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Purdue Boilermakers guard Braden Smith (3) reacts after a basket Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images

Preseason Bracketology — Purdue's Projected Seed, Path to Final Four

Originally posted on Purdue Boilermakers on SI
By Dustin Schutte | Last updated Oct 6, 2025 10:22 AM ET

Entering the 2025-26 college basketball season, there is plenty of talk that Purdue will be ranked the No. 1 team in the country and will earn the top overall seed in the NCAA Tournament. ESPN's Joe Lunardi is not one of those individuals, though.

In his preseason Bracketology released recently, Lunardi has Purdue listed as the fourth No. 1 seed in March Madness this year. With that prediction, he believes the Boilermakers will have to go through the West Regional, played in San Jose, Calif., to reach the Final Four in Indianapolis.

Lunardi has projected Houston to be the top overall seed in the 2026 NCAA Tournament. He then has Florida as the second No. 1 seed and Duke penciled in as the third No. 1 seed.

Based on his projection, Purdue would play its first- and second-round games in St. Louis, a short four-hour drive from West Lafayette. The Boilermakers would then fly out to San Jose for their Sweet 16 and Elite Eight matchups, before returning to Indianapolis for the Final Four.

What is Purdue's path as top overall seed?

There is a reason many believe Purdue could be the best team in college basketball this year. The Boilermakers return Big Ten Player of the Year Braden Smith, All-American Trey Kaufman-Renn, and All-Big Ten honorable mention Fletcher Loyer.

That's a really solid trio.

Plus, the Boilers added double-double machine Oscar Cluff from the transfer portal, and get 7-foot-4 center Daniel Jacobsen back from injury. Purdue also returns CJ Cox and Gicarri Harris from last year's squad, and brought in four-star guard Omer Mayer and three-star talent Antione West Jr.

With that talent, there's a lot of belief Purdue can secure the top overall seed in the 2026 NCAA Tournament. And it would provide the Boilermakers with a geographical advantage if they were able to lock up that spot.

If Purdue earned the No. 1 seed for March Madness, it would play its first- and second-round games in St. Louis. It would then play its Sweet 16 and Elite Eight games in Chicago. The Final Four is in Indianapolis, a short drive from West Lafayette.

The Boilermakers wouldn't have to travel further and 260 miles away from Mackey Arena in its quest for a national title. So, yes, there's plenty of incentive to get that top seed.