Five Under-the-Radar Teams That Could Bust Your March Madness Bracket

These power-conference and mid-major programs are flying under the radar but could make deep tournament runs.

Feb. 25, 2026 at 10:52pm

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With March Madness right around the corner, there are several sleeper teams that could bust brackets this year. These include Auburn, Belmont, Clemson, Iowa, and Texas - programs that are either in power conferences or mid-majors, but are flying under the radar as lower seeds. Each of these teams has the offensive firepower, defensive tenacity, and battle-tested experience to make deep runs in the NCAA Tournament.

Why it matters

Bracket-busting teams are a March Madness tradition, and these five squads have the talent and potential to pull off big upsets in the Big Dance. Their under-the-radar status means they could be great value picks for fans filling out their tournament brackets.

The details

Auburn, led by first-year head coach Steven Pearl, averages 83.5 points per game and ranks 10th nationally in adjusted offensive efficiency. Belmont, despite a soft schedule, scores 83.9 points per contest and is 6th in 3-point shooting percentage. Clemson, a top-4 ACC team, boasts a top-20 defense and top-20 scoring defense. Iowa is balanced, ranking in the top 35 in both adjusted offensive and defensive efficiency. Texas, with 5 quadrant-1 wins, averages 85.1 points per game and is 6th in adjusted offensive efficiency.

  • The 2026 NCAA Tournament begins on March 15 with Selection Sunday.

The players

Steven Pearl

The first-year head coach of the Auburn Tigers.

Auburn Tigers

A power-conference team that scores 83.5 points per game and ranks 10th nationally in adjusted offensive efficiency.

Belmont Bruins

A mid-major program that scores 83.9 points per game and ranks 6th nationally in 3-point shooting percentage.

Clemson Tigers

An ACC team that is a top-4 conference finisher, with a top-20 defense and top-20 scoring defense.

Iowa Hawkeyes

A Big Ten team that is balanced, ranking in the top 35 nationally in both adjusted offensive and defensive efficiency.

Texas Longhorns

A power-conference team that averages 85.1 points per game, has 5 quadrant-1 wins, and ranks 6th in adjusted offensive efficiency.

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The takeaway

These five under-the-radar teams have the offensive firepower, defensive tenacity, and big-game experience to pull off bracket-busting upsets in the 2026 NCAA Tournament. Their lower seeds and relative obscurity could make them great value picks for fans filling out their March Madness brackets.