2026 Men’s NCAA Tournament Projections: Michigan Reclaims No. 1 seed, ACC Rising

Following a week of dominant wins (Vanderbilt, Iowa State, Alabama), a lot of close calls (Michigan, UConn, Virginia) and some upsets — Indiana topped No. 12 Purdue on Tuesday — it’s time for a new NCAA tournament bracket prediction. And we’ve got FOX Sports bracket forecaster Mike DeCourcy’s updated bracket projections. Ahead of a loaded weekend basketball schedule on deck, DeCourcy shares his latest NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament projections. The ACC now joins the Big Ten with the most teams to make it to March Madness, and UConn, Duke, Michigan and Arizona sitting as the No. 1 seeds this time around. Here’s where his projected bracket stands through Jan. 30. EAST REGION SOUTH REGION MIDWEST REGION WEST REGION [NCAA: Men’s Rankings Have Nebraska, Michigan State Making Big Jumps] And it’s never too early to check in on the bubble. According to DeCourcy’s projections, Ohio State, George Mason, Cal and Virginia Tech are the last four teams in the tournament, while San Diego State, Missouri, Indiana and Stanford are the first four out. As for conference representation, the Big Ten and the ACC lead the way with 10 teams each in DeCourcy’s latest tournament projections, followed by the SEC with nine teams, the Big 12 with seven teams and the Big East with three. The West Coast, Atlantic 10 and Mountain West conferences have two teams each. Selection Sunday is less than two months away, and these projections will inevitably evolve. But for now, DeCourcy’s latest bracket forecast offers a clear snapshot of who’s rising, who’s falling, and which programs are already building the résumés they’ll need when March arrives.