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By the People, for the People
Bubble Teams Struggle as Championship Week Begins
Bubble teams fail to capitalize on final weekend of regular season, leaving NCAA Tournament field in flux
Published on Mar. 9, 2026
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As championship week gets underway, many teams on the NCAA Tournament bubble failed to capitalize on the final weekend of the regular season, leaving the field in flux. Several bubble teams, including UCF, Virginia Tech, SMU, NC State, Indiana, Auburn, and New Mexico, suffered losses that have put their tournament hopes in jeopardy. With the bubble so weak, there is a large contingent calling for the NCAA Tournament to be expanded, but the counterpoint is that the teams on the bubble simply do not deserve bids. The article breaks down the current bracket projections and highlights potential bid-stealers to watch out for in the conference tournaments.
Why it matters
The weak state of the NCAA Tournament bubble has reignited the debate over expanding the field, with some arguing that more teams should be included, while others believe the current bubble teams are simply not deserving of bids. This story highlights the challenges facing the selection committee as they try to determine which teams should make the tournament in a year where many bubble teams have struggled down the stretch.
The details
Several bubble teams had disappointing results over the final weekend of the regular season, including UCF losing by 15 to West Virginia, Virginia Tech falling to Virginia, SMU taking its fourth straight loss against Florida State, NC State losing at home to Stanford, Indiana getting blown out by Ohio State, Auburn getting throttled by Alabama, New Mexico losing its second straight game, Cal losing to Wake Forest, and Texas falling at home to Oklahoma. Some of these teams are still projected to make the tournament, but their recent struggles have put their tournament hopes in jeopardy.
- The final weekend of the regular season took place on March 4-5, 2026.
- Conference championship week is now underway, with the NCAA Tournament field set to be announced on Selection Sunday, March 10, 2026.
The players
UCF
A team that has lost four straight games and is on the NCAA Tournament bubble.
Virginia Tech
A team that lost to rival Virginia and is also on the NCAA Tournament bubble.
SMU
A team that has lost four straight games and is on the NCAA Tournament bubble.
What’s next
Conference championship week will determine the final NCAA Tournament field, with the automatic bids being awarded to the winners of each conference tournament. Teams on the bubble will have one last chance to play their way into the field.
The takeaway
The weak state of the NCAA Tournament bubble has reignited the debate over expanding the field, but the counterargument is that the current bubble teams simply do not deserve bids. This story highlights the challenges facing the selection committee as they try to determine which teams should make the tournament in a year where many bubble teams have struggled down the stretch.
