With Selection Sunday just three weeks away, ESPN’s Joe Lunardi dropped his latest Bracketology projections Friday – and the Southeastern Conference faces a March Madness meltdown. Five SEC teams now teeter on the NCAA tournament bubble amid critical conference matchups this weekend.
Chaos in the South Region
Auburn remains Lunardi’s No. 1 overall seed despite a narrow 67-60 escape against Arkansas this week. But the real drama lies further down: Arkansas clings to a “Last Four In” spot alongside Vanderbilt, while Oklahoma and Georgia sit among the “First Four Out.” Texas A&M’s 16-point loss to Mississippi State dropped them to a No. 3 seed in the West Region.
| Bubble Status | Teams |
|---|---|
| Last Four Byes | Texas, West Virginia, San Diego State, Nebraska |
| Last Four In | Vanderbilt, Arkansas, VCU, Wake Forest |
| First Four Out | Oklahoma, SMU, Georgia, North Carolina |
ACC & Big Ten Shakeups
Wake Forest barely holds as the final at-large bid, while North Carolina’s collapse (8 losses in 10 games) leaves them outside looking in. Wisconsin’s surprise No. 3 seed could grant them a favorable Milwaukee pod path to the Sweet 16. Meanwhile, Florida’s eight wins in nine games secured their No. 1 seed in the West Region.
Women’s Tournament Overhaul
The expanded ACC (18 teams) and SEC (16 teams) will force radical bracket adjustments. ESPN’s Charlie Creme predicts conference-heavy regions might spark unprecedented second-round conference matchups – a scenario previously avoided by selection committees.
“This SEC bloodbath proves every game matters now. Lose twice this week? You’re NIT-bound.” – Jerry Palm, CBS Sports Bracketology
The Bracket Matrix aggregator shows wild seeding disparities: Kentucky averages a No. 3 seed across 97 projections but appears as high as No. 2 and low as No. 5. With conference tournaments approaching, expect daily bracket upheaval until March 17.
