By Charlie Creme Updated: 12/16/2025 at 8 a.m. ETMid-December means final exams and the lightest part of the season’s schedule. But there is still plenty of movement in Bracketology: Louisville joined the top 16 and eight new teams entered the field. We continue to project the bracket every Tuesday through early January, when we update projections twice a week (Tuesday and Friday).
Bracket WatchTop Overall SeedUConnFirst Team OutMiamiLast Team InBYUDespite the lighter schedule, the weekend included two big matchups that were very telling as to this season’s power structure. UConn’s blowout at USC and Texas’ dismantling of Baylor in Fort Worth demonstrated that the gap between the very best teams in the country and the next tier is substantial. The Trojans and Bears figure to fight for top-16 spots all season, yet neither game was competitive. South Carolina, without third-leading scorer and top rebounder Madina Okot, also cruised to an easy win over Penn State. The combined margin of victory in those three games: 103 points. Not to take away the mystery in mid-December, but apart from LSU, there doesn’t seem to be a challenge to the No. 1 seeds. UConn, Texas, South Carolina, UCLA and LSU have separated themselves. It would be shocking if four teams from that group aren’t on the top line on Selection Sunday.
On the BubbleLast Four Byes Oregon Villanova Richmond Arizona StateLast Four In Indiana Virginia Syracuse BYUFirst Four Out Miami Utah Clemson Seton HallNext Four Out Kansas Columbia Virginia Tech Florida
Last Four Byes Oregon Villanova Richmond Arizona State
Next Four Out Kansas Columbia Virginia Tech Florida
16Northern Colorado16Lamar11Syracuse11BYU16Southern16Mercer11Indiana11Virginia
Region 1 Fort WorthStorrs1 UConn – aq16 UIC – aq8 Georgia9 IllinoisIowa City5 Ole Miss12 Colorado State – aq4 Iowa13 UC Irvine – aqAmes6 Ohio State11 Rhode Island – aq3 Iowa State14 Pepperdine – aqNorman7 Washington10 Arizona State2 Oklahoma15 FDU – aq
Region 4 SacramentoLos Angeles1 UCLA – aq16 Utah Valley – aq8 Stanford9 Mississippi StateChapel Hill5 Alabama12 UMass – aq4 North Carolina13 High Point – aqLexington6 Oklahoma State11 Fairfield – aq3 Kentucky14 Charleston – aqBaton Rouge7 Michigan State10 Richmond2 LSU15 Jacksonville – aq
Region 2 Fort WorthAustin1aq – Texas16aq – Northern Coloradoaq – Lamar/8aq – Texas Tech9 MinnesotaKnoxville5 Notre Dame12aq – Troy4 Tennessee13aq – Green BayCollege Park6aq – Princeton11 Syracuse BYU/3 Maryland14aq – HowardFort Worth7 Nebraska10aq – South Dakota State2aq – TCU15aq – UTEP
Region 3 SacramentoColumbia1 South Carolina16aq – Southernaq – Mercer/8 West Virginia9 OregonLouisville5 USC12aq – Rice4 Louisville13aq – ArmyNashville6 Baylor11 Indiana Virginia/3 Vanderbilt14aq – Western IllinoisAnn Arbor7 NC State10 Villanova2 Michigan15aq – Albany
Mid-December means final exams and the lightest part of the season’s schedule. But there is still plenty of movement in Bracketology: Louisville joined the top 16 and eight new teams entered the field. We continue to project the bracket every Tuesday through early January, when we update projections twice a week (Tuesday and Friday).
68-Team Bracket16Northern Colorado16Lamar11Syracuse11BYU16Southern16Mercer11Indiana11VirginiaRegion 1 Fort WorthStorrs1 UConn – aq16 UIC – aq8 Georgia9 IllinoisIowa City5 Ole Miss12 Colorado State – aq4 Iowa13 UC Irvine – aqAmes6 Ohio State11 Rhode Island – aq3 Iowa State14 Pepperdine – aqNorman7 Washington10 Arizona State2 Oklahoma15 FDU – aqRegion 4 SacramentoLos Angeles1 UCLA – aq16 Utah Valley – aq8 Stanford9 Mississippi StateChapel Hill5 Alabama12 UMass – aq4 North Carolina13 High Point – aqLexington6 Oklahoma State11 Fairfield – aq3 Kentucky14 Charleston – aqBaton Rouge7 Michigan State10 Richmond2 LSU15 Jacksonville – aqRegion 2 Fort WorthAustin1aq – Texas16aq – Northern Coloradoaq – Lamar/8aq – Texas Tech9 MinnesotaKnoxville5 Notre Dame12aq – Troy4 Tennessee13aq – Green BayCollege Park6aq – Princeton11 Syracuse BYU/3 Maryland14aq – HowardFort Worth7 Nebraska10aq – South Dakota State2aq – TCU15aq – UTEPRegion 3 SacramentoColumbia1 South Carolina16aq – Southernaq – Mercer/8 West Virginia9 OregonLouisville5 USC12aq – Rice4 Louisville13aq – ArmyNashville6 Baylor11 Indiana Virginia/3 Vanderbilt14aq – Western IllinoisAnn Arbor7 NC State10 Villanova2 Michigan15aq – Albany
Despite the lighter schedule, the weekend included two big matchups that were very telling as to this season’s power structure. UConn’s blowout at USC and Texas’ dismantling of Baylor in Fort Worth demonstrated that the gap between the very best teams in the country and the next tier is substantial. The Trojans and Bears figure to fight for top-16 spots all season, yet neither game was competitive. South Carolina, without third-leading scorer and top rebounder Madina Okot, also cruised to an easy win over Penn State. The combined margin of victory in those three games: 103 points. Not to take away the mystery in mid-December, but apart from LSU, there doesn’t seem to be a challenge to the No. 1 seeds. UConn, Texas, South Carolina, UCLA and LSU have separated themselves. It would be shocking if four teams from that group aren’t on the top line on Selection Sunday.
Photo illo by ESPN Illustration, additional photos courtesy of Getty Images, Associated Press, Imagn, Icon Sportswire, EPA/Shutterstock
By Charlie Creme Updated: 12/16/2025 at 8 a.m. ETMid-December means final exams and the lightest part of the season’s schedule. But there is still plenty of movement in Bracketology: Louisville joined the top 16 and eight new teams entered the field. We continue to project the bracket every Tuesday through early January, when we 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 OutMiamiLast Team InBYUDespite the lighter schedule, the weekend included two big matchups that were very telling as to this season’s power structure. UConn’s blowout at USC and Texas’ dismantling of Baylor in Fort Worth demonstrated that the gap between the very best teams in the country and the next tier is substantial. The Trojans and Bears figure to fight for top-16 spots all season, yet neither game was competitive. South Carolina, without third-leading scorer and top rebounder Madina Okot, also cruised to an easy win over Penn State. The combined margin of victory in those three games: 103 points. Not to take away the mystery in mid-December, but apart from LSU, there doesn’t seem to be a challenge to the No. 1 seeds. UConn, Texas, South Carolina, UCLA and LSU have separated themselves. It would be shocking if four teams from that group aren’t on the top line on Selection Sunday.On the BubbleLast Four Byes Oregon Villanova Richmond Arizona StateLast Four In Indiana Virginia Syracuse BYUFirst Four Out Miami Utah Clemson Seton HallNext Four Out Kansas Columbia Virginia Tech Florida
Top Overall SeedUConnFirst Team OutMiamiLast Team InBYU
Last Four Byes Oregon Villanova Richmond Arizona StateLast Four In Indiana Virginia Syracuse BYUFirst Four Out Miami Utah Clemson Seton HallNext Four Out Kansas Columbia Virginia Tech Florida
16Northern Colorado16Lamar11Syracuse11BYU16Southern16Mercer11Indiana11Virginia
16Northern Colorado16Lamar11Syracuse11BYU16Southern16Mercer11Indiana11Virginia
Region 1 Fort WorthStorrs1 UConn – aq16 UIC – aq8 Georgia9 IllinoisIowa City5 Ole Miss12 Colorado State – aq4 Iowa13 UC Irvine – aqAmes6 Ohio State11 Rhode Island – aq3 Iowa State14 Pepperdine – aqNorman7 Washington10 Arizona State2 Oklahoma15 FDU – aqRegion 4 SacramentoLos Angeles1 UCLA – aq16 Utah Valley – aq8 Stanford9 Mississippi StateChapel Hill5 Alabama12 UMass – aq4 North Carolina13 High Point – aqLexington6 Oklahoma State11 Fairfield – aq3 Kentucky14 Charleston – aqBaton Rouge7 Michigan State10 Richmond2 LSU15 Jacksonville – aqRegion 2 Fort WorthAustin1aq – Texas16aq – Northern Coloradoaq – Lamar/8aq – Texas Tech9 MinnesotaKnoxville5 Notre Dame12aq – Troy4 Tennessee13aq – Green BayCollege Park6aq – Princeton11 Syracuse BYU/3 Maryland14aq – HowardFort Worth7 Nebraska10aq – South Dakota State2aq – TCU15aq – UTEPRegion 3 SacramentoColumbia1 South Carolina16aq – Southernaq – Mercer/8 West Virginia9 OregonLouisville5 USC12aq – Rice4 Louisville13aq – ArmyNashville6 Baylor11 Indiana Virginia/3 Vanderbilt14aq – Western IllinoisAnn Arbor7 NC State10 Villanova2 Michigan15aq – Albany
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