The NCAA men’s tournament played its final 68-team field this year. Expansion conversations that buzzed for the last two years were made official in May, with the men’s and women’s tournaments expanding to 76 teams beginning next year. They will feature an expanded opening round of 12 play-in games into the main 64-team draw.
That got us thinking: What would a 76-team bracket actually have looked like for the 2025–26 season? Sports Illustrated put on its selection committee cap and went to work rebuilding the bracket in 76-team format. Who’s in, who’s stuck in a play-in round and who’s still out? Here’s a look into the potential future of one of America’s most beloved sporting events:
