Welcome to Bracketology 2021, where our resident bracketologist, Justin Meyer, gives you his prediction of what the selection committee would have the NCAA Tournament look like if the season were to end today. He has done bracketology for more than 10 years, and this is his seventh season as part of the Bracket Matrix.
This is not what he would make the bracket if he were the selection committee, and this is not a guess for what it will look like on Selection Sunday (unless, of course, it is Selection Sunday). It is merely a snapshot of where things stand right now.
Per usual, you can expect our Bubble Watch series to return later in the season, breaking down where all remotely relevant teams stand relative to the cutline, with resume explanations and a set of requirements for what the team needs to secure its spot in the Big Dance. Here is where you can find the final bracket and Bubble Watch from last season (before it was called off) to see what’s in store.
This year, the entire 2021 NCAA Tournament will be held in Indiana because of the pandemic, meaning the regions will be unattached to a location. That will not be a factor in what region teams play in.
Without further ado, here is your update for how the Field of 68 stands right now in our Bracketology 2021 (as of games played through Thursday, Jan. 21, 2021):
Bracketology 2021
Region 1
1 GONZAGA vs 16 JACKSONVILLE/NORTH CAROLINA A&T
8 BOISE STATE vs 9 Saint Louis
5 Minnesota vs 12 Stanford/Pittsburgh
4 Texas Tech vs 13 FURMAN
6 Florida State vs 11 DRAKE
3 Illinois vs 14 TEXAS STATE
7 Purdue vs 10 Arkansas
2 HOUSTON vs 15 NORTHEASTERN
Region 4
1 VILLANOVA vs 16 MONTANA STATE
8 USC vs 9 Florida
5 Colorado vs 12 ST. BONAVENTURE
4 Kansas vs 13 SIENA
6 Creighton vs 11 Rutgers
3 ALABAMA vs 14 NAVY
7 Connecticut vs 10 Oklahoma
2 Iowa vs 15 CLEVELAND STATE
Region 2
1 BAYLOR vs 16 UTAH VALLEY/SOUTHERN
8 BYU vs 9 Xavier
5 UCLA vs 12 TOLEDO
4 Missouri vs 13 UAB
6 Oklahoma State vs 11 San Diego State/North Carolina
3 Wisconsin vs 14 SAM HOUSTON STATE
7 Oregon vs 10 Seton Hall
2 Tennessee vs 15 UMBC
Region 3
1 MICHIGAN vs 16 SOUTH DAKOTA
8 Louisville vs 9 LSU
5 West Virginia vs 12 WINTHROP
4 VIRGINIA vs 13 BELMONT
6 Clemson vs 11 Richmond
3 Ohio State vs 14 BRYANT
7 Virginia Tech vs 10 Indiana
2 Texas vs 15 UC IRVINE
The Bubble
Last Four Byes
Oklahoma
Arkansas
Richmond
Rutgers
Last Four In
San Diego State
North Carolina
Stanford
Pittsburgh
First Four Out
Marquette
Utah State
Maryland
Colorado State
Next Four Out
VCU
Providence
Western Kentucky
Wichita State
S-Curve
- Gonzaga
- Baylor
- Michigan
- Villanova
- Iowa
- Texas
- Tennessee
- Houston
- Alabama
- Wisconsin
- Ohio State
- Illinois
- Kansas
- Virginia
- Texas Tech
- Missouri
- Minnesota
- UCLA
- West Virginia
- Colorado
- Creighton
- Clemson
- Oklahoma State
- Florida State
- Purdue
- Oregon
- Virginia Tech
- Connecticut
- USC
- Louisville
- Boise State
- BYU
- Saint Louis
- Xavier
- LSU
- Florida
- Indiana
- Seton Hall
- Oklahoma
- Arkansas
- Drake
- Richmond
- Rutgers
- San Diego State
- North Carolina
- Stanford
- Pittsburgh
- St. Bonaventure
- Winthrop
- Toledo
- Furman
- UAB
- Belmont
- Siena
- Navy
- Bryant
- Sam Houston STate
- Texas State
- Northeastern
- UMBC
- UC Irvine
- Cleveland State
- Montana State
- South Dakota
- Utah Valley
- Southern
- Jacksonville
- North Carolina A&T
Per Conference
Big Ten – 9 (Michigan, Iowa, Wisconsin, Ohio State, Illinois, Minnesota, Purdue, Indiana, Rutgers)
ACC – 7 (Virginia, Clemson, Florida State, Virginia Tech, Louisville, North Carolina, Pittsburgh)
Big 12 – 7 (Baylor, Texas, Kansas, Texas Tech, West Virginia, Oklahoma State, Oklahoma)
SEC – 6 (Tennessee, Alabama, Missouri, LSU, Florida, Arkansas)
Big East – 5 (Villanova, Creighton, Connecticut, Xavier, Seton Hall)
Pac-12 – 5 (UCLA, Colorado, Oregon, USC, Stanford)
A-10 – 3 (Saint Louis, Richmond, St. Bonaventure)
MWC – 2 (Boise State, San Diego State)
WCC – 2 (Gonzaga, BYU)