NFL
Vikings scouting director excited for rookie class in 2026
Minnesota Vikings optimistic about their 2026 NFL Draft picks
Yahoo Sports1 min read
SportsFeature
What 2026 NCAA Tournament bracket could have looked like with 76 teams: No. 12 seeds brawl in opening round
TL;DR
The 2026 NCAA Tournament could have featured 76 teams, altering the bracket significantly. Eight additional teams would have made the field, and some No. 14 seeds would face tougher matchups in the opening round.
Key points
- 2026 NCAA Tournament could feature 76 teams
- Eight additional teams would make the field
- Wright State and Kennesaw State would face tougher matchups
- Opening round would expand from four to twelve games
- Teams would be slotted differently based on seeding
Wright StateKennesaw State
Getty Images
Had the 2026 NCAA Tournament featured a field of 76 like that one that is expected to be adopted for the 2026-27 college basketball season, the bracket would have taken on a significantly different complexion. Eight teams left on the wrong side of the bubble would have made the field, and a handful that did make it would have been subjected to a more treacherous path.
With the First Four ā to be known henceforth as the "opening round" ā tripling in size from four games to 12, some poorly seeded teams that received byes to the first round in 2026 would have been slotted into preliminary games. Wright State and Kennesaw State would have been among those most significantly impacted. Both were No. 14 seeds in the 2026 NCAA Tournament who opened up against No. 3 seeds.
Under the new format, their already difficult journeys would have been made even more treacherous. For starters, they would have been forced to play in the expanded "opening" round as No. 15 seeds. Then, with a win, they would have advanced to play a No. 2 seed instead of a No. 3 seed.
That's because the new format is expected to create six games between automatic qualifiers instead of two. As a result, it will now be the 12 worst-seeded teams in the bracket who play on Tuesday/Wednesday of the tournament's opening week instead of the four worst-seeded. Subsequently, even a couple of teams that historically would have been No. 14 seeds will get roped into the early action.
The expected new format will mean there are now eight No. 16 seeds instead of six and six No. 15 seeds instead of four.
Teams negatively impacted
Wright State and Kennesaw State, as mentioned above, are two examples of teams whose NCAA Tournament fates would have looked drastically different had this past year's Big Dance been contested under the 76-team format. Others like and , who were No. 12 seeds as automatic qualifiers, would likely have been pushed down to the No. 13 seed line to make room for eight additional at-large teams.
Q&A
How would the 2026 NCAA Tournament bracket change with 76 teams?
The bracket would expand to include 76 teams, adding eight more teams and changing matchups for several lower-seeded teams.
Which teams would have been affected by the expanded NCAA Tournament format?
Teams like Wright State and Kennesaw State would have faced tougher paths, potentially playing as No. 15 seeds in the opening round.
What is the significance of the 'opening round' in the 2026 NCAA Tournament?
The 'opening round' would triple in size from four to twelve games, impacting the seeding and matchups for several teams.
What changes are expected for the NCAA Tournament in 2026-27?
The NCAA plans to adopt a 76-team format for the 2026-27 season, significantly altering the tournament structure.
