The last time Tom Izzo and Michigan State missed the NCAA Tournament was 1997, so it comes as little surprise that the Spartans are included in the 2026 March Madness bracket. The Spartans are the No. 3 seed in the East Region and will begin their tournament with a first-round matchup against No. 14 seed North Dakota State on Thursday. They’ll hope to avoid one of the potential 2026 March Madness upset picks. Izzo’s squad has failed to reach the second weekend of the NCAA Tournament in three of the last five years.
How deep of a run can the Spartans make during March Madness 2026 and who are some of the 2026 March Madness Cinderellas included in this year’s 2026 NCAA Tournament bracket? Before filling out your NCAA Tournament bracket 2026, be sure to see the 2026 March Madness bracket picks from the proven computer model at SportsLine.
Their proven projection model has simulated every game in the tournament 10,000 times. It has absolutely crushed its March Madness picks recently, beating over 91% of all CBS Sports brackets in four of the past seven tournaments. It was all over UConn’s championship run two years ago and nailed 12 teams in the Sweet 16 last year. It also correctly predicted all four Final Four teams in 2025.
It knows how to spot an upset as well. The same model has produced brackets that have nailed 25 first-round upsets by double-digit seeds since its inception in 2016.
There’s no reason to rely on luck when there’s proven technology to help you dominate your 2026 March Madness picks. Now, with the 2026 NCAA bracket revealed, the model is simulating the matchups and its results are in. You can only see it over at SportsLine.
Top 2026 March Madness bracket picks (preview two matchups)
One of the Midwest Region picks from the model: No. 9 Saint Louis defeats No. 8 Georgia in the first round. Saint Louis was upset in the Atlantic 10 semifinals, falling to Dayton, 70-69. Otherwise, it likely would have been in a game that avoids playing a No. 1 seed in Round 2. Saint Louis (28-5) went two-and-a-half months without a loss, winning 18 straight at one point while opening the season at 24-1. The Billikens have the No. 11 scoring offense at 86.4 points per game, with the third-best effective field goal percentage (59.7%) in the nation.
Meanwhile, Georgia ranks 55th in effective field goal shooting. The Bulldogs can score as well, ranking third at 89.8 points per game, but the rank differentials between the two teams showcase how Saint Louis is significantly more efficient. The Billikens are second in the country in two-point shooting percentage and Georgia ranks 302nd in scoring defense, leading the model to side with Saint Louis in this 8 vs. 9 matchup.
Another surprise in the Midwest: No. 5 Texas Tech defeats No. 4 Alabama in the second round. Both of these programs are coming off of Elite Eight runs a season ago and also made their first Final Four appearance within the last decade. However, we know at least one of the two teams won’t make it out of the first weekend after they wound up next to each other in the bracket and with tricky first-round matchups.
Both teams are top 12 in the country in adjusted offensive efficiency according to KenPom, but the Red Raiders have a decided advantage defensively, where they rank 33rd nationally while the Crimson Tide rank 67th. Both teams also lean heavily on the 3-pointer, but Texas Tech is fifth in the nation in 3-point percentage (39.5%) while Alabama is 81st (35.8%). Those are big reasons why the model puts McCasland’s squad into the Sweet 16 over Oats’ squad. You can see the model’s 2026 NCAA bracket picks here.
How to make 2026 NCAA bracket predictions
Who wins every tournament-defining matchup, and which region does the model project the No. 1 seed not making the Final Four, plus there being two double-digit seed stunners? With the model’s track record of calling bracket-busting upsets, you’ll want to see which stunners it’s calling this year before locking in any 2026 NCAA bracket picks.
So what’s the optimal NCAA Tournament 2026 bracket, and which NCAA Tournament double-digit seeds will shock college basketball? Visit SportsLine now to see which region is loaded with upsets, all from the model that’s beaten 91% of bracket players in four of the last seven tournaments.
