The NCAA Tournament bracket is officially set: 68 teams, all with the same goal in mind. The March Madness field will slowly dissipate in the weeks ahead, as millions worldwide watch their brackets bust in real time.
Overall, the committee did an excellent job navigating what was a historically thin and top-heavy field. That said, as always, there are certain fanbases with a gripe. A few teams feel too low; others happen to rank a bit higher than they probably should. Let's dive into some of the ill-placed teams in this year's tournament:
Too high: North Carolina (No. 6 seed)
On paper, there's nothing wrong with North Carolina as a No. 6 seed. Their résumé stacks up — 30th in BPI, 21st in strength of record, top 40 in offensive and defensive efficiency at KenPom. The Tar Heels could arguably place higher if this were purely a numbers game. But looking at the current landscape, it's impossible not to fade the Tar Heels after Caleb Wilson's season-ending wrist injury.
Wilson was the beating heart of UNC all season. He was probably the most impactful non-Cam Boozer freshman in college hoops, guiding the Tar Heels to impressive wins over Duke and Virginia earlier in the year. Wilson is a defensive game-wrecker, but he also averaged 19.8 points and 2.7 assists on 62.6 percent true shooting, relentlessly attacking the rim and improving as a processor in real time.
Without him, there's an unfillable void in the heart of UNC's lineup. That's not to say the Tar Heels can't advance deep into the tournament, but an early exit feels more plausible now than it did a few weeks ago.
Too low: Georgia (No. 8 seed)
A rough patch in SEC play hurt Georgia's stock, but this is the best Bulldogs basketball team in a while. The Dawgs ranked 16th in both tempo and offensive efficiency at KenPom; UGA gets up and down the floor and puts points on the board, with other résumé indicators befitting a higher seed. The high-powered backcourt of Jeremiah Wilkinson and Blue Cain has a chance to lead the Bulldogs on a run unprecedented in the program's recent history.
The defense could hold UGA back, and their first-round matchup against St. Louis is no joke. But therein lies the issue: the Dawgs probably shouldn't be facing such a well-rounded and explosive team in the opener. That said, the SEC is thoroughly represented, so it's understandable that a few teams from the conference feel a bit underserved. UGA has proven its mettle, however, in wins over Alabama, Kentucky and Arkansas, among others. Do not count them out.
Too high: SMU (No. 11 seed)
SMU has major talent on the roster. The veteran backcourt of Boopie Miller and Jaron Pierre can do significant damage, while Jaden Toombs is one of the most underrated freshmen in the country. The Mustangs can score, but generating stops has proven far more challenging. SMU lost five of its last six and gave up 90-plus points twice. Then in their final loss, to Mikel Brown-less Louisville in the ACC Tournament, SMU's offense sputtered in unexpected ways.
The Mustangs went 4-9 against Quad 1 opponents, finished the season on a skid, and only won five games away from home all year. A weak non-conference schedule does not help their case either. This was a weak, weak, weak bubble, so it's hard to point to an objectively "better" alternative. But SMU did not really earn its spot here. A First Four showdown with undefeated MAC regular season champs Miami (OH) should be one of the most anticipated matchups of the next week, though. There is a chance for real fireworks.
Too low: Vanderbilt (No. 5 seed)
Vanderbilt couldn't pull it out in the SEC Championship Game, but just getting there required back-to-back wins over Tennessee and a gutsy takedown of No. 1 seed Florida. The Commodores ranked seventh in strength of schedule and strength of record, with a top-30 non-conference strength of schedule, to boot. Vandy ranks seventh in offensive efficiency and 31st in defensive efficiency at KenPom, putting them just outside the traditional national champion guardrails.
So what exactly are we doing here? Vandy was broadly projected as a top-four seed before their run to the SEC title game. Tyler Tanner and Duke Miles are an elite backcourt; Vandy happened to go undefeated in non-conference play, on top of an impressive 11-7 stretch in the SEC. No team outside the top-four seeds feels better positioned for a deep, bracket-busting run. Buy your Vanderbilt stock now.
Too high: Kansas (No. 4 seed)
Kansas is another team in the "too low" category that deserves credit. The Jayhawks stacked nine Quad 1 wins and navigated one of the most difficult schedules in the country despite a truly strange and ongoing injury debacle with five-star freshman Darryn Peterson, a potential No. 1 pick in the upcoming NBA Draft and the most talented scoring guard in college hoops.
The Jayhawks boast a top-10 defense at KenPom; 18th in strength of record. So their No. 4 seed designation really isn't unfair, especially if Peterson can string together a few healthy games. But Kansas' offense is a real mystery box. The Jayhawks scored 47 points in their Big 12 Tournament loss to Houston, with Peterson scoring 14 on 3-of-11 shooting.
There's just a little bit too much variance with Bill Self's team, even if most of it is beyond his control. It's hard to fully trust the Jayhawks, so picking them as an early upset would not be the worst idea.
Too low: Tennessee (No. 6 seed)
Another SEC team slotted too low: sorry, it is what it is. But Tennessee comes in as a No. 6 seed despite an impressive résumé: 22nd in strength of record and 11th in strength of schedule, with wins over Houston and Louisville (non-conference) and Alabama and Vanderbilt (conference).
The SEC slate was not the kindest to the Vols, but this is clearly an elite team on-paper: 37th in offensive efficiency, per KenPom, and 15th in defensive efficiency. Every champion since 1997 has ranked top-40 on offense and top-25 on defense; Tennessee is one of just 11 teams to match that criteria in 2026.
Tennessee is a very talented roster, headlined by a potential lottery pick in Nate Ament, with an experienced point guard in Ja'Kobi Gillespie and a top-tier defensive anchor in big man Felix Okpara. Bet on the Vols.