We are just over one Month away from the 2026 NCAA Tournament, and the College Basketball world is heating up!
With February beginning, the doomsday clock leading into Selection Sunday has been activated. Across the country, we’ve seen upsets, buzzer beaters, court storms you name it, and that’s what makes this sport so great.
Earlier this morning, the first Bracketology updates of the month went live, and programs representing the Sunshine State were at the forefront. The defending National Champion Florida Gators haven’t missed a stride since SEC play has begun, as the all new all different Gator Boys are staying hot. The UCF Knights are a program on Cinderella Watch, after the Knights downed the Texas Tech Red Raiders on home court to end January. The Miami Hurricanes are another program to keep an eye on, as first year Head Coach Jai Lucas has the ‘Canes surging through the ACC. Looking into the SWAC Conference, the Bethune Cookman Wildcats are the clearcut favorite for the HBCU bid. Looking into the American Conference, both the Florida Atlantic Owls and the University of South Florida Bulls have put on strong showings this season. With a lot of carnage at the top of the AC, the right for that Conference’s supremacy is really anyone’s to grab.
After looking through the three most respected Bracketologist’s in the game- Joe Lunardi (ESPN), Jon Rothstein (CBS) and Rocco Miller (Bracketeer.org/ Field of 68), here’s a full break down of one month out projections for Florida’s top squads.
Joe Lunardi’s Bracket:
East Region
#3 Florida v #14 Winthrop (Tampa, FL)
#8 Kentucky v #9 UCF (Greenville, SC)
West Region
#7 Auburn v #10 *Miami (Buffalo, NY)
*Last 4 Bye Predict*
South Region
#1 Uconn v #16 Bethune Cookman/ Maryland East Shore (Philadelphia, PA)
#5 Alabama v #12 American Conf. Champion (Portland, OR)
Jon Rothstein’s Bracket
East Region
#8 Villanova v #9 UCF (Greenville, SC)
#4 Florida v #13 Winthrop (Philadelphia, PA)
#6 Arkansas v #11 American Conf. Champion (Tampa, FL)
South Region
#1 Iowa State v #16 Bethune Cookman/ Howard (Philadelphia, PA)
#7 Auburn v #10 Miami (Oklahoma City, OK)
Rocco Miller’s Bracket
#1 Uconn v #16 Merrimack/Bethune Cookman (Philadelphia, PA)
#4 Florida v #13 North Dakota (Tampa, FL)
#5 Tennessee v #12 American Conf. Champion (Portland, OR)
#6 St Johns v #11 UCLA/Miami (Philadelphia, PA)
#8 UCF v #9 St. Marys (Buffalo, NY)
