Initial 2027 NCAA Bracket Projection - 11/3/26

 Here is my initial bracket projection of the 2026-27 season.  There have been some games today and yesterday, but this projection doesn't put much weight into those at this point given the extremely small sample size so it's basically a preseason projection.  I had another strong showing last season and am now up to #23 on the bracket matrix rankings.  Some changes to the tourney this year with it expanding to 76 teams. 

1 Seeds:  DUKE, FLORIDA, ILLINOIS,  Arizona

2 Seeds:  HOUSTON, Michigan St, Kansas, CONNECTICUT

3 Seeds:  Virginia, GONZAGA, Louisville, Iowa St

4 Seeds:  Texas Tech, Tennessee, Miami FL, Alabama

5 Seeds:  Vanderbilt, Michigan, Nebraska, Arkansas

6 Seeds:  Texas, UCLA, Kentucky, St John's

7 Seeds:  BYU, Purdue, Indiana, Villanova

8 Seeds:  Ohio St, Marquette, Missouri, Baylor

9 Seeds:  Texas A&M, USC, Cincinnati, Auburn

10 Seeds:  Iowa, Wisconsin, Oklahoma, North Carolina, Georgia, Creighton

11 Seeds:  GRAND CANYON, West Virginia, Clemson, Maryland, NC State, VCU

12 Seeds:  TCU, Providence, Virginia Tech, Xavier, HIGH POINT, WICHITA ST

13 Seeds:  SAINT MARY'S, AKRON, MCNEESE ST, ILLINOIS CHICAGO

14 Seeds:  UC SANTA BARBARA, UNC WILMINGTON, WESTERN KENTUCKY, PENN

15 Seeds:  MONTANA ST, FURMAN, WRIGHT ST, ST. THOMAS, JAMES MADISON, TARLETON ST

16 Seeds:  HOWARD, QUEENS, VERMONT, AMERICAN, MERRIMACK, BETHUNE COOKMAN, TENNESSEE ST, LIU

Last 4 In:

TCU

Providence

Virginia Tech

Xavier

First 4 Out:

Saint Louis

Utah St

Oklahoma St

Oregon

Next 4 Out:

Ole Miss

New Mexico

SMU

LSU

NCAA Bracket Projection - 3/15/26 - FINAL

I made a couple of adjustments after further evaluation.

1 Seeds:  DUKE, Michigan, ARIZONA, Florida

2 Seeds:  Houston, Connecticut, Iowa St, PURDUE

3 Seeds:  Michigan St, Virginia, GONZAGA, Illinois

4 Seeds:  Vanderbilt, Nebraska, Alabama, ST. JOHN'S

5 Seeds:  ARKANSAS, Kansas, Texas Tech, Wisconsin

6 Seeds:  Tennessee, North Carolina, Louisville, BYU

7 Seeds:  Saint Mary's, Kentucky, Miami FL, UCLA

8 Seeds:  UTAH ST, Clemson, Villanova, Ohio St

9 Seeds:  Georgia, Iowa, Saint Louis, TCU

10 Seeds:  NC State, UCF, Texas A&M, Santa Clara

11 Seeds:  VCU, Missouri, SMU, Miami OH, Texas, SOUTH FLORIDA

12 Seeds:  AKRON, MCNEESE ST, HIGH POINT, NORTHERN IOWA

13 Seeds:  CAL BAPTIST, HOFSTRA, HAWAII, NORTH DAKOTA ST

14 Seeds:  TROY, PENN, WRIGHT ST, KENNESAW ST

15 Seeds:  TENNESSEE ST, UMBC, SIENA, IDAHO

16 Seeds:  QUEENS, FURMAN, LIU, HOWARD, LEHIGH, PRAIRIE VIEW A&M

Last 4 Byes:

NC State

UCF

Texas A&M

Santa Clara

Last 4 In:

Missouri

SMU

Miami OH

Texas

First 4 Out:

San Diego st

Auburn

Oklahoma

Indiana

NCAA Bracket Projection - 3/15/26 - PM Update

Here's my afternoon update with a couple of games remaining.  This should be "mostly" final but I may make a couple changes in the next 90 minutes.

1 Seeds:  DUKE, MICHIGAN, ARIZONA, Florida

2 Seeds:  Houston, Connecticut, Iowa St, Purdue

3 Seeds:  Michigan St, Virginia, GONZAGA, Vanderbilt

4 Seeds:  Illinois, Nebraska, Alabama, ST. JOHN'S

5 Seeds:  ARKANSAS, Kansas, Texas Tech, Wisconsin

6 Seeds:  Tennessee, North Carolina, Louisville, BYU

7 Seeds:  Saint Mary's, Kentucky, Miami FL, UTAH ST

8 Seeds:  UCLA, Clemson, Villanova, Ohio St

9 Seeds:  Georgia, Iowa, Saint Louis, TCU

10 Seeds:  NC State, UCF, Texas A&M, Santa Clara

11 Seeds:  VCU, Missouri, SMU, Miami OH, Texas, SOUTH FLORIDA

12 Seeds:  AKRON, MCNEESE ST, HIGH POINT, NORTHERN IOWA

13 Seeds:  CAL BAPTIST, HOFSTRA, HAWAII, NORTH DAKOTA ST

14 Seeds:  TROY, PENN, WRIGHT ST, KENNESSAW ST

15 Seeds:  TENNESSEE ST, SIENA, QUEENS, IDAHO

16 Seeds:  UMBC, FURMAN, LIU, HOWARD, LEHIGH, PRAIRIE VIEW A&M

Last 4 Byes:

NC State

UCF

Texas A&M

Santa Clara

Last 4 In:

Missouri

SMU

Miami OH

Texas

First 4 Out:

San Diego St

Auburn

Oklahoma

Indiana

Next 4 Out:

New Mexico

Virginia Tech

Seton Hall

Stanford

NCAA Bracket Projection - 3/14/26

1 Seeds:  MICHIGAN, DUKE, ARIZONA, FLORIDA

2 Seeds:  Houston, Connecticut, Iowa St, Michigan St

3 Seeds:  Purdue, Virginia, GONZAGA, Illinois

4 Seeds:  Nebraska, Vanderbilt, Alabama, Kansas

5 Seeds:  Arkansas, Texas Tech, ST. JOHN'S, Tennessee

6 Seeds:  Louisville, Wisconsin, North Carolina, BYU

7 Seeds:  Saint Mary's, Kentucky, Miami FL, UCLA

8 Seeds:  Clemson, Villanova, UTAH ST, Georgia

9 Seeds:  Ohio St, SAINT LOUIS, Iowa, TCU

10 Seeds:  NC State, UCF, Santa Clara, Texas A&M

11 Seeds:  VCU, Missouri, SMU, Miami OH, Texas, SOUTH FLORIDA

12 Seeds:  AKRON, MCNEESE ST, YALE HIGH POINT

13 Seeds:  UTAH VALLEY, NORTHERN IOWA, HOFSTRA, NORTH DAKOTA ST

14 Seeds:  UC IRVINE, TROY, WRIGHT ST, TENNESSEE ST

15 Seeds:  SIENA, QUEENS, UMBC, FURMAN

16 Seeds:  LIU, IDAHO, LOUISIANA TECH, HOWARD, SOUTHERN, LEHIGH

Last 4 Byes:

UCF

Santa Clara

Texas A&M

VCU

Last 4 In:

Missouri

SMU

Miami OH

Texas

First 4 Out:

Auburn

San Diego St

Oklahoma

Indiana

Next 4 Out:

New Mexico

Seton Hall

Virginia Tech

Stanford

NCAA Bracket Projection - 3/13/26

1 Seeds:  MICHIGAN, DUKE, ARIZONA, FLORIDA

2 Seeds:  Houston, Connecticut, Michigan St, Iowa St

3 Seeds:  Illinois, Nebraska, Purdue, Alabama

4 Seeds:  GONZAGA, Virginia, Kansas, Vanderbilt

5 Seeds:  Texas Tech, Arkansas, ST. JOHN'S, Tennessee

6 Seeds:  North Carolina, Louisville, Wisconsin, BYU

7 Seeds:  Saint Mary's, Kentucky, Miami FL, Clemson

8 Seeds:  Villanova, UTAH ST, UCLA, Georgia

9 Seeds:  Ohio St, SAINT LOUIS, Iowa, TCU

10 Seeds:  NC State, Santa Clara, UCF, Texas A&M

11 Seeds:  VCU, Missouri, SMU, Miami OH, Texas, SOUTH FLORIDA

12 Seeds:  AKRON, MCNEESE ST, YALE, HIGH POINT

13 Seeds:  UTAH VALLEY, NORTHERN IOWA, HOFSTRA, SAM HOUSTON ST

14 Seeds:  NORTH DAKOTA ST, UC IRVINE, TROY, WRIGHT ST

15 Seeds:  TENNESSEE ST, SIENA, QUEENS, FURMAN

16 Seeds:  UMBC, IDAHO, LIU, HOWARD, FLORIDA A&M, LEHIGH

Last 4 Byes:

Santa Clara

UCF

Texas A&M

VCU

Last 4 In:

Missouri

SMU

Miami OH

Texas

First 4 Out:

New Mexico

Indiana

Auburn

San Diego St

Next 4 Out:

Oklahoma

Virginia Tech

Cincinnati

Seton Hall

NCAA Bracket Projection - 3/12/26

1 Seeds:  MICHIGAN, DUKE, ARIZONA, FLORIDA

2 Seeds:  Houston, Connecticut, Michigan St, Illinois

3 Seeds:  Iowa St, Nebraska, GONZAGA, Purdue

4 Seeds:  Alabama, Virginia, Texas Tech, Kansas

5 Seeds:  Vanderbilt, Arkansas, ST. JOHN'S, Louisville

6 Seeds:  North Carolina, Tennessee, Wisconsin, BYU

7 Seeds:  Saint Mary's, Villanova, Kentucky, Georgia

8 Seeds:  Miami FL, UTAH ST, UCLA, Clemson

9 Seeds:  Ohio St, SAINT LOUIS, Iowa, TCU

10 Seeds:  NC State, UCF, Texas A&M, Santa Clara

11 Seeds:  Missouri, SMU, Texas, MIAMI OH, VCU, Indiana

12 Seeds:  SOUTH FLORIDA, MCNEESE ST, YALE, HIGH POINT

13 Seeds:  UTAH VALLEY, NORTHERN IOWA, HOFSTRA, SAM HOUSTON ST

14 Seeds:  NORTH DAKOTA ST, UC IRVINE, TROY, WRIGHT ST

15 Seeds:  TENNESSEE ST, SIENA, QUEENS, UMBC

16 Seeds:  FUMAN, IDAHO, LIU, HOWARD, FLORIDA A&M, LEHIGH

Last 4 Byes:

UCF

Texas A&M

Santa Clara

Missouri

Last 4 In:

SMU

Texas

VCU

Indiana

First 4 Out:

Auburn

New Mexico

San Diego St

Stanford

Next 4 Out:

Oklahoma

Virginia Tech

Cincinnati

California

NCAA Bracket Projections - 3/11/26

1 Seeds:  MICHIGAN, DUKE, ARIZONA, FLORIDA

2 Seeds:  Houston, Connecticut, Michigan St, Illinois

3 Seeds:  Nebraska, Purdue, Iowa St, Alabama

4 Seeds:  GONZAGA, Virginia, Texas Tech, Kansas

5 Seeds:  Vanderbilt, Arkansas, ST. JOHN'S, Louisville

6 Seeds:  North Carolina, Tennessee, Wisconsin, BYU

7 Seeds:  Saint Mary's, Villanova, Kentucky, Georgia

8 Seeds:  Miami FL, UCLA, UTAH ST, Clemson

9 Seeds:  SAINT LOUIS, Ohio St, Iowa, TCU

10 Seeds:  Texas A&M, NC State, UCF, Santa Clara

11 Seeds:  VCU, Texas, Missouri, SMU, Indiana, MIAMI OH

12 Seeds:  SOUTH FLORIDA, YALE, HIGH POINT, STEPHEN F AUSTIN

13 Seeds:  NORTHERN IOWA, LIBERTY, UTAH VALLEY, HOFSTRA

14 Seeds:  NORTH DAKOTA ST, UC IRVINE, TROY, WRIGHT ST

15 Seeds:  TENNESSEE ST, SIENA, QUEENS, UMBC

16 Seeds:  FURMAN, LIU, HOWARD, MONTANA, BETHUNE COOKMAN, LEHIGH

Last 4 Byes:

NC State

UCF

Santa Clara

VCU

Last 4 In:

Texas

Missouri

SMU

Indiana

First 4 Out:

Auburn

New Mexico

Cincinnati

San Diego St

Next 4 Out:

Stanford

Virginia Tech

Oklahoma

Seton Hall