The Varying States of Bracketology
The 2020-21 college basketball season is unique. All involved - coaches, players, administrators, media, fans - can expect postponements, cancellations and adjustments to the normal cycle of games and the postseason.
This includes the NCAA tournament, which is under the largest microscope after the abrupt end to the 2019-20 season. The 2021 tourney is on schedule, albeit at a single site, but it would be foolish to proceed without pandemic contingencies.
In addition to the standard 68-team NCAA projections, Bracketology now includes 48-team and 16-team versions. The truth is there is no way to know at this point what Selection Sunday will bring, so all bases must be covered .
68-Team Bracket
Bracket Watch
Kansas makes its first appearance on the top line, boasting three Q1 wins and losing only to No. 1 overall seed Gonzaga. The Zags cemented their status with a convincing win over previously unbeaten Iowa, while Villanova has erased any doubts with a 5-0 December record and 2-0 start to Big East play. Keep an eye on Wisconsin and Tennessee, a pair of under-the-radar No. 1 seed candidates heading into the new year.
On the Bubble
Last Four Byes
First Four Out
Last Four In
Next Four Out
68-Team Bracket
First Four
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11USC
48-Team Bracket
Bracket Watch
The cut line for a 48-team field would create a whole bunch of unhappy campers. This edition excludes Louisville, which looked like a team of impostors at Wisconsin on Saturday, unbeaten Arkansas (7-0), Stanford and Virginia Tech, which owns an overtime win over Villanova. But this was the tournament's format in the early 1980s, and that was without the arbitrary elimination of the 10 weakest conference champions.
On the Bubble
Last Four In (at-large)
Last Four In (auto qualifiers)
First Four Out (at-large)
First Four Out (auto qualifiers)
48-Team Bracket
16-Team Bracket
Bracket Watch
Here we go again, with both the Big 12 (Texas Tech) and Big Ten (Michigan) losing a team due to the hard conference cap. Their replacements include one worthy selection (Missouri) and one that's a bit dubious (Duke). The most notable omission, however, is Michigan State, which has fallen from a No. 2 seed to sixth in the Big Ten pecking order after its waxing at the hands of Northwestern on Sunday.