Gonzaga makes initial NCAA Tournament bracketology projections for 2026

Originally posted on Gonzaga Bulldogs on SI
By Cole Forsman | Last updated Jul 16, 2025 1:59 PM ET

Gonzaga still has some important offseason business to attend to before it's ready to tip off the 2025-26 college basketball season in a few months, though that hasn't stopped national media members from penciling the Bulldogs into their early postseason projections for next year.

The Zags have spent the past four months bringing back their most important pieces while adding new talent to the mix via the portal and recruiting trails, culminating in what several analysts believe to be a preseason top-25 team. Likewise, bracketologists have taken notice of Gonzaga's offseason moves as well.

A few weeks after ESPN's Joe Lunardi updated his outlook on the Zags, CBS Sports placed the Bulldogs on the 6-seed line in its first look at the potential field for the 2026 NCAA Tournament.

If David Cobb's predictions come to fruition, Gonzaga's 27th-straight NCAA Tournament appearance would tip off from Portland, Oregon, with a first-round matchup against the winner of a hypothetical play-in game between Georgetown and Boise State. The Broncos, who are still looking for their first-ever NCAA Tournament win, are led by former Gonzaga assistant coach Leon Rice. The Zags and Broncos haven't seen each other in the regular season since Rice made the move to Boise State in 2010, though that's set to change anyhow with both programs heading for the Pac-12 in 2026.

San Diego State, which is also joining the new-look Pac-12, is projected by CBS to earn a 6-seed in the 2026 NCAA Tournament. The Aztecs are the only other future Pac-12 member featured in Cobb's 68-team field, while one of Gonzaga's current conference mates, Saint Mary's, is the only other representative from the current West Coast Conference. The Gaels are projected to earn a 10-seed in the Midwest Region.

Gonzaga should have ample opportunities to build its postseason resume given its assortment of marquee nonconference games in November and December. Six confirmed opponents on the Zags' nonleague calendar are projected to make the 2026 NCAA Tournament, including Kentucky (2-seed), Alabama (3-seed), UCLA (4-seed), Creighton (6-seed), Baylor (8-seed) and Maryland (11-seed). Depending on how the Players Era Festival plays out, the Bulldogs could face a third postseason-quality opponent following contests against the Crimson Tide and Terrapins.

Elsewhere, CBS has Houston, Florida, Purdue and St. John's occupying the No. 1 seeds.