By Charlie Creme Updated: 10/1/2025 at 9 a.m. ETWhen we last forecasted the bracket in April, the UConn Huskies had just been crowned champions and the transfer portal was winding down with most players already having picked their destinations. Even if some rosters haven’t changed since then, the evaluations of them continue — so, with a month before the 2025-26 season opens, here is a fresh look at what March might look like.
Region 4 SacramentoAustin1 Texas16 Longwood – aq8 Minnesota9 StanfordAmes5 USC12 Green Bay – aq4 Iowa State – aq13 Stephen F. Austin – aqChapel Hill6 TCU11 Georgia/ Illinois3 North Carolina14 Montana – aqNorman7 Washington10 Virginia Tech2 Oklahoma15 California Baptist – aq
Bracket WatchTop Overall SeedUConnFirst Team OutColoradoLast Team InColumbiaJuJu Watkins’ announcement that she will sit out the season as she continues to recover from a torn ACL suffered in the second round of the 2025 NCAA tournament is the big news as we enter the final month before the season. Obviously, that impacts USC, the Big Ten race and the national title chase. However, it doesn’t change the Trojans’ status in Bracketology that much. Even if Watkins played in 2025-26, no one expected her back until late in the season, so the projection for USC already took that into account. With Kennedy Smith back for her sophomore year, the nation’s top recruiting class, led by Jasmine Davidson plus the additions of veteran transfers Kara Dunn (Georgia Tech) and Londynn Jones (UCLA), USC could still compete for a top-four seed — still a far cry from the surefire No. 1 seed the Trojans would have been projected with a healthy Watkins, though.
On the BubbleLast Four Byes Florida State SMU Villanova GeorgiaLast Four In Virginia Tech Illinois George Mason ColumbiaFirst Four Out Colorado Marquette Florida Kansas StateNext Four Out Utah Missouri Seton Hall UNLV
Last Four In Virginia Tech Illinois George Mason Columbia
First Four Out Colorado Marquette Florida Kansas State
16Texas Southern16Fairleigh Dickinson11Columbia11George Mason11Georgia11Illinois16NC A&T16Howard
Region 1 Fort WorthStorrs1 UConn – aq16 Texas Southern – aq/ Fairleigh Dickinson – aq8 Miami9 NebraskaLouisville5 Iowa12 Belmont – aq4 Louisville13 James Madison – aqCollege Park6 Vanderbilt11 Columbia/ George Mason3 Maryland14 Chattanooga – aqKnoxville7 Princeton – aq10 SMU2 Tennessee15 Maine – aq
Region 2 Fort WorthColumbia1aq – South Carolina16aq – NC A&Taq – Howard/8 Indiana9 VirginiaSouth Bend5aq – Richmond12aq – San Diego State4 Notre Dame13aq – Kent StateOxford6aq – Oklahoma State11aq – South Florida3 Ole Miss14aq – Central ArkansasRaleigh7 Kentucky10 Villanova2 NC State15aq – Army
Region 3 SacramentoLos Angeles1aq – UCLA16aq – UC Irvine8 West Virginia9 OregonAnn Arbor5 Baylor12aq – Fairfield4 Michigan13aq – GonzagaDurham6 Michigan State11aq – South Dakota State3 Duke14aq – Western KentuckyBaton Rouge7 Ohio State10 Florida State2 LSU15aq – Tennessee Tech
When we last forecasted the bracket in April, the UConn Huskies had just been crowned champions and the transfer portal was winding down with most players already having picked their destinations. Even if some rosters haven’t changed since then, the evaluations of them continue — so, with a month before the 2025-26 season opens, here is a fresh look at what March might look like.
68-Team Bracket16Texas Southern16Fairleigh Dickinson11Columbia11George Mason11Georgia11Illinois16NC A&T16HowardRegion 1 Fort WorthStorrs1 UConn – aq16 Texas Southern – aq/ Fairleigh Dickinson – aq8 Miami9 NebraskaLouisville5 Iowa12 Belmont – aq4 Louisville13 James Madison – aqCollege Park6 Vanderbilt11 Columbia/ George Mason3 Maryland14 Chattanooga – aqKnoxville7 Princeton – aq10 SMU2 Tennessee15 Maine – aqRegion 4 SacramentoAustin1 Texas16 Longwood – aq8 Minnesota9 StanfordAmes5 USC12 Green Bay – aq4 Iowa State – aq13 Stephen F. Austin – aqChapel Hill6 TCU11 Georgia/ Illinois3 North Carolina14 Montana – aqNorman7 Washington10 Virginia Tech2 Oklahoma15 California Baptist – aqRegion 2 Fort WorthColumbia1aq – South Carolina16aq – NC A&Taq – Howard/8 Indiana9 VirginiaSouth Bend5aq – Richmond12aq – San Diego State4 Notre Dame13aq – Kent StateOxford6aq – Oklahoma State11aq – South Florida3 Ole Miss14aq – Central ArkansasRaleigh7 Kentucky10 Villanova2 NC State15aq – ArmyRegion 3 SacramentoLos Angeles1aq – UCLA16aq – UC Irvine8 West Virginia9 OregonAnn Arbor5 Baylor12aq – Fairfield4 Michigan13aq – GonzagaDurham6 Michigan State11aq – South Dakota State3 Duke14aq – Western KentuckyBaton Rouge7 Ohio State10 Florida State2 LSU15aq – Tennessee Tech
JuJu Watkins’ announcement that she will sit out the season as she continues to recover from a torn ACL suffered in the second round of the 2025 NCAA tournament is the big news as we enter the final month before the season. Obviously, that impacts USC, the Big Ten race and the national title chase. However, it doesn’t change the Trojans’ status in Bracketology that much. Even if Watkins played in 2025-26, no one expected her back until late in the season, so the projection for USC already took that into account. With Kennedy Smith back for her sophomore year, the nation’s top recruiting class, led by Jasmine Davidson plus the additions of veteran transfers Kara Dunn (Georgia Tech) and Londynn Jones (UCLA), USC could still compete for a top-four seed — still a far cry from the surefire No. 1 seed the Trojans would have been projected with a healthy Watkins, though.
Photo illo by ESPN Illustration, additional photos courtesy of Getty Images, Associated Press, Imagn, Icon Sportswire, EPA/Shutterstock
By Charlie Creme Updated: 10/1/2025 at 9 a.m. ETWhen we last forecasted the bracket in April, the UConn Huskies had just been crowned champions and the transfer portal was winding down with most players already having picked their destinations. Even if some rosters haven’t changed since then, the evaluations of them continue — so, with a month before the 2025-26 season opens, here is a fresh look at what March might look like.
Photo illo by ESPN Illustration, additional photos courtesy of Getty Images, Associated Press, Imagn, Icon Sportswire, EPA/Shutterstock
Photo illo by ESPN Illustration, additional photos courtesy of Getty Images, Associated Press, Imagn, Icon Sportswire, EPA/Shutterstock
Top Overall SeedUConnFirst Team OutColoradoLast Team InColumbia
Last Four Byes Florida State SMU Villanova GeorgiaLast Four In Virginia Tech Illinois George Mason ColumbiaFirst Four Out Colorado Marquette Florida Kansas StateNext Four Out Utah Missouri Seton Hall UNLV
16Texas Southern16Fairleigh Dickinson11Columbia11George Mason11Georgia11Illinois16NC A&T16Howard
16Texas Southern16Fairleigh Dickinson11Columbia11George Mason11Georgia11Illinois16NC A&T16Howard
Bracket WatchTop Overall SeedUConnFirst Team OutColoradoLast Team InColumbiaJuJu Watkins’ announcement that she will sit out the season as she continues to recover from a torn ACL suffered in the second round of the 2025 NCAA tournament is the big news as we enter the final month before the season. Obviously, that impacts USC, the Big Ten race and the national title chase. However, it doesn’t change the Trojans’ status in Bracketology that much. Even if Watkins played in 2025-26, no one expected her back until late in the season, so the projection for USC already took that into account. With Kennedy Smith back for her sophomore year, the nation’s top recruiting class, led by Jasmine Davidson plus the additions of veteran transfers Kara Dunn (Georgia Tech) and Londynn Jones (UCLA), USC could still compete for a top-four seed — still a far cry from the surefire No. 1 seed the Trojans would have been projected with a healthy Watkins, though.On the BubbleLast Four Byes Florida State SMU Villanova GeorgiaLast Four In Virginia Tech Illinois George Mason ColumbiaFirst Four Out Colorado Marquette Florida Kansas StateNext Four Out Utah Missouri Seton Hall UNLV
Region 1 Fort WorthStorrs1 UConn – aq16 Texas Southern – aq/ Fairleigh Dickinson – aq8 Miami9 NebraskaLouisville5 Iowa12 Belmont – aq4 Louisville13 James Madison – aqCollege Park6 Vanderbilt11 Columbia/ George Mason3 Maryland14 Chattanooga – aqKnoxville7 Princeton – aq10 SMU2 Tennessee15 Maine – aqRegion 4 SacramentoAustin1 Texas16 Longwood – aq8 Minnesota9 StanfordAmes5 USC12 Green Bay – aq4 Iowa State – aq13 Stephen F. Austin – aqChapel Hill6 TCU11 Georgia/ Illinois3 North Carolina14 Montana – aqNorman7 Washington10 Virginia Tech2 Oklahoma15 California Baptist – aqRegion 2 Fort WorthColumbia1aq – South Carolina16aq – NC A&Taq – Howard/8 Indiana9 VirginiaSouth Bend5aq – Richmond12aq – San Diego State4 Notre Dame13aq – Kent StateOxford6aq – Oklahoma State11aq – South Florida3 Ole Miss14aq – Central ArkansasRaleigh7 Kentucky10 Villanova2 NC State15aq – ArmyRegion 3 SacramentoLos Angeles1aq – UCLA16aq – UC Irvine8 West Virginia9 OregonAnn Arbor5 Baylor12aq – Fairfield4 Michigan13aq – GonzagaDurham6 Michigan State11aq – South Dakota State3 Duke14aq – Western KentuckyBaton Rouge7 Ohio State10 Florida State2 LSU15aq – Tennessee Tech
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