As the college basketball season kicks off, the inaugural CBS Sports Bracketology simulation for the 2025-26 campaign offers intriguing insights into the upcoming months. Leading the pack as the No. 1 overall seed is Duke, which currently ranks sixth in the preseason AP Top 25 poll. The Blue Devils have shown promise through an impressive exhibition schedule that highlighted the talents of five-star freshman forward, Cam Boozer. Joining Duke on the projected top seed line are Purdue, Michigan, and St. John’s.
Reigning national champions, Florida, are set as a projected No. 2 seed, with UConn being the highest-ranked No. 3 seed in the simulation. The Southeastern Conference (SEC) is again expected to dominate, as indicated by the projected number of teams participating from various high-major conferences:
– SEC (13 teams): Florida, Arkansas, Alabama, Tennessee, Vanderbilt, Kentucky, Auburn, Missouri, Mississippi State, Oklahoma, Texas A&M, Georgia, Texas
– Big Ten (12 teams): Purdue, Michigan, Illinois, Ohio State, UCLA, Michigan State, USC, Oregon, Wisconsin, Iowa, Maryland, Nebraska
– Big 12 (8 teams): BYU, Houston, Arizona, Kansas, Iowa State, Texas Tech, Baylor, Oklahoma State
– ACC (5 teams): Duke, Louisville, North Carolina, NC State, Virginia
– Big East (4 teams): St. John’s, UConn, Creighton, Villanova
As the new season begins, excitement fills the air with every team undefeated on opening day. The journey toward Selection Sunday is underway for those eager to hear their names called.
A closer look at the projections reveals some noteworthy insights. The situation for Ole Miss is particularly varied; predictions for their league finish range dramatically from sixth to fourteenth. This discrepancy reflects the uncertainty around the Rebels following their Sweet 16 appearance last season. Different analytics sources present vastly differing views: KenPom.com rates them No. 24, positioning them firmly for at-large consideration, while evanmiya.com ranks them 52nd, and barttorvik.com places them at 45th. Ultimately, the CBS model suggests they may fall short of the bubble this year.
Oklahoma State is projected as one of the surprise entrants in this year’s Bracketology. The Cowboys, under first-year coach Steve Lutz, have shown signs of growth, transitioning from a 17-18 record and a couple of NIT victories to a projected NCAA Tournament berth. A key factor in this positive outlook is Anthony Roy, a transfer guard who averaged an impressive 25.7 points in his previous season at Green Bay. Lutz’s ability to mold this talented team could potentially return Oklahoma State to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2021.
The initial model indicates a notable trend: it assigns all at-large bids to high-major programs, downplaying the chances for multi-bid leagues such as the Mountain West and West Coast Conference. While this might seem surprising, last season’s results reflected a similar reality, with only four teams from outside high-major leagues receiving at-large bids.
As we dive into this exciting new season, hope abounds for teams and their fans nationwide, with each new game presenting an opportunity for stories of resilience, growth, and potential postseason glory.