March Madness bracket predictions 2.0: Projecting the Field of 68 for 2026 NCAA Tournament

Two unbeaten teams are left in college basketball heading into the second week of February. 

Will that list be down to one by Tuesday? Arizona (23-0) travels to Kansas (18-5) in a blockbuster Big 12 matchup to start the week. Wildcats freshman  Koa Peat and Brayden Burries and Kansas freshman Darryn Peterson will be on the huge stage in that matchup. 

Arizona remains the No. 1 overall seed in our second 2025-26 Sporting News second men's bracketology for the 2025-26 Men's Basketball Tournament. Michigan, Duke and UConn are the other No. 1 seeds for the second straight week. The Wildcats could be on pace for the best record in school history. That was the 1987-88 team that finished 35-3 and reached the Final Four for the first time under Lute Olson.

Arizona lost in the Final Four that season, while Kansas won the national championship. That's something to think about on Monday. 

Miami, Ohio  (24-0) is the other unbeaten team out of the Mid-American Conference. The RedHawks' home matchup against rival Ohio (13-12) was flexed to Friday. A little #MACtion never hurts, right? 

Santa Clara, San Diego State, Miami (Fla.) and Cal are our last Four Teams In. Ohio State, New Mexico, Missouri and Seton Hall are our first Four Teams Out. 

This year's Final Four is April 4-6 at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. 

Moved in: Morgan State, UMBC, Santa Clara, USC 

Moved out: Maryland Eastern Shore, Vermont, Seton Hall, New Mexico 

Who is in our latest Field of 68? A closer look: 

MORE: Sporting News 2025-26 midseason college basketball All-America team

NCAA tournament Field of 68 projections

* - Projected automatic bid
** - Last four in 

No. 1 Seeds

*Arizona (23-0, 10-0 Big 12) 

Resume: KenPom 2, Net 2. The Wildcats have four straight games against ranked teams, starting with Monday's matchup against Kansas. It's a grind,, and we have the Wildcats slightly ahead of Michigan based on a 14-0 record against Quads 1-2. 

*Michigan (22-1, 12-1 Big Ten) 

Resume: KenPom 1, Net 1. The Wolverines have won eight straight games – and point guard Elliot Cadeau 5.9 assists through that streak. Cadeau did not have a turnover in victories against Penn State and Ohio State. That's the key for second-year coach Dusty May. 

*Duke (21-2, 10-1 ACC) 

Resume: KenPom: 3, Net: 3. The 71-68 loss to North Carolina, and Duke coach Jon Scheyer's rant about court storming afterward, will continue to be a talking point. The Blue Devils still have 10 Quad 1 victories – the most of any Division I team. Clemson comes to Cameron Indoor Coliseum on Saturday. 

*UConn (22-2, 12-1 Big East) 

Resume: KenPom: 8, Net: 8. Same speech here. The 81-72 loss to St. John's stings, but the Huskies will run that back on Feb. 25. Guard Silas Demary Jr. had a season-high nine turnovers in the loss. We'll keep UConn on this line for now. 

No. 2 Seeds

Iowa State (21-2, 8-2 Big 12) 

Resume: KenPom: 6, Net: 5. The Cyclones have a case for a No. 1 seed. Iowa State has a 5-2 record against Quad 1 – which matches UConn. Iowa State plays at TCU on Tuesday before a home matchup against Kansas. Iowa State has won the last three home meetings in the series with the Jayhawks. 

Houston (21-2, 9-1 Big 12) 

Resume: KenPom: 5, Net: 6. The Cougars have allowed 61.3 points per game in four victories since the loss to Texas Tech on Jan. 24. Houston has an average rebounding margin of plus-6.5 in those games. 

*Florida (17-6, 8-2 SEC) 

Resume: KenPom: 7, Net: 9. The Gators have a 6-4 record against Quad 1, which is comparable to the Big Ten schools fighting to stay on this line. Forward Thomas Haugh averaged 27.8 points per game in the Gators' last four games. 

Illinois (20-4, 11-2 Big Ten) 

Resume: KenPom: 4, Net: 4. Michigan State or Nebraska could go here, but the Illini have the better ranking combination than those two schools. Illinois has one more Quad 1 victory than the Huskers and does not have a Quad 2 loss like Michigan State. Those three schools are interchangeable on this line.

No. 3 Seeds 

Nebraska (21-2, 10-2 Big Ten) 

Resume: KenPom: 11, Net: 11. Nebraska has a combined 1-2 record against Michigan State, Michigan and Illinois in the Big Ten. The Huskers can silence some doubters at home against Purdue on Tuesday. 

Michigan State (20-4, 10-2 Big Ten) 

Resume: KenPom: 9, Net: 12. Guard Jeremy Fears Jr. averages 22.3 points and 11 assists in Michigan State's last three games. The Spartans also have a strong case for that No. 2 seed. 

Gonzaga (23-2, 11-1 West Coast) 

Resume: KenPom: 12, Net: 7. The 87-80 loss at Portland was a shocker, but the Bulldogs can retake control of the West Coast Conference against Santa Clara on Saturday. Gonzaga has lost two of the last five meetings to the Broncos. 

Kansas (18-5, 8-2 Big 12) 

Resume: KenPom 13, Net 13. Kansas continues to thrive with forward Flory Bidunga, who averages 14.6 points, 8.9 rebounds and ranks second in the nation with 2.8 blocks per game. Kansas plays Arizona and Iowa State this week. 

MORE: Comparing NBA draft stock between Darryn Peterson and A.J. Dybantsa

No. 4 seeds 

Purdue (19-4, 9-3 Big Ten) 

Resume: KenPom: 10, Net: 10. The Boilermakers also could pass off as a No. 3 seed, and they can prove it on a tough week with road trips to Nebraska on Tuesday and Iowa on Saturday. 

Virginia (20-3, 9-2 ACC) 

Resume: KenPom 15, Net 16. Four players average double-figures for Virginia under first-year coach Ryan Odom. The Cavaliers have a unique neutral-site game against Ohio State in Nashville, Tenn., on Saturday. 

Vanderbilt (19-4, 6-4 SEC) 

Resume: KenPom 14, Net 14. A 92-91 loss to Oklahoma on Saturday was the biggest miss in SEC play so far. Vanderbilt still has a strong 6-3 record against Quad 1 under coach Mark Byington. 

St. John's (18-5, 11-1 Big East) 

Resume: KenPom 16, Net 22. Rick Pitino guided the Red Storm to an 81-72 victory against UConn on Feb. 6, which snapped the Huskies' 18-game winning streak. St. John's now has a 4-4 record against Quad 1 opponents. 

No. 5 seeds

Texas Tech (17-6, 7-3) 

Resume: KenPom 21, Net 19. JT Toppin leads the Red Raiders with 21 points per game. The Red Raiders face Colorado on Wednesday before a huge matchup at Arizona on Saturday. 

Alabama (16-7, 6-4 SEC) 

Resume: KenPom 20, Net 23. Guard Labaron Philon averaged 24 points per game in victories against Texas A&M and Auburn last week, which got the Crimson Tide back on track in the SEC race. 

North Carolina (19-4, 7-3 ACC) 

Resume: KenPom 27, Net 24. The Tar Heels are trending upward after Seth Trimble's buzzer-beater gave North Carolina a 71-68 victory against rival Duke. The Tar Heels are 5-4 against Quad 1 now. 

MORE: UNC stuns Duke with Seth Trimble's last-second 3-pointer

Louisville (17-6, 7-4 ACC) 

Resume: KenPom 19, Net 17. The Cardinals are 4-6 against Quad 1 opponents and do not have a loss in Quads 2-4 heading into Monday's matchup against NC State. 

No. 6 seeds

BYU (17-6, 5-5 Big 12) 

Resume: KenPom 22, Net 18. AJ Dybantsa leads Division I with 24 points per game, but the Cougars have lost four straight games heading into a Wednesday matchup against Baylor. 

Arkansas (17-6, 7-3 SEC) 

Resume: KenPom 23, Net 26. The Razorbacks have won four of their last five games under John Calipari, and they have a perfect 12-0 record outside of Quad 1. Arkansas plays at LSU on Tuesday. 

Clemson (20-4, 10-1 ACC) 

Resume: KenPom 29, Net 30. The Tigers stay on the line for now, and the best chances to make a splash are Saturday at Duke and on March 3 at North Carolina. Brad Brownell has the Tigers in line for a third straight tournament appearance. 

Tennessee (16-7, 6-4 SEC) 

Resume: KenPom 17, Net 21. The loss to Kentucky was a setback, but Rick Barnes should be able to get Tennessee back on track. Vanderbilt is the only ranked team left on Tennessee's schedule as of now. 

No. 7 seeds 

Kentucky (17-7, 8-3 SEC) 

Resume: KenPom 31, Net 28. Kentucky rallied for a 74-71 victory against Tennessee, so it's OK to swap the Wildcats with the Vols if you want. Kentucky does have one Quad 2 loss, which is a small separator. 

Saint Louis (23-1, 11-0 Atlantic 10) 

Resume: KenPom 25, Net 15. The Billikins would be a strong at-large candidate at this point. Center Robbie Avila averages 11 points and six assists in St. Louis' last three games. 

Iowa (18-5, 8-4 Big Ten) 

Resume: KenPom 18, Net 20. Iowa bumps up this week. The Hawkeyes are allowing just 63.8 points per game, which ranks eighth in Division I. Four of Iowa's last eight games are against Nebraska (twice), Michigan and Purdue. 

NC State (18-6, 9-2 ACC) 

Resume: KenPom 24, Net 27. The Wolfpack is trending in the right direction under first-year coach Will Wade. NC State has won six straight games and can build on that momentum Monday at Louisville. 

No. 8 seeds 

Texas A&M (17-6, 7-3 SEC) 

Resume: KenPom 33, Net 39. The Aggies allowed 93 points per game in losses to Alabama and Florida. First-year coach Bucky McMilan still has Texas A&M in the SEC hunt, but a home matchup against Missouri on Wednesday will be telling. 

Villanova (18-5, 9-3 Big East) 

Resume: KenPom 28, Net 32. The Wildcats have won three straight games since a 75-67 overtime loss against UConn on Jan. 24. Villanova is 3-4 against Quad 1 opponents. 

Auburn (14-9, 5-5 SEC) 

Resume: KenPom 30, Net 31. It's a huge week for Auburn, which lost to Tennessee and Auburn last week. The SEC grind continues against Vanderbilt on Tuesday and at Arkansas on Saturday. 

*Utah State (20-3, 11-2 MWC) 

Resume: KenPom 26, Net 25. MJ Collins leads the Aggies with 18.5 points per game. Utah State is one of two Mountain West Conference bids for now. The West Coast Conference has three. Keep an eye on that in February. 

Rest of the field ... 

No. 9 seeds 

Saint Mary's (21-4, 10-2 West Coast) 

Resume: KenPom 32, Net 29. 

SMU (16-7, 5-5 ACC) 

Resume: KenPom 36, Net 34.

Wisconsin (16-7, 8-4 Big Ten) 

Resume: KenPom 40, Net 43.

UCLA (17-7, 9-4 Big Ten) 

Resume: KenPom 39, Net 38.

No. 10 seeds 

Indiana (16-8, 7-6 Big Ten) 

Resume: KenPom 35, Net 33.

Georgia (17-6, 5-5 SEC) 

Resume: KenPom 37, Net 35. 

Texas (15-9, 6-5 SEC) 

Resume: KenPom 34, Net 36.

UCF (17-6, 6-5 Big 12) 

Resume: KenPom 50, Net 44.

No. 11 seeds

*Miami, Ohio (24-0, 11-0 MAC) 

Resume: KenPom: 85, Net: 54. 

USC (18-6, 7-6 Big Ten) 

Resume: KenPom 48, Net 48. 

**Santa Clara (21-5, 12-1 West Coast) 

Resume: KenPom 38, Net 41. 

**San Diego State (15-6, 9-2 MWC)

Resume: KenPom 41, Net 42.

**Miami, Fla. (18-5, 7-3 ACC) 

Resume: KenPom 43, Net 37. 

**Cal (17-7, 5-6) 

Resume: KenPom 71, Net 60. 

No. 12 seeds

*Tulsa (20-3, 8-2 American) 

Resume: KenPom: 55, Net: 47. 

*Belmont (22-3, 12-2 MVC) 

Resume: KenPom 58, Net: 56. 

*Yale (17-4, 6-2 Ivy) 

Resume: KenPom: 75, Net: 65.  

*Liberty (20-3, 12-0 Conference USA) 

Resume: KenPom: 90, Net: 80. 

No. 13 seeds

*Stephen F. Austin (21-3, 14-1 Southland) 

Resume: Net: 84, KenPom: 76.

*Utah Valley (18-6, 8-3 WAC) 

Resume: KenPom: 86, Net: 85. 

*UNC-Wilmington (19-4, 8-2 CAA) 

Resume: KenPom: 115, Net: 104.

*North Dakota State (20-6, 10-1 Summit) 

Resume: KenPom: 130, Net: 129.

No. 14 seeds

*ETSU (18-7, 10-2 Southern) 

Resume: KenPom: 121, Net: 116. 

*UC-Irvine (16-8, 9-3 Big West) 

Resume: KenPom: 116, Net: 117. 

*Winthrop (18-8, 10-1 Big South) 

Resume: KenPom: 125, Net: 123. 

*Troy (17-8, 9-3 Sun Belt) 

Resume: KenPom: 124, Net: 115.

No. 15 seeds 

*Portland State (16-6, 10-1 Big Sky) 

Resume: KenPom: 136, Net: 120.

*Wright State (16-9, 11-3 Horizon) 

Resume: KenPom: 139, Net: 130. 

*Austin Peay (17-6, 11-1 Atlantic Sun) 

Resume: KenPom: 152, Net: 136.

*Navy (19-6, 11-1 Patriot) 

Resume: KenPom: 166, Net: 159.

No. 16 seeds

*UT-Martin (19-6, 11-3 OVC) 

Resume: KenPom: 204, Net: 177. 

*Merrimack (16-9, 12-2 MAAC) 

Resume: KenPom: 182, Net: 197. 

**Long Island (16-8, 10-1 Northeast) 

Resume: KenPom: 206, Net: 187. 

**Bethune-Cookman (12-11, 9-1 SWAC)

Resume: KenPom: 224, Net: 235. 

**UMBC (14-8, 7-2 America East) 

Resume: KenPom: 260, Net: 263. 

**Morgan State (10-13, 6-2 MEAC) 

Resume: KenPom: 355, Net: 355. 

Bubble watch 

Ohio State (15-8, 7-6 Big Ten) 

Resume: KenPom 42, Net 40. The Buckeyes have a strong ranking combination, but a 0-7 record against Quad 1 opponents is going to be a talking point until it changes. Remember how this went for Indiana last year? 

New Mexico (18-6, 9-4 MWC) 

Resume: KenPom 44, Net 42. The Lobos had back-to-back losses to Boise State and Utah State, which puts a premium on a road trip to Grand Canyon on Wednesday. 

Missouri (16-7, 6-4 SEC) 

Resume: KenPom 52, Net 62. It's a big bubble week for the Tigers, who travel to Texas A&M on Wednesday and face Texas on Saturday. Four of Missouri's last six games are against ranked teams. 

Seton Hall (16-6, 6-5 Big East) 

Resume: KenPom 49, Net 52. Fourth-year coach Shaheen Holloway is still trying to get Seton Hall into the tournament. The Pirates have stayed on the bubble, but a 1-4 Quad 1 record and four Quad 2 losses could hurt in March.