EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsWhen it comes to ranking the major conferences, especially in the preseason or early season, we're going to stick with what worked. Last November, we based the countdown on a single question: Which league was most likely to produce the national champion?Thanks to the Michigan Wolverines, the Big Ten finally broke its endless NCAA title drought and made us look quite smart. But a new season means it's time for a new forecast.We'll do the other tracking first, projecting total NCAA bids and average seeding. But our eyes are on the ultimate prize. For every high major program and its respective conference, it's about cutting down the nets in April. Who has the best odds as the 2026-27 campaign begins?The headline? While a repeat champion is unlikely on the team side of things (sorry, Michigan), the odds of a conference going back-to-back aren't unfavorable. To the numbers!Note: "Current bids" refers to the number of bids a conference has in the preseason Bracketology. "Projected bids" refers to the number of bids a conference could have on Selection Sunday.6. Pac-12Current bids: 2Projected bids: 2Average seed: 7.25Bid percentage: 22.2%NCAA title odds: 5%Championship caliber: One of these years, the Gonzaga Bulldogs and Mark Few are going to break through. They've done the Final Four and national championship game thing twice. They've made the Sweet 16 a dozen more times. Why not finish the job the same year Few went into the Naismith Hall of Fame?Joey Brackets says: We're adding the Pac-12 to the high-major category primarily because of Gonzaga but also because San Diego State has a very recent Sweet 16 and national championship game pedigree. At the end of the day, the Pac-12 could be closer to the Big East and maybe even the non-Duke portion of the ACC than people realize.Game of the year: Gonzaga at Utah State (Jan. 21, 8 p.m. ET, USA Network) Read more: Storylines for all 32 conferences5. Big EastCurrent bids: 6Projected bids: 5Average seed: 7.50Bid percentage: 45.5%NCAA title odds: 10%Championship caliber: As long as Dan Hurley makes his home in the Constitution State, the UConn Huskies will be part of the national title picture. It sure seems like UConn, coming off its third championship game appearance in four years, has reloaded for an even more serious run. We can also never discount the longstanding acumen -- and current payroll -- of Rick Pitino and St. John's.Joey Brackets says: Big East fans seem to be assuming NCAA tournament expansion will result in over half the league reaching the dance. Unfortunately, that's not how the math shapes up. The conference continues to be held back by lengthening NCAA droughts at Providence (three years), Seton Hall (four years), Georgetown (five years), Butler (six years) and DePaul (let's not talk about it). The bottom has to improve more than the top for the East's leading conference to be truly Big again.Game of the year: UConn at St. John's (Jan. 29, 8 p.m. ET, FOX)4. ACCCurrent bids: 7Projected bids: 8Average seed: 6.07Bid percentage: 44.4%NCAA title odds: 15%Championship caliber: Duke is a legitimate and obvious national championship contender, but Virginia and Louisville are very much in the conversation, too. We all remember the Blue Devils throwing away their Final Four at the end of the Elite Eight game against UConn, but the Cavaliers and Cardinals falling short of the second weekend might have been more damaging to the conference overall.Joey Brackets says: The ACC is creeping toward .500. We're not talking wins and losses, rather the percentage of its teams in the NCAA tournament. With 18 members and an expanded field, double-digit bids is the goal, with half the membership (nine teams) looming as a reasonable consolation prize.Game of the year: Duke at Virginia (Feb. 6, time TBD, ESPN) Read more: 75 teams, 11 March Madness potential tiers3. SECCurrent bids: 12Projected bids: 10Average seed: 5.98Bid percentage: 62.5%NCAA title odds: 20%Championship caliber: Florida's performance against Miami on opening night did nothing to temper hopes for a second national title in three years. The Gators, at least up front, are absolutely good enough. Texas is the X factor in determining whether the SEC will be great -- or, more likely, very good.Joey Brackets says: Those hoping NCAA expansion will bring back a 14-bid SEC are sorely mistaken. That perfect storm is unlikely, no matter how large the tournament field becomes. We think the top of the SEC has been slightly eclipsed, resulting in the drop for this league.Game of the year: Florida at Texas (Jan. 2, 6 p.m. ET, ESPN) More from around the SEC: The LSU-Will Wade timeline2. Big 12Current bids: 10Projected bids: 10Average seed: 5.85Bid percentage: 62.5%NCAA title odds: 25%Championship caliber: We spent most of the offseason talking up Arizona and, to a lesser extent, Houston. All of a sudden, Kansas has entered the chat. (You can thank Trey Kaufman-Renn's legal team for that.) Add in Bill Self, and all things are again possible for the Jayhawks.Joey Brackets says: The Big 12 was the nation's top-ranked conference nine times in 11 years between 2014 and 2024. It slipped to third the past two seasons and has somehow never reached the double-digit bid total its metrics suggest. That will change in 2027.Game of the year: Kansas at Arizona (Feb. 20, time TBD, ESPN)1. Big TenCurrent bids: 11Projected bids: 11Average seed: 6.05Bid percentage: 61.1%NCAA title odds: 25%Championship caliber: Illinois might not be the obvious juggernaut Michigan was a year ago, but that's about health more than skill. If the Illini can get David Mirkovic and a full roster together by the start of conference play, we might be looking at college basketball's most explosive team in a long time. And don't count out the possibility of Tom Izzo bringing his Michigan State Spartans to a hometown Final Four come April.Joey Brackets says: The second tier of the Big Ten should make for another special season. UCLA is a Final Four sleeper, with Michigan, Nebraska, USC, Purdue, Ohio State, Indiana and Wisconsin all capable of Sweet 16 runs. We know how the conference has routinely disappointed in March, but maybe last season's NCAA title broke the curse.Game of the year: Michigan State at Illinois (Feb. 5, 8 p.m. ET, FOX) Read more: 17 teams that can win 30 games
