Arizona & Nebraska Lead Undefeated; Texas A&M and Auburn Fight for NCAA Tournament Spots
January 16, 2026
The projected bracket slices across the East, South, Midwest, and West show how teams are seeded and positioned region by region as of mid-January.
FOX Sports bracket projections have Arizona, Nebraska, and Miami (Ohio) near the season’s midpoint as undefeated, with Arizona and Nebraska still holding No. 1 seeds and Miami (Ohio) staying as a No. 9 seed from earlier expectations.
On the bubble, Texas A&M, Auburn, Oklahoma State, and New Mexico are listed as the last four in, while Indiana, Virginia Tech, UCLA, and Ohio State sit among the first four out.
With Selection Sunday approaching in under two months, projections will continue to evolve as teams rise, fall, and build résumés for March.
The projections are led by conference representation, with the SEC sending about 10 teams, the ACC nine, the Big Ten and Big 12 eight each, and the Big East, West Coast, Atlantic 10, and Mountain West trail with two or fewer.
Summary based on 1 source
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FOX Sports • Jan 16, 2026
2026 Men's NCAA Tournament Projections: Michigan, BYU Rising; Iowa State Slides