Final March Madness Bracketology Projects 2026 NCAA Field

USA TODAY’s final bracketology projects Duke as the overall No. 1 seed in the East, with Michigan, Florida and Arizona placed in their regional zones (Midwest/South/West). The bubble narrows as several contenders falter in conference play, allowing others to claim spots; Miami (Ohio) earns a bid as MAC champion, while Akron secures the automatic bid. The last four in are Texas, Missouri, SMU and Miami (Ohio); Oklahoma, San Diego State, New Mexico and Auburn are the first four out. Conference bids breakdown: SEC 10, Big Ten 9, ACC 8, Big 12 8, with the remainder from smaller leagues.