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NCAA Tournament Bracket Watch 2025: Teams with the most and least to gain this week

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NCAA Tournament Bracket Watch 2025: Teams with the most and least to gain this week

(Editor’s note: This article is part of the Bracket Central series, an inside look at the run-up to the men’s & women’s NCAA Tournaments, along with analysis and picks during the tournaments.)

Drake’s in, so we can dispense with the arguments about whether Ben McCollum’s Bulldogs would have made the field of 68 without winning the Missouri Valley tourney (they probably wouldn’t have), save follow-up discussions about the plight of the mid-major and tournament expansion for another day and simply appreciate the fact that this tournament is better with Drake in it.

Lipscomb’s in, too. And High Point. And SIU-Edwardsville. And Omaha. With the Sun Belt and Southern Conference scheduled to produce champions Monday. And on through the week we’ll go, into power conference tournaments and finishing on Selection Sunday. The teams playing for those automatic bids and the at-large hopefuls right around the bubble have the most at stake this week, of course — check for regular updates this week on Jim Root’s Bubble Watch.

But what about the stakes in safe parts of the bracket? Here are five teams that have much to gain in their conference tournaments and five that don’t.

Five that should go hard this week

Florida: I’ve got Florida as the last No. 1 seed after an enormous win at Alabama, and a No. 1 seed is worth it simply to guarantee Auburn/Duke avoidance. Though I’m not sure Florida should be worried about avoiding anyone, the way the Gators are playing.

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Alabama: It’s so close between Florida and Alabama. If things go the way this bracket unfolded, it wouldn’t much matter because the No. 4 overall seed and No. 5 overall seed got shipped out West together. But it doesn’t have to unfold that way. The only clear rule is that No. 5 overall can’t be with No. 1 overall.

Tennessee: It’s so close between Alabama and Tennessee, too. These three appear to be fighting for one spot because Houston is inching toward No. 1 lock status. But it’s worth it for the Vols to be a higher No. 2 than Alabama — that’s the difference right now between starting in Lexington or Cleveland.

Wisconsin: The Badgers need to get their swagger back. Also, a No. 3 seed is still very attainable and worth pursuing.

UConn: The Huskies need to maintain momentum. And get the heck out of having to play in an 8/9 game.

Five that would be better off bailing out and resting

Auburn: Two straight losses haven’t changed the fact that this is the clear best resume in the sport. You’re outright SEC champs. Rather than beat yourself up over three days, tell everyone your bus broke down and get Johni Broome’s left ankle some rest.

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Duke: The No. 1 overall seed could be attained, I suppose. But so what? Duke will be a No. 1 seed with a Raleigh-Newark path. Auburn will be a No. 1 seed with a Lexington-Atlanta path. This week is nothing but injury exposure.

Michigan State: I don’t see the Spartans cracking the top line — though they can be pushy! I also don’t see how they fall to a No. 3 seed. Another outright champ that doesn’t need the hassle.

St. John’s: A start in Providence should be assured with a No. 3 seed. So rather than go all out for a No. 2, maybe get a few thousand shots up instead?

Houston: OK, go hard for one win, just to make sure on that No. 1 seed.

We’ll be back Thursday with a new bracket, and then it’s every day until the big day.

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First four out Next four out Last four in Last four byes

Xavier

Nebraska

Oklahoma

West Virginia

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Texas

Dayton

Indiana

Utah State

Boise State

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Wake Forest

Ohio State

Arkansas

Colorado State

UC Irvine

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North Carolina

San Diego State

 

Multi-bid conferences

Conference Bids

SEC

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13

Big Ten

10

Big 12

8

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ACC

4

Big East

4

Mountain West

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3

West Coast

2

The Bracket Central series is sponsored by E*Trade from Morgan Stanley.
The Athletic maintains full editorial independence. Sponsors have no control over or input into the reporting or editing process and do not review stories before publication.

(Photo of Walter Clayton Jr: Matt Pendleton / Imagn Images)

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Roger Clemens, Barry Bonds miss out on latest chance to enter Baseball Hall of Fame

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Roger Clemens, Barry Bonds miss out on latest chance to enter Baseball Hall of Fame

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Jeff Kent has been elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame by the Contemporary Baseball Era Committee.

Kent, the 2000 NL MVP winner who played the majority of his career at second base, received 14 of the possible 16 votes from the committee to earn his place in Cooperstown as a part of the Class of 2026.

Kent was the only candidate to receive the necessary 75% of votes from the 16-person committee. The next closest was Carlos Delgado, who received nine of the 16 votes.

Meanwhile, Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, and Gary Sheffield — all players linked to using performance-enhancing drugs in their careers — each received less than five votes. Fernando Valenzuela also did not receive the votes necessary.

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Clemens received support from President Donald Trump ahead of the committee’s vote.

“Roger Clemens, who won 354 games, went through his own Witch Hunt. HE WAS ACQUITTED OF ALL CHARGES!!! If he doesn’t get into the Hall of Fame, he should sue the hell out of Major League Baseball!” Trump wrote on Truth Social earlier Sunday.

“It was the Obama DOJ (of course!) that viciously went after the great Roger Clemens. ROGER WAS FULLY ACQUITTED OF ALL CHARGES!!!”

This is a developing story. More to come.

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Mountain West champion Boise State to face Washington in LA Bowl at SoFi Stadium

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Mountain West champion Boise State to face Washington in LA Bowl at SoFi Stadium

Mountain West Conference champion Boise State is extending the nation’s second-longest active bowl streak with a trip to Los Angeles.

The Broncos (9-4, 6-2 Mountain West) will facing off with Washington (8-4, 5-4 in Big Ten) in the LA Bowl on Dec. 13 at SoFi Stadium. Kickoff is set for 5 p.m. PST and the game will air on ABC.

Boise State is making its 28th consecutive bowl appearance, trailing only Georgia (29) for the longest postseason streak. The Broncos are coming off a 38-21 win over UNLV in the Mountain West Conference championship game. Quarterback Maddux Madsen, who returned from an injury absence, threw four first-half touchdown passes that sealed the Broncos’ title win.

Washington earned a bowl bid in coach Jeff Fisch’s second season leading the Huskies. Fisch previously worked on the UCLA and Rams coaching staffs.

Dual-threat quarterback Demond Williams, who has passed for 2,850 yards and run for 595 more, and versatile running back Jonah Coleman, who has 14 rushing touchdowns and two more receiving scores, pace the Washington offense.

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Duke upsets Virginia in overtime to claim ACC title, possibly shaking up CFP picture

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Duke upsets Virginia in overtime to claim ACC title, possibly shaking up CFP picture

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Duke sent the College Football Playoff picture into uncertainty with a stunning overtime win on Saturday.

The Blue Devils secured their first outright ACC championship title since 1962 with a 27-20 victory over Virginia.

Duke quarterback Darian Mensah connected with tight end Jeremiah Hasley for a 1-yard touchdown on a fourth-down play in overtime, in what would be the deciding score.

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Duke Blue Devils quarterback Darian Mensah looks to pass during overtime against the Virginia Cavaliers during the 2025 ACC Championship game at Bank of America Stadium. (Jim Dedmon/Imagn Images)

Virginia quarterback Chandler Morris was intercepted by Duke’s Luke Mergott on the Cavaliers’ first offensive play of overtime.

Duke last won a share of the ACC regular season title in 1989, sharing it with Virginia in Steve Spurrier’s final season as the Blue Devils’ coach. 

The conference championship game was created in 2005, and Duke got there this year thanks to a five-team tiebreaker.

NOTRE DAME’S MARCUS FREEMAN MAKES CASE FOR COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYOFF 

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Duke’s Dan Mahan celebrates defeating the Virginia Cavaliers during the 2025 ACC Championship game at Bank of America Stadium. (Jim Dedmon/Imagn Images)

Virginia, the ACC regular season champion, would have reached the CFP for the first time in school history with a victory. While Duke is still unlikely to make the playoff field, the win opens the door for a second Group of Five team — likely James Madison — to sneak in.

JMU alums Ben Overby and James Turner were even at the game to support Duke.

“Nothing against UVA,” Turner said excitedly, “but we’re just here to support Duke.”

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Duke Blue Devils defensive end Wesley Williams celebrates with safety DaShawn Stone after defeating the Virginia Cavaliers during the 2025 ACC Championship game. (Jim Dedmon/Imagn Images)

ACC commissioner Jim Phillips argued this week that his league deserved two bids: one for No. 12 Miami as the league’s highest-ranked team, the other for the Duke-Virginia winner as the league’s champion.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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