2026 NCAA Tournament Bracket Watch: SEC takes a slight step back, still paces the field

Don’t be too bummed out if you’re a fan of a so-so high major men’s basketball program and you don’t see your squad in this preseason Bracket Watch — NCAA President Charlie Baker and powerful cohorts such as SEC commissioner Greg Sankey are going to make sure the field expands soon. This might screw up a nearly perfect event, but the idea is to get as many middling, undeserving teams with large fanbases into the thing as possible. Hallelujah!

Sorry, couldn’t help the snark. The season’s almost here, and that is cause for legitimate celebration. Feel free to take issue with any of the projections conveyed in this bracket, and answer this question: Does a guess of 13 bids and no one on the top line qualify as disrespecting the SEC?