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The drama of college basketball’s 2026 March Madness is about to unfold in the coming weeks and fans are hopeful of filling out the rare perfect bracket.
However, this year’s drama on the court presents many opportunities for top teams to disappoint during the NCAA Tournament. Even Miami (OH) had their perfect 31-0 season ended prior to March Madness kicking off during their conference tournament.
MORE: 2026 March Madness automatic bids, all 31 conference winners
While many college basketball diehards believe top schools like Duke, Michigan and Arizona have the talent to win it all, there have been plenty of upsets throughout the 2025-26 season.
Ranked teams such as Houston, Kansas, UConn and Florida all suffered losses during their respective conference tournaments. The Gators, in particular, were especially shocking in the SEC Tournament after being considered a projected top seed in March Madness.
MORE: Printable 2026 NCAA Tournament bracket to fill out for March Madness
While the Selection Sunday drama has yet to unfold, this year’s March Madness could prove to be very intriguing with many new teams entering the competition.
Duke Blue Devils head coach Jon Scheyer cuts down the net after defeating the Virginia Cavaliers in the men’s ACC Conference Tournament Championship. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images
These are 7 college basketball teams that could bust your brackets during March Madness.
Dan Hurley’s group has taken the back seat to St. John’s in the Big East. While UConn still has talent and experience to overcome their brutal Big East title game loss, the championship game showed the college basketball world that they’re prone to being dominated physically.
The Blue Devils have one of the best rosters in America, so it’s clear they have the talent to win it all in April. However, Jon Scheyer’s team has a massive question mark heading into March Madness and it pertains to Caleb Foster and Patrick Ngongba.
This season, Foster is averaged 8.5 points per game and his play at guard would be sorely missed if he cannot play during the NCAA Tournament. However, Foster and Ngongba’s play on the defensive end of the floor is where Duke will miss them most.
Mark Few’s team is traditionally a popular pick once the NCAA Tournament rolls around. However, Gonzaga have only played three ranked teams during the 2026 season and it’s been a mixed bag of results.
The Bulldogs were battered by Michigan during a 40-point loss and even fell to St. Mary’s two weeks before the West Coast tournament.
Gonzaga Bulldogs celebrates after defeating the Santa Clara Broncos at Orleans Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-Imagn Images
The Big 12 has at least three teams that could make a national championship push during March Madness. However, Kansas’ run to a title is the toughest to predict based on star freshman Darryn Peterson’s up-and-down season.
It’s clear that Peterson is a top NBA Draft prospect, but he disappeared against Houston in the conference tournament and shot just 27 percent from the field. The Jayhawks will only advance deep in March if Peterson shows up.
Wisconsin impressed many during the Badgers’ run at the Big Ten Tournament, including nearly taking down top seed Michigan. However, the big concern with the Badgers is certainly their ability to live and die by the three-pointer.
Austin Rapp’s six threes against the Wolverines almost led to an upset, but if the long-range shots aren’t dropping for Wisconsin then the team’s struggles down low will be tough to overcome.
The Cornhuskers have been a fantastic story in 2026 after exceeding expectations on the court. However, their form leading into the NCAA Tournament has certainly been a cause for concern.
Nebraska has lost two of its last three games entering March Madness, including double-digit losses against Purdue and UCLA.
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The post 7 college basketball favorites that will bust 2026 March Madness brackets appeared first on The Big Lead.
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However, this year’s drama on the court presents many opportunities for top teams to disappoint during the NCAA Tournament. Even Miami (OH) had their perfect 31-0 season ended prior to March Madness kicking off during their conference tournament.
MORE: 2026 March Madness automatic bids, all 31 conference winners
While many college basketball diehards believe top schools like Duke, Michigan and Arizona have the talent to win it all, there have been plenty of upsets throughout the 2025-26 season.
Ranked teams such as Houston, Kansas, UConn and Florida all suffered losses during their respective conference tournaments. The Gators, in particular, were especially shocking in the SEC Tournament after being considered a projected top seed in March Madness.
MORE: Printable 2026 NCAA Tournament bracket to fill out for March Madness
While the Selection Sunday drama has yet to unfold, this year’s March Madness could prove to be very intriguing with many new teams entering the competition.
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Duke Blue Devils head coach Jon Scheyer cuts down the net after defeating the Virginia Cavaliers in the men’s ACC Conference Tournament Championship. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images
These are 7 college basketball teams that could bust your brackets during March Madness.
Connecticut Huskies
Dan Hurley’s group has taken the back seat to St. John’s in the Big East. While UConn still has talent and experience to overcome their brutal Big East title game loss, the championship game showed the college basketball world that they’re prone to being dominated physically.
Duke Blue Devils
The Blue Devils have one of the best rosters in America, so it’s clear they have the talent to win it all in April. However, Jon Scheyer’s team has a massive question mark heading into March Madness and it pertains to Caleb Foster and Patrick Ngongba.
This season, Foster is averaged 8.5 points per game and his play at guard would be sorely missed if he cannot play during the NCAA Tournament. However, Foster and Ngongba’s play on the defensive end of the floor is where Duke will miss them most.
Gonzaga Bulldogs
Mark Few’s team is traditionally a popular pick once the NCAA Tournament rolls around. However, Gonzaga have only played three ranked teams during the 2026 season and it’s been a mixed bag of results.
The Bulldogs were battered by Michigan during a 40-point loss and even fell to St. Mary’s two weeks before the West Coast tournament.
You must be registered for see images attach
Gonzaga Bulldogs celebrates after defeating the Santa Clara Broncos at Orleans Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-Imagn Images
Kansas Jayhawks
The Big 12 has at least three teams that could make a national championship push during March Madness. However, Kansas’ run to a title is the toughest to predict based on star freshman Darryn Peterson’s up-and-down season.
It’s clear that Peterson is a top NBA Draft prospect, but he disappeared against Houston in the conference tournament and shot just 27 percent from the field. The Jayhawks will only advance deep in March if Peterson shows up.
Wisconsin Badgers
Wisconsin impressed many during the Badgers’ run at the Big Ten Tournament, including nearly taking down top seed Michigan. However, the big concern with the Badgers is certainly their ability to live and die by the three-pointer.
Austin Rapp’s six threes against the Wolverines almost led to an upset, but if the long-range shots aren’t dropping for Wisconsin then the team’s struggles down low will be tough to overcome.
Nebraska Cornhuskers
The Cornhuskers have been a fantastic story in 2026 after exceeding expectations on the court. However, their form leading into the NCAA Tournament has certainly been a cause for concern.
Nebraska has lost two of its last three games entering March Madness, including double-digit losses against Purdue and UCLA.
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MARCH MADNESS: Dick Vitale selects ‘All Rolls Royce PTPERS’ for 2025-26 college basketball season
OSCARS: Full list of nominees for the 98th Academy Awards
WORLD BASEBALL CLASSIC: USA-Dominican Republic, WBC semifinals pitching matchup confirmed
GOLF: 2026 Players Championship payouts for full $25M pursue
VIRAL: Miami Open introduces Love All Frosé cocktail in eye-catching cup
The post 7 college basketball favorites that will bust 2026 March Madness brackets appeared first on The Big Lead.
Continue reading...
