By Charlie Creme Updated: 12/09/2025 at 7:00 a.m. ETMid-December means final exams and the lightest part of the season’s schedule. But it doesn’t mean there isn’t movement in Bracketology, as 16 new teams entered the bracket this week and 26 more moved at least one seed line. We continue to project the field every Tuesday through early January, at which time we will update projections twice a week (Tuesday and Friday).
Bracket WatchTop Overall SeedUConnFirst Team OutBYULast Team InSyracuseOn a weekend full of nonconference mismatches with little impact on the bracket, the Big Ten was the exception. Many of the league openers were revealing for a conference that is consistently putting 13 teams in the field. Michigan State, which had been one of the nation’s top-scoring teams, was held to just 64 points in a loss at Wisconsin. The stunning defeat might have exposed the Spartans for a weak nonconference schedule (306th), and it sent them tumbling to a 7-seed. Maryland and Minnesota played an instant classic; the Terrapins escaped with a one-point, double-overtime win, but the Golden Gophers looked better than their No. 10 seed from last week. The Terps don’t drop for now, but they looked vulnerable (and Kaylene Smikle, the team’s leading scorer last year, announced she will undergo season-ending knee surgery). Iowa made another seed jump to No. 3 with a blowout of Rutgers. The Terps and the Hawkeyes are solidly top-four seeds, as is USC, which had the most meaningful victory of the weekend, beating Washington 59-50 in a game that made it clear the Trojans will win with defense.
On the BubbleLast Four Byes Oregon Villanova Richmond MiamiLast Four In Virginia Seton Hall Indiana SyracuseFirst Four Out BYU Fairfield Texas A&M KansasNext Four Out Arizona State Columbia Virginia Tech Florida
Next Four Out Arizona State Columbia Virginia Tech Florida
11Virginia11Seton Hall11Indiana11Syracuse16Iona16Mercer16Southern16Lamar
Region 1 Fort WorthStorrs1 UConn – aq16 Albany – aq8 Georgia9 IllinoisKnoxville5 Baylor12 Boise State – aq4 Tennessee13 High Point – aqAmes6 Ohio State11 Virginia/ Seton Hall3 Iowa State14 Pepperdine – aqNorman7 Washington10 Miami2 Oklahoma15 Northern Iowa – aq
Region 4 SacramentoLos Angeles1 UCLA – aq16 FDU – aq8 Stanford9 Mississippi StateNashville5 Oklahoma State12 Troy – aq4 Vanderbilt13 Army – aqIowa City6 Princeton – aq11 Indiana/ Syracuse3 Iowa14 Charleston – aqBaton Rouge7 Michigan State10 Richmond2 LSU15 UTEP – aq
Region 2 Fort WorthAustin1aq – Texas16aq – Ionaaq – Mercer/8 Texas Tech9 MinnesotaLos Angeles5 Ole Miss12aq – UC Irvine4 USC13aq – IdahoCollege Park6aq – Louisville11aq – Rhode Island3 Maryland14aq – HowardFort Worth7 Nebraska10aq – South Dakota State2aq – TCU15aq – California Baptist
Region 3 SacramentoColumbia1 South Carolina16aq – Southernaq – Lamar/8 West Virginia9 OregonLexington5 Notre Dame12aq – Rice4 Kentucky13aq – Green BayChapel Hill6 Alabama11aq – UMass3 North Carolina14aq – Eastern KentuckyAnn Arbor7 NC State10 Villanova2 Michigan15aq – Western Illinois
Mid-December means final exams and the lightest part of the season’s schedule. But it doesn’t mean there isn’t movement in Bracketology, as 16 new teams entered the bracket this week and 26 more moved at least one seed line. We continue to project the field every Tuesday through early January, at which time we will update projections twice a week (Tuesday and Friday).
68-Team Bracket11Virginia11Seton Hall11Indiana11Syracuse16Iona16Mercer16Southern16LamarRegion 1 Fort WorthStorrs1 UConn – aq16 Albany – aq8 Georgia9 IllinoisKnoxville5 Baylor12 Boise State – aq4 Tennessee13 High Point – aqAmes6 Ohio State11 Virginia/ Seton Hall3 Iowa State14 Pepperdine – aqNorman7 Washington10 Miami2 Oklahoma15 Northern Iowa – aqRegion 4 SacramentoLos Angeles1 UCLA – aq16 FDU – aq8 Stanford9 Mississippi StateNashville5 Oklahoma State12 Troy – aq4 Vanderbilt13 Army – aqIowa City6 Princeton – aq11 Indiana/ Syracuse3 Iowa14 Charleston – aqBaton Rouge7 Michigan State10 Richmond2 LSU15 UTEP – aqRegion 2 Fort WorthAustin1aq – Texas16aq – Ionaaq – Mercer/8 Texas Tech9 MinnesotaLos Angeles5 Ole Miss12aq – UC Irvine4 USC13aq – IdahoCollege Park6aq – Louisville11aq – Rhode Island3 Maryland14aq – HowardFort Worth7 Nebraska10aq – South Dakota State2aq – TCU15aq – California BaptistRegion 3 SacramentoColumbia1 South Carolina16aq – Southernaq – Lamar/8 West Virginia9 OregonLexington5 Notre Dame12aq – Rice4 Kentucky13aq – Green BayChapel Hill6 Alabama11aq – UMass3 North Carolina14aq – Eastern KentuckyAnn Arbor7 NC State10 Villanova2 Michigan15aq – Western Illinois
On a weekend full of nonconference mismatches with little impact on the bracket, the Big Ten was the exception. Many of the league openers were revealing for a conference that is consistently putting 13 teams in the field. Michigan State, which had been one of the nation’s top-scoring teams, was held to just 64 points in a loss at Wisconsin. The stunning defeat might have exposed the Spartans for a weak nonconference schedule (306th), and it sent them tumbling to a 7-seed. Maryland and Minnesota played an instant classic; the Terrapins escaped with a one-point, double-overtime win, but the Golden Gophers looked better than their No. 10 seed from last week. The Terps don’t drop for now, but they looked vulnerable (and Kaylene Smikle, the team’s leading scorer last year, announced she will undergo season-ending knee surgery). Iowa made another seed jump to No. 3 with a blowout of Rutgers. The Terps and the Hawkeyes are solidly top-four seeds, as is USC, which had the most meaningful victory of the weekend, beating Washington 59-50 in a game that made it clear the Trojans will win with defense.
Photo illo by ESPN Illustration, additional photos courtesy of Getty Images, Associated Press, Imagn, Icon Sportswire, EPA/Shutterstock
By Charlie Creme Updated: 12/09/2025 at 7:00 a.m. ETMid-December means final exams and the lightest part of the season’s schedule. But it doesn’t mean there isn’t movement in Bracketology, as 16 new teams entered the bracket this week and 26 more moved at least one seed line. We continue to project the field every Tuesday through early January, at which time we will update projections twice a week (Tuesday and Friday).
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
Bracket WatchTop Overall SeedUConnFirst Team OutBYULast Team InSyracuseOn a weekend full of nonconference mismatches with little impact on the bracket, the Big Ten was the exception. Many of the league openers were revealing for a conference that is consistently putting 13 teams in the field. Michigan State, which had been one of the nation’s top-scoring teams, was held to just 64 points in a loss at Wisconsin. The stunning defeat might have exposed the Spartans for a weak nonconference schedule (306th), and it sent them tumbling to a 7-seed. Maryland and Minnesota played an instant classic; the Terrapins escaped with a one-point, double-overtime win, but the Golden Gophers looked better than their No. 10 seed from last week. The Terps don’t drop for now, but they looked vulnerable (and Kaylene Smikle, the team’s leading scorer last year, announced she will undergo season-ending knee surgery). Iowa made another seed jump to No. 3 with a blowout of Rutgers. The Terps and the Hawkeyes are solidly top-four seeds, as is USC, which had the most meaningful victory of the weekend, beating Washington 59-50 in a game that made it clear the Trojans will win with defense.On the BubbleLast Four Byes Oregon Villanova Richmond MiamiLast Four In Virginia Seton Hall Indiana SyracuseFirst Four Out BYU Fairfield Texas A&M KansasNext Four Out Arizona State Columbia Virginia Tech Florida
Top Overall SeedUConnFirst Team OutBYULast Team InSyracuse
Last Four Byes Oregon Villanova Richmond MiamiLast Four In Virginia Seton Hall Indiana SyracuseFirst Four Out BYU Fairfield Texas A&M KansasNext Four Out Arizona State Columbia Virginia Tech Florida
11Virginia11Seton Hall11Indiana11Syracuse16Iona16Mercer16Southern16Lamar
11Virginia11Seton Hall11Indiana11Syracuse16Iona16Mercer16Southern16Lamar
Region 1 Fort WorthStorrs1 UConn – aq16 Albany – aq8 Georgia9 IllinoisKnoxville5 Baylor12 Boise State – aq4 Tennessee13 High Point – aqAmes6 Ohio State11 Virginia/ Seton Hall3 Iowa State14 Pepperdine – aqNorman7 Washington10 Miami2 Oklahoma15 Northern Iowa – aqRegion 4 SacramentoLos Angeles1 UCLA – aq16 FDU – aq8 Stanford9 Mississippi StateNashville5 Oklahoma State12 Troy – aq4 Vanderbilt13 Army – aqIowa City6 Princeton – aq11 Indiana/ Syracuse3 Iowa14 Charleston – aqBaton Rouge7 Michigan State10 Richmond2 LSU15 UTEP – aqRegion 2 Fort WorthAustin1aq – Texas16aq – Ionaaq – Mercer/8 Texas Tech9 MinnesotaLos Angeles5 Ole Miss12aq – UC Irvine4 USC13aq – IdahoCollege Park6aq – Louisville11aq – Rhode Island3 Maryland14aq – HowardFort Worth7 Nebraska10aq – South Dakota State2aq – TCU15aq – California BaptistRegion 3 SacramentoColumbia1 South Carolina16aq – Southernaq – Lamar/8 West Virginia9 OregonLexington5 Notre Dame12aq – Rice4 Kentucky13aq – Green BayChapel Hill6 Alabama11aq – UMass3 North Carolina14aq – Eastern KentuckyAnn Arbor7 NC State10 Villanova2 Michigan15aq – Western Illinois
By Charlie Creme Updated: 12/09/2025 at 7:00 a.m. ET
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