These are my NCAA Tournament picks for 2026. I would often pick more upsets than you’ll see below, but with the NIL and the transfer portal, the top teams are even better than they were in the past. That said, there will be some upsets below, including a No. 13 over a No. 4.
Here are my picks:
If there’s going to be a 12-5 upset, it could easily be Liberty over Oregon. The Ducks should have been a No. 8 seed. The selection committee did a poor job seeding many of the teams in this tournament.
If you like Duke, keep in mind that they lost their top defender, Caleb Foster, to a fractured foot. Perhaps he’ll make it back for the Final Four, but I have my doubts. This gives Connecticut an edge over the Blue Devils, should both teams reach the Elite Eight.
However, I love St. John’s. The Red Storm are Andy Iskoe’s sleeper team to win the title. They just won the Big East Tournament, which bodes well for them moving forward.
I like another 11-over-6 upset in this region, with BYU losing to a play-in winner. The Cougars lost star wing Richie Saunders about a month ago and hasn’t been the same team since.
Speaking of BYU, Gonzaga has to be thrilled about having to play the Cougars or an 11-seed in Round 2 because the Zags are down one of their top players for at least the first two rounds. Braden Huff may return for the Sweet 16, but that’s not a certainty. If he’s sidelined, it’ll be very difficult to beat Purdue.
Arizona is the clear winner in this region if it can get by Arkansas. The Wildcats will see a No. 3 seed that is banged up, or a No. 2 seed that is rated a bit too highly because of recent success.
One upset I like in the first round is No. 11 VCU over No. 6 North Carolina. The Tar Heels lost stud 6-10 freshman Caleb Wilson for the tournament with a fractured ankle and won’t be the same without him.
I would not pick a No. 5 to lose in this region. Not only is Vanderbilt the best No. 5 seed in the tournament; the team would be a decent No. 3 seed! The Commodores matchup up very well against the No. 1 Gators, so that’s a potential Sweet 16 upset if the teams were to clash on the second weekend.
My pick to escape this region is Houston. The Cougars are the top No. 2 seed, and it could be argued that they should have been the No. 1 in this region.
There’s always a 12-over-5, and the most likely outcome of that happening is Akron beating Texas Tech. The Red Raiders lost their top player, J.T. Toppin, to a torn ACL. I don’t know how they’re going to overcome his lost 21.8 points per game and 10.8 rebounds per game in the tournament.
However, my upset of the tournament is No. 13 Hofstra over No. 4 Alabama. Of all the top-four seeds, the Crimson Tide have the worst defense. Hofstra, meanwhile, is a legitimately talented mid-major and probably should have been a No. 11 or 12 seed.
This all clears the way for Michigan to advance far in this region. One of Iowa State, Virginia, or Tennessee could pull the upset, but the Wolverines are the top defensive team in the tournament, so that should give them the edge.
Don’t stress having three No. 1 or 2 seeds in your Final Four because the NIL has made the best teams even better. However, everyone’s going to have No. 1 and 2 seeds in their Final Four, which presents a dilemma if you’re competing in an office pool with lots of people.
The answer is St. John’s. Coached by Rick Pitino, the Red Storm just dominated in the Big East Tournament and is criminally underseeded at No. 5. St. John’s should be a No. 3 at the very least, which makes this prediction look better. Plus, we have the backing of legendary sports handicapper Andy Iskoe, who loves St. John’s as an upset pick to win the NCAA Tournament.
2026 NFL Mock Draft - March 7
Fantasy Football Rankings - Feb. 19
NFL Picks - Feb. 9
NFL Power Rankings - Jan. 26
