All articles tagged with #bubble teams
As the NHL heads into the final month of the regular season, this piece ranks the playoff bubble teams by how much pressure they’re under to make the playoffs, listing Edmonton as #1 and Pittsburgh as #5, with Ottawa, Los Angeles, and Detroit also in the top five; it also touches on the Western race and the league’s bottom teams chasing lottery odds as the stretch run unfolds.
Miami (OH) earned a play-in bid while Auburn was left out, highlighting a chaotic NCAA Tournament bubble and prompting questions about the value of conference tournaments; the piece also mentions Missouri, Arkansas, SMU and Texas earning spots over Oklahoma and Auburn, and notes the bubble was weaker than in past years while previewing other bubble teams and potential bracket implications.
With Selection Sunday looming, the NCAA bracket is in flux as several bubble teams—notably Miami (Ohio) and other contenders like Seton Hall, New Mexico, and San Diego State—vie for at-large bids while conference-tournament results could reshape the field. Miami’s 31–0 regular season followed by a MAC tournament exit has experts divided on its inclusion, and outcomes in conferences like the A-10 (Saint Louis and VCU) could further alter who earns bids and whether some teams must settle for the First Four or a bye."
Bubble teams faltered across the board on March 12, 2026, thinning the at-large field as key contenders lost; NC State, Auburn, and Oklahoma boosted their cases, while the Last Four In are VCU, SMU, Texas, and Auburn, with New Mexico, San Diego State, Oklahoma, and Seton Hall still alive in conference tournaments to push for an invite; the bracket projection lists seeds and regional sites based on games through March 11.
As ACC, Big 12 and Big Ten open postseason play, CBS Sports’ Bracketology maps bubble teams’ chances by the round they’d need to exit to earn an at-large bid. The piece lists target rounds and paths for teams from Cal, Virginia Tech, SMU, Stanford, and VCU to Seton Hall, Cincinnati, West Virginia, Indiana, Auburn, Missouri, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, and San Diego State, outlining expected probabilities for advancing to the quarterfinals, semifinals or title game. It underscores that early wins and favorable outcomes in conference tournaments will be crucial for those on the bubble to crack the field of 68.
The article discusses the Kansas City Royals' unexpected move to acquire Adam Frazier, the strategic decisions of other bubble teams approaching the MLB trade deadline, and recent player transactions as teams prepare for the second half of the season.
The latest College Football Playoff rankings have been released, with Ohio State, Penn State, Indiana, Tennessee, Notre Dame, Alabama, and Ole Miss currently in the top 12. Georgia, SMU, Texas A&M, and Kansas State are on the bubble, vying for a spot in the 12-team playoff. With four weeks left in the season, teams like Georgia and SMU can still play their way in by winning key upcoming games. Alabama and Ole Miss are in precarious positions, needing to maintain their performance to secure playoff spots.
The NCAA men's tournament selection committee faced a tough task this year with more deserving bubble teams than available spots, resulting in the exclusion of notable teams like Oklahoma, Seton Hall, Indiana State, Pittsburgh, St. John’s, and Providence. Each team had its own compelling case for inclusion, but ultimately missed opportunities, key losses, and other factors led to their snub from the field of 68.
The final predictions for the 68-team March Madness field are in, with South Carolina and USC as locks for No. 1 seeds. Stanford and Iowa are expected to join them on the top line. UConn is predicted to edge out Notre Dame and LSU for a No. 2 seed. The Pac-12 is projected to have six teams on the top six seed lines, while Washington State, California, Arizona, and Washington are hoping to make the cut. The SEC also has a strong presence on the bubble, with Auburn and Vanderbilt expected to get in, while Texas A&M and Mississippi State are the first two teams out.
SEC commissioner Greg Sankey hints at expanding the NCAA tournament to favor power conference teams, ignoring the recent success of smaller conference teams. Selection Sunday Eve saw NC State's historic ACC tournament win, bubble teams facing upsets, fired coach Dan Monson leading Long Beach State to the NCAA tournament, Temple's surprising run amidst a gambling investigation, and Kent State's heartbreaking loss to Akron in the MAC championship.
The Big East is facing a tight bubble situation for the NCAA Tournament, with St. John’s, Providence, and Seton Hall anxiously waiting for the selection committee's decision. Several upsets and bid-stealers have reduced the number of at-large bids available, potentially limiting the conference to sending only three teams to the tournament. St. John’s, despite having the best metrics, faces tough competition from Providence and Seton Hall, with the latter having more high-level victories. The selection show will reveal the fate of these bubble teams, while the No. 1 seeds are expected to be Houston, Connecticut, Purdue, and possibly Tennessee or North Carolina.
As conference tournaments wrap up, the NCAA Tournament bubble is shrinking with teams securing automatic bids and others uncertain of their fate. New Mexico wins the Mountain West tournament, securing a spot in the field of 68. The American Athletic Conference tournament creates chaos with upsets, potentially leading to multiple bids from the conference. NC State and Oregon also secure spots by winning their respective conference tournaments, further reducing the available spots for bubble teams.
Saturday's conference tournament chaos saw teams like New Mexico, Oregon, NC State, UAB, and Temple secure crucial victories for their NCAA tournament hopes, shrinking the bubble and leaving teams like Indiana State, Providence, St. John’s, Seton Hall, Texas A&M, and Virginia sweating on Selection Sunday as their tournament hopes hang in the balance due to the results of other conference tournaments.
Bubble teams in college basketball are vying for spots in the NCAA Tournament, with several potential bid-stealing scenarios unfolding in conference tournaments. Mississippi State's win moved them off the bubble, while Tennessee's loss dropped them from the top bracket line. Colorado and Oregon are set to battle for the Pac-12 Tournament championship, with the potential for a bid-stealing upset. The SEC and A-10 tournaments also feature teams fighting for their tournament lives. The bracket has been challenging to assemble, with the Big 12 and SEC each having four teams in the top 16.
The NCAA tournament projection as of March 15, 2024, shows potential bracket adjustments following a day of conference tournament action. The bubble teams are vying for spots, with some on the edge of inclusion. The article provides a breakdown of the bracket and discusses the last four teams in and the first four teams out. Additionally, it includes a conference breakdown and automatic bid recipients.