46 points per game, and Clayton made numerous clutch shots in the Gators' title-winning season. ESPN 100 freshmen Alexander Lloyd and Cornelius Ingram Jr. will help fill the void, but it's two stellar transfer portal additions -- Xaivian Lee (Princeton) and the surprising entry Boogie Fland (Arkansas) -- who make the Gators a legitimate threat to repeat. Add returning big man Alex Condon to an already loaded frontcourt, and it's no wonder Florida jumps up to the top line. This team has all the pieces to make a Final Four return and win the title again. The Gators won't be overwhelming favorites like Billy Donovan's repeat champions in 2007, but the 2026 Gators will be in the mix next March.
On the Bubble
68-Team Bracket
Photo illo by ESPN Illustration, additional photos courtesy of Getty Images, Associated Press, Imagn, USA TODAY Sports, Icon Sportswire, EPA/Shutterstock
