Selection Sunday is upon us, with the full bracket of the 2026 NCAA tournament set to be revealed by 6:00 p.m. (ET). As many teams are waiting to learn their fates, we compile a list of top five teams that could miss the national tourney this March.

March Madness is scheduled to kick off this week with the First Four round to be held on Tuesday at UD Arena in Dayton, Ohio. Meanwhile, the Final Four will start on Saturday, Apr. 4, at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.

Below are our top five men’s teams that could miss the NCAA tournament.

Top five men’s college basketball teams that could miss out on the 2026 NCAA tournament

5. San Diego State Aztecs

The Aztecs lost four of their final six regular-season games and seemed destined to slide off the bubble. However, an incredible run in the Mountain West Conference tournament saw the team beat Colorado State and New Mexico to make the final.

They had run out of magic, as they couldn’t beat Utah State in the final, putting their national tourney bid in great doubt.

4. SMU Mustangs

The Mustangs looked all set for the NCAA tournament with a consensus at-large odds of 94% just two weeks ago. But the team blew it with four losses in its final five regular-season games.

A first-round victory over Syracuse in the ACC tournament wasn’t enough, as they lost to Louisville on Wednesday, dropping their odds to 59%. The Mustangs have their resume quality to hold on to, but they have to wait to see where that puts them.

3. Indiana Hoosiers

Indiana’s late-season decline climaxed with a second-round loss to Northwestern in the Big Ten tournament. It was its sixth loss in seven games, leaving its at-large odds at 15%.

The Hoosiers have 14 losses on their record with a resume that’s not top-50 nationally. The team hopes the Big Ten gets 10 tourney bids to stand a chance of participating in March Madness.

2. Texas Longhorns

Texas fell to Ole Miss in the first round of the SEC tournament for its fifth loss in six games. Despite six Q1 wins this season, they are at the fringes of the top 50 resumes nationally, ranking 11th in the SEC.

The SEC is looking set to earn 10 bids in the NCAA tournament, and Texas’ at-large forecast sits at 39%. It is not a good look for the team.

1. Auburn Tigers

The Tigers crashed out of the SEC tournament with a loss to Tennessee, making it nine losses in the team’s last 12 games. Their destiny now lies with the selection committee, although they do have a case.

The Tigers have four Q1 wins, playing the fifth-most difficult schedule nationally. They also have a national resume average ranking in the mid-40s. But a 16-loss season is unprecedented for an at-large team.