Bracketology: 5 games with the biggest March Madness seeding implications this weekend

It’s not quite March yet, but the madness is upon us. This weekend has a flurry of games that have a lot of implications for the NCAA tournament. One of the most significant games this weekend is Wake Forest vs. SMU. 

That’s two ACC teams on the bubble and looking to move from the first teams out to getting an automatic bid or at least moving to last ones in. But no game is bigger than No. 1 Auburn vs. No. 2 Alabama. 

Auburn is coming off a home loss to Florida last week and looking to avoid a second-straight loss and third on the season. The winner gets a firm hold on a No. 1 seed. This game is exactly what late-season games are all about. 

The winner of this will probably be the favorite to win the SEC tournament. And at best, get bragging rights as the top team in the conference. Here’s a look at the top five games with the biggest March Madness implications. 

5. Arkansas at No. 8 Texas A&M (Noon ET, ESPN)

Arkansas, while being one of the first teams out per Joe Lunardi’s latest Bracketology, has a chance to go from being on the bubble to being a tournament lock. The Razorbacks have a Quad 1 game against Texas A&M and would be a massive win for them.

They just played Alabama close, losing by four points last weekend. With a win over A&M, it would be huge for their NCAA Tournament hopes. They have a lot of games to make up some ground after a rough start to SEC play. 

A win against the Aggies would go a long way in helping them end the season strong while also giving them a quality Quad 1 win ahead of the SEC tournament.

4. Vanderbilt at No. 5 Tennessee (1 p.m. ET, SEC Network)

Vanderbilt is another one of those bubble teams that need to make up some ground ahead of the SEC tournament. The good thing is if they make a run in the conference tournament, it goes a long way to getting them inside the tournament. 

A win over Tennessee this weekend would be the icing on the cake. They have two Quad 1 wins this year, already being Tennessee once before. A season sweep will be tough, but it’s not impossible. And if they can find a way to get their third top-10 win of the season, their NCAA Tournament resume would get a massive boost. 

The Commodores have lost three of their last four games, getting a win would go a long way in building some late-season momentum. 

3. Wake Forest at SMU (6 p.m. ET, ACC Network)

Wake Forest and SMU might have the most implications on the NCAA Tournament seeding. Both teams are ACC teams on the bubble and both need a win. Obviously, only one team can win. 

The winner essentially knocks out the other further out of contention. If Wake Forest wins, it would be considered a Quad 1 win. The good thing is it would be their second one of the season and it couldn’t come at a better time. 

For SMU, it would be a Quad 2 win. They have just one Quad 2 loss to Butler. This game couldn’t be bigger for either team. 

2. North Carolina at Syracuse (6 p.m. ET, ESPN)

North Carolina is on the cusp of missing the NCAA Tournament for the second time in the last three years. Essentially, they have to win out to get an automatic bid. If she doesn’t and bow out early in the ACC tournament, it’s not likely they’ll be participating in March Madness. 

The Tar Heels have struggled in conference play as of late, dropping five of the last seven games. Only two of those games were against ranked opponents, one was a Quad 3 game and the rest were Quad 1. 

North Carolina needs to win out. The rest of their games are either Quad 3 or Quad 4 games, minus two of them. If they can’t win the games they’re supposed to, they don’t deserve to get into the tournament. 

1. No. 1 Auburn at No. 2 Alabama (4 p.m. ET, ESPN)

This is probably the biggest game of the season and most likely won’t be topped before the end of the regular season. There’s a lot on the line. For Auburn, they want to avoid a second-straight loss. 

More importantly, it’s a rivalry game that neither team wants to lose. Auburn has run college basketball all season and could get knocked off their pedestal in Tuscaloosa. But the Crimson Tide have risen back to one of the top two teams in the country. 

Alabama has a lot to prove with a win as well. They want to prove they’re the best team in the SEC. The loss to Ole Miss will hang over them. With a win over Auburn, they can move past that and potentially go into the SEC tournament as the No. 1 seeded team.