Early Overreactions to 2025-26 NCAA Opening Night

In a night that was largely full of unimportant matchups, major storylines emerged from opening night. Auburn fans spent their night on the edge of their seat in a game against Bethune. TCU lost to New Orleans, a team that finished last season 4-27. Arizona and Florida put together a game of the year atmosphere in Las Vegas, as the two contenders battled to the last second. New coaches revived their teams: Virginia and NC State demolished their opponents, and Villanova challenged BYU, who showcased AJ Dybantsa for the first time. Most teams avoided upsets, but what are some early 2025-26 NCAA overreactions after one game? Let’s dive in.

Early Overreactions to 2025-26 NCAA Opening Night

Auburn Will Take a Massive Step Back

Auburn looked ready to compete for a national championship again in 2026. They added Keyshawn Hall before their Final Four loss to Florida as part of an elite recruiting transfer class to replace their stars. However, these aspirations took their first hit when Bruce Pearl announced his decision to retire before the season. Some picked Auburn to be a sleeper contender, but their poor performance against Bethune seemed to spark doubts. After a horrific foul at the end of regulation, Auburn held on to win in overtime, but the opening night was not a good sign.

Overreaction

This team will come back from the poor performance. A win is a win. The Tigers have time to recover before their brutal non-conference schedule heats up. However, they have too much talent not to make a run at an SEC championship and a high seed in the NCAA Tournament. As far as 2025-26 early overreactions for the NCAA, this is the biggest overreaction of them all. Just wait until Auburn plays Houston, Oregon, Michigan, NC State, Arizona, and Purdue. They will show that they aren’t the team that struggled to beat Bethune.

Villanova Basketball is Back

Kevin Willard won at Maryland, but opted to take the Villanova job after the poor management of his time in College Park. Most people expected Villanova to win quickly, but the roster changes didn’t appear to be as large as those at other schools, like NC State. However, after watching the way they handled BYU, some have raised the expectations for the Wildcats. Could their defense be good enough to compete for the Big East title?

Overreaction

While they undoubtedly are a good team, the Wildcats not back where they were before. BYU is an incredible team, but Villanova held them to a low point total and came back to take the lead late in the second half. However, the Cougars also struggled from the field far more than they will in the future. The Wildcats still lost. Considering Villanova hasn’t won consistently since Jay Wright left, they need to reestablish a winning culture. This early, that hasn’t happened.

Arizona is a National Title Contender

Florida’s non-conference schedule gives them a chance to prove themselves before SEC play. However, it was Arizona who put the nation on notice. They held the lead most of the game and squashed all of Florida’s famed comeback attempts. Arizona’s star freshman Koa Peat led the Wildcats to a key opening victory. While the Big 12 had some rough performances on opening night, it will still be a top conference in the country. The Wildcats will have the opportunity to build a strong resume.

Not an Overreaction

Arizona can win the national championship this year. They’ve added incredible young stars to build their roster. The Wildcats proved they can beat great teams away from home. They will have to prove it with a difficult non-conference schedule against UCLA, UConn, Auburn, and Alabama. However, they will find some wins there and compete for the Big 12 championship.

The Last Word on 2025-26 NCAA Early Overreactions

It’s impossible to know how each team will react early in the season, but some will respond negatively. Each of these teams could defy the odds. Auburn’s tough schedule could lead them far away from the NCAA Tournament. Arizona could fall off in its schedule. Villanova has chances to pick up more key wins before the non-conference season is done. Time will tell, but if we’ve learned anything from one day, it’s that anything can happen in college basketball.