The NCAA Tournament is expanding from 68 to 76 teams, which college sports leaders are promoting. This change is unlikely to significantly impact the college basketball season.
March Madness expansion is harmless. CFP expansion changes the sport
Hereâs what you must realize about NCAA Tournament expansion, which college sports leaders insist on cramming down our throats.
A 76-team tournament, compared to 68 teams, wonât make the college basketball season better. It also wonât make it substantially worse.
Adding eight bids wonât alter the season much at all. The season already exists as a mostly low-stakes affair until March. That wonât change.
What if: What 76-team expanded March Madness would have looked like in 2026
Iowa State Cyclones fans cheer against the Kentucky Wildcats during the first half in the second round of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Enterprise Center on March 22, 2026 in St Louis, Missouri.
Kansas Jayhawks cheerleaders perform before a second round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament against the St. John's Red Storm at Viejas Arena on March 22, 2026 in San Diego, Calif.
Nebraska's Berke Buyuktuncel celebrates with fans following a second-round game in the NCAA men's basketball tournament between Nebraska Cornhuskers and Vanderbilt Commodores at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City on March 21, 2026.
Arkansas Razorbacks cheerleaders in the second half against the Hawaii Rainbow Warriors during a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Moda Center on March 19, 2026 in Portland, Ore.
VCU Rams fans react after a 3-pointer by Terrence Hill Jr. #6 of the VCU Rams in the first round of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Bon Secours Wellness Arena on March 19, 2026 in Greenville, SC.
Howard Bison cheerleaders perform during a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament against the Michigan Wolverines at Keybank Center on Mar 19, 2026 in Buffalo, NY.
BYU Cougars cheerleader in the second half against the Texas Longhorns during a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Moda Center on Mar 19, 2026 in Portland, Ore.
Former North Carolina Tar Heels head coach Roy Williams is seen in the crowd against the VCU Rams in the second half of a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Bon Secours Wellness Arena on Mar 19, 2026 in Greenville, SC.
Texas A&M Aggies cheerleaders during a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Paycom Center on March 19, 2026 in Oklahoma City.
Texas Longhorns band in the first half against the BYU Cougars during a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Moda Center on Mar 19, 2026 in Portland.
St. John's Red Storm mascot Johnny Thunder mixes with players prior to taking the court during practice day ahead of the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Viejas Arena at San Diego State University on March 19, 2026 in San Diego, California.
A Texas Christian University Horned Frogs cheerleader practices before the game during a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Bon Secours Wellness Arena on March 19, 2026 in Greenville, SC.
The High Point Panthers fans cheer during the second half of a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament against the Wisconsin Badgers at Moda Center on March 19, 2026 in Portland, Or.
The High Point Panthers cheerleaders react during the second half of a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament against the Wisconsin Badgers at Moda Center on March 19, 2026 in Portland, Or.
The North Dakota State Bison mascot and cheerleaders pose for a photo before the game against the Michigan State Spartans during a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Keybank Center on March 19, 2026 in Buffalo, NY
Nebraska Cornhuskers fans cheer after defeating the Troy Trojans during a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Paycom Center on March 19, 2026 in Oklahoma City.
The Wisconsin Badgers mascot performs during a time out during the second half of a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament against the High Point Panthers at Moda Center on March 19, 2026 in Portland.
A view of Buddy the Street Dog as Queens University of Charlotte Royals guard Yoav Berman talks to the media during a practice session ahead of the first round of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Enterprise Center in St. Louis on March 19, 2026.
The High Point Panthers band performs prior to a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament against the Wisconsin Badgers at Moda Center on March 19, 2026 in Portland, Or.
High Point Panthers fans cheer prior to a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament against the Wisconsin Badgers at Moda Center on March 19, 2026 in Portland, Or.
The Wisconsin Badgers cheerleaders preform during the first half of a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament against the High Point Panthers at Moda Center on March 19, 2026 in Portland, Or.
The South Florida Bulls mascot performs during the second half against the Louisville Cardinals during a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Keybank Center on March 19, 2026 in Buffalo, NY.
The Texas Christian University Horned Frogs cheerleaders perform in the first half during a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Bon Secours Wellness Arena on March 19, 2026 in Greenville, SC.
The Troy Trojans mascot dances on the floor during the second half against the Nebraska Cornhuskers during a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Paycom Center on March 19, 2026 in Oklahoma City.
The UCF Knights band performs during a practice session ahead of the first round of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Xfinity Mobile Arena on March 19, 2026 in Philadelphia.
Nebraska Cornhuskers cheerleaders perform during the second half against the Troy Trojans during a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Paycom Center on March 19, 2026 in Oklahoma City.
A Wisconsin Badgers cheerleader performs during the first half of a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament against the High Point Panthers at Moda Center on March 19, 2026 in Portland, Or.
The Ohio State Buckeyes cheerleaders perform in the second half during a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Bon Secours Wellness Arena on March 19, 2026 in Greenville, SC.
Akron Zips fans in the first half against the Texas Tech Red Raiders during a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Benchmark International Arena on March 20, 2026 in Tampa, Fla.
Texas Tech Red Raiders cheerleaders in the first half against the Akron Zips during a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Benchmark International Arena on March 20, 2026 in Tampa, Fla.
Santa Clara Broncos fans react to game play against the Kentucky Wildcats during the second half of a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Enterprise Center on March 20, 2026 in St. Louis, MO.
Akron Zips cheerleaders and mascot in the second half against the Texas Tech Red Raiders during a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Benchmark International Arena on March 20, 2026 in Tampa, Fla.
Wright State Raiders fans celebrate after a Wright State Raiders guard TJ Burch (22) scores during the second half against the Virginia Cavaliers during a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Xfinity Mobile Arena on March 20, 2026 in Philadelphia, PA.
Hofstra Pride cheerleaders in the second half against the Alabama Crimson Tide during a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Benchmark International Arena on March 20, 2026 in Tampa, Fla.
Garth Noble of the Louisville pep band is amped at the 2026 NCAA Women's March Madness basketball tournament at the KFC Yum Center In Louisville, Kentucky. March 21, 2026.
Michigan head coach Dusty May high-fives players after 95-72 win over Saint Louis at the NCAA Tournament Second Round at KeyBank Center in Buffalo on Saturday, March 21, 2026.
The Notre Dame Fighting Irish band and spirit squad cheer during the first round of the NCAA women's basketball tournament against the Fairfield Stags at Ohio State's Schottenstein Center in Columbus on March 21, 2026.
1 / 37
Iowa State Cyclones fans cheer against the Kentucky Wildcats during the first half in the second round of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Enterprise Center on March 22, 2026 in St Louis, Missouri.
1 / 37
Iowa State Cyclones fans cheer against the Kentucky Wildcats during the first half in the second round of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Enterprise Center on March 22, 2026 in St Louis, Missouri.
2 / 37
Kansas Jayhawks cheerleaders perform before a second round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament against the St. John's Red Storm at Viejas Arena on March 22, 2026 in San Diego, Calif.
3 / 37
Nebraska's Berke Buyuktuncel celebrates with fans following a second-round game in the NCAA men's basketball tournament between Nebraska Cornhuskers and Vanderbilt Commodores at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City on March 21, 2026.
4 / 37
Arkansas Razorbacks cheerleaders in the second half against the Hawaii Rainbow Warriors during a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Moda Center on March 19, 2026 in Portland, Ore.
5 / 37
VCU Rams fans react after a 3-pointer by Terrence Hill Jr. #6 of the VCU Rams in the first round of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Bon Secours Wellness Arena on March 19, 2026 in Greenville, SC.
6 / 37
Howard Bison cheerleaders perform during a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament against the Michigan Wolverines at Keybank Center on Mar 19, 2026 in Buffalo, NY.
7 / 37
BYU Cougars cheerleader in the second half against the Texas Longhorns during a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Moda Center on Mar 19, 2026 in Portland, Ore.
8 / 37
Former North Carolina Tar Heels head coach Roy Williams is seen in the crowd against the VCU Rams in the second half of a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Bon Secours Wellness Arena on Mar 19, 2026 in Greenville, SC.
9 / 37
Texas A&M Aggies cheerleaders during a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Paycom Center on March 19, 2026 in Oklahoma City.
10 / 37
Texas Longhorns band in the first half against the BYU Cougars during a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Moda Center on Mar 19, 2026 in Portland.
11 / 37
St. John's Red Storm mascot Johnny Thunder mixes with players prior to taking the court during practice day ahead of the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Viejas Arena at San Diego State University on March 19, 2026 in San Diego, California.
12 / 37
A Texas Christian University Horned Frogs cheerleader practices before the game during a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Bon Secours Wellness Arena on March 19, 2026 in Greenville, SC.
13 / 37
The High Point Panthers fans cheer during the second half of a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament against the Wisconsin Badgers at Moda Center on March 19, 2026 in Portland, Or.
14 / 37
The High Point Panthers cheerleaders react during the second half of a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament against the Wisconsin Badgers at Moda Center on March 19, 2026 in Portland, Or.
15 / 37
The North Dakota State Bison mascot and cheerleaders pose for a photo before the game against the Michigan State Spartans during a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Keybank Center on March 19, 2026 in Buffalo, NY
16 / 37
Nebraska Cornhuskers fans cheer after defeating the Troy Trojans during a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Paycom Center on March 19, 2026 in Oklahoma City.
17 / 37
The Wisconsin Badgers mascot performs during a time out during the second half of a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament against the High Point Panthers at Moda Center on March 19, 2026 in Portland.
18 / 37
A view of Buddy the Street Dog as Queens University of Charlotte Royals guard Yoav Berman talks to the media during a practice session ahead of the first round of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Enterprise Center in St. Louis on March 19, 2026.
19 / 37
The High Point Panthers band performs prior to a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament against the Wisconsin Badgers at Moda Center on March 19, 2026 in Portland, Or.
20 / 37
High Point Panthers fans cheer prior to a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament against the Wisconsin Badgers at Moda Center on March 19, 2026 in Portland, Or.
21 / 37
The Wisconsin Badgers cheerleaders preform during the first half of a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament against the High Point Panthers at Moda Center on March 19, 2026 in Portland, Or.
22 / 37
The South Florida Bulls mascot performs during the second half against the Louisville Cardinals during a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Keybank Center on March 19, 2026 in Buffalo, NY.
23 / 37
The Texas Christian University Horned Frogs cheerleaders perform in the first half during a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Bon Secours Wellness Arena on March 19, 2026 in Greenville, SC.
24 / 37
The Troy Trojans mascot dances on the floor during the second half against the Nebraska Cornhuskers during a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Paycom Center on March 19, 2026 in Oklahoma City.
25 / 37
The UCF Knights band performs during a practice session ahead of the first round of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Xfinity Mobile Arena on March 19, 2026 in Philadelphia.
26 / 37
Nebraska Cornhuskers cheerleaders perform during the second half against the Troy Trojans during a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Paycom Center on March 19, 2026 in Oklahoma City.
27 / 37
A Wisconsin Badgers cheerleader performs during the first half of a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament against the High Point Panthers at Moda Center on March 19, 2026 in Portland, Or.
28 / 37
The Ohio State Buckeyes cheerleaders perform in the second half during a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Bon Secours Wellness Arena on March 19, 2026 in Greenville, SC.
29 / 37
Akron Zips fans in the first half against the Texas Tech Red Raiders during a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Benchmark International Arena on March 20, 2026 in Tampa, Fla.
30 / 37
Texas Tech Red Raiders cheerleaders in the first half against the Akron Zips during a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Benchmark International Arena on March 20, 2026 in Tampa, Fla.
31 / 37
Santa Clara Broncos fans react to game play against the Kentucky Wildcats during the second half of a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Enterprise Center on March 20, 2026 in St. Louis, MO.
32 / 37
Akron Zips cheerleaders and mascot in the second half against the Texas Tech Red Raiders during a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Benchmark International Arena on March 20, 2026 in Tampa, Fla.
33 / 37
Wright State Raiders fans celebrate after a Wright State Raiders guard TJ Burch (22) scores during the second half against the Virginia Cavaliers during a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Xfinity Mobile Arena on March 20, 2026 in Philadelphia, PA.
34 / 37
Hofstra Pride cheerleaders in the second half against the Alabama Crimson Tide during a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Benchmark International Arena on March 20, 2026 in Tampa, Fla.
35 / 37
Garth Noble of the Louisville pep band is amped at the 2026 NCAA Women's March Madness basketball tournament at the KFC Yum Center In Louisville, Kentucky. March 21, 2026.
36 / 37
Michigan head coach Dusty May high-fives players after 95-72 win over Saint Louis at the NCAA Tournament Second Round at KeyBank Center in Buffalo on Saturday, March 21, 2026.
37 / 37
The Notre Dame Fighting Irish band and spirit squad cheer during the first round of the NCAA women's basketball tournament against the Fairfield Stags at Ohio State's Schottenstein Center in Columbus on March 21, 2026.
If you watched Houston-Kansas at 9 oâclock Eastern on a Big Monday in February, youâre either a college hoops junkie, or youâre gambling. Or, both.
No judgment, but letâs be honest, that single contest didnât meaningfully alter either teamâs fate. Any power conference team with a pulse is making the Big Dance, whether the field stays at 68 or goes to 76.
I have no appetite for NCAA Tournament expansion. Itâs wholly unnecessary and designed to reward barely-above-.500 teams from power conferences.
But, much as I lack enthusiasm for bracket expansion, I also can acknowledge its impact probably will be minimal.
After the field expands, a handful more mediocre power teams will qualify and make a brief March Madness appearance. Maybe, another mid-major or two will gain entry. But, expanding the field from 68 to 76 wonât significantly reshape the sport or its fandom.
The diehards still will tune in regularly. The casuals will climb aboard once March arrives, as conference tournaments approach. The March Madness passersby and only-interested-because-of-their-bracket types will wander in on the Thursday of the first round, once the play-in games (or, whatever weâre calling them) are completed.
Nothing is gained from tournament expansion, other than a few more shekels. Not much is lost, either.
Thatâs what makes the 76-team NCAA Tournament proposal so different from College Football Playoff expansion talks.
A 24-team CFP â thatâs playoff size the Big Ten and some other stakeholders favor â would significantly reshape college football.
The sportâs high-stakes regular season hangs in the balance, as conference commissioners continue to debate CFP size, format and access.
Toppmeyer: College footballâs new idea is to make a long season even longer. Make it make sense
Hayes: '33rd Team' as sad as Bill Belichick's dwindling coaching twilight
Itâs almost become an unwritten rule every reporter follows: If you secure an exclusive offseason interview with a coach, you must ask him what size playoff he prefers.
I followed that tacit agreement when I sat down with Texas A&M coach Mike Elko recently.
When I asked Elko why coaches desire a bigger playoff, he answered humorously and candidly: Coaches think a bigger playoff will help their job security.
âThe head coach who wants to keep his job, (heâll say) the right size is 45 teams or however many we can possibly fit in it,â Elko told me, âbecause (making the playoff) is becoming such a marker for the premier programs, which is, either youâre in, or youâre out. And if youâre out, you failed.â
Bingo. And, coaches donât like copping to failure.
If the playoffâs shape and format were left in coachesâ hands, theyâd default to self-preservation.
Coachesâ self-protection tendencies aside, whatâs the best postseason direction?
Elko cautioned against growing the playoff too much, at the risk of affecting the regular seasonâs stakes.
âAs a college football fan and maybe a little bit of a guy who has studied the game, you just want to be careful that we donât get too big, too fast,â Elko said.
Amen. Preach on.
âYou have to keep the regular season meaningful,â Elko said. âWe cannot turn this into college basketball. Weâll lose everything that college football has ever been about.â
Thatâs the whole enchilada.
College basketball is a postseason sport that peaks in March. The whole enterprise is built around the tournament.
College football is different. Its regular season is the best season in all of sports. Its postseason has always paled in comparison.
The season peaks in Thanksgiving rivalry week, not in the playoff.
Playoff reimagination should not come at the regular seasonâs expense.
College football revolves around fall Saturdays, tailgates on college campuses, the every-game-matters stakes, and hating your rivals.
The stakes are super high, because, even if youâre Alabama, lose to a pair of .500 teams, and you could land on the wrong side of the 12-team playoffâs cutline. (See 2024.)
Even if youâre Notre Dame, lose to the two best teams on your schedule, and youâre in trouble. (See 2025.)
A 12-team playoff heightens the regular season drama. If stakeholders werenât so desperate to squeeze more revenue out of the playoff, thereâs a good argument to stay at 12.
Growing the playoff from four to 12 retained college footballâs postseason exclusivity, while expanding access.
Sixteen teams might still strike a good balance of growing the playoff and squeezing out some more dollars without torpedoing the regular season.
At 24 teams, youâve become college hoops.
At 24 teams, weâd see 8-4 teams qualifying.
At that point, itâs not exclusive.
At that point, youâre OK to attend your cousinâs September wedding, because the games donât matter all that much until December. Lose to Vanderbilt in October, and itâs no sweat.
Just beat three cupcakes, plus a few decent teams, eight wins, and, voila, hereâs your playoff bid.
At that point, the regular season is filler.
In other words, youâre college basketball.
Doubling the playoffâs from 12 to 24 teams perhaps would make December a bit better. Itâd make October a lot worse. Thatâs not a worthy trade.
College basketball growing its tournament will weaken the bubble, but it wonât change the sport. For college football, the stakes are higher for altering the playoff. At 24 teams, youâre not just diluting the quality of the bubble. Youâd be changing the sport so it becomes college basketball, a sport that commands attention for one month only.
Blake Toppmeyer is the USA TODAY Network's senior national college football columnist. Email him at BToppmeyer@gannett.com and follow him on X @btoppmeyer.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: CFP expansion to 24 teams would fundamentally alter college football
The NCAA Tournament will expand to 76 teams after the upcoming changes.
The expansion is expected to have minimal impact on the college basketball season, which is already considered low-stakes until March.
College sports leaders believe that expanding the tournament will enhance the competition and engagement in college basketball.
While NCAA Tournament expansion is seen as harmless, CFP expansion is viewed as a significant change that alters the sport.
Ratchasiesan Laochokcharoen moves to featherweight for his fight against Elbrus Osmanov on May 1.
New York Giants bolster defense by signing Leki Fotu
Yasir Al-Rumayyan steps down as LIV Golf chairman amid funding issues
Rumors of Tyreek Hill reuniting with the Chiefs continue after his release.
Texas A&M's 2027 5-star CB target John Meredith is trending toward Texas.
FIFA Congress in Vancouver tackles pressing issues before World Cup
See every story in Sports â including breaking news and analysis.