Mar 21, 2025; Milwaukee, WI, USA; Cheerleaders for the North Carolina Tar Heels during the second half of a first round NCAA men’s tournament game against the Mississippi Rebels at Fiserv Forum. Benny Sieu-Imagn Images

What is UNC's seed projection for the 2026 Tournament?

Originally posted on North Carolina Tar Heels on SI
By Grant Chachere | Last updated Aug 29, 2025 9:00 AM ET

Even with August winding down and football season on the horizon, Chapel Hill isn’t ready to turn the page from North Carolina basketball.

Well, Joe Lunardi updated his Way-Too-Early "Men's Bracketology: 2026 NCAA Tournament" on Tuesday, and while some Tar Heel fans will be okay with it, some won’t be.

As of Thursday, UNC is currently projected as the sixth seed in the East Region. It checks out as the Tar Heels have been viewed as a preseason Top 25 team, but more on the bubble than a definitive one. A sixth-seed would claim the No. 21 through No. 24 teams if it is done according to rankings.

If North Carolina were to play the opening game today, it would square up against 11-seed VCU in Oklahoma City. The winner of that game would face the victor of the game between third-seed Iowa State and 14th-seed Arkansas State.

Last season's four teams with the 6-seed were BYU (24-9), Missouri (22-11), Ole Miss (22-11), and Illinois (21-12).

A Look at the Projected East Region

Michigan, the No. 2 seed, is the highest-ranked of UNC’s potential Sweet 16 opponents. They are joined in the East Region by No. 7 Oregon, No. 15 Youngstown State, and the winner of the play-in game between Texas A&M and Miami for the No. 10 seed.

The most interesting part about the East Region is one thing and one thing only: Duke is the No. 1 seed. You know what that also means? Carolina and Duke could square off against each other in the NCAA tournament for only the second time ever throughout the greatest rivalry in college hoops.

Lunardi's four number one seeds are Houston (Midwest), Duke (East), Purdue (West), and Florida (South).

Where Do the Other ACC Teams Stack Up?

The ACC has been one of college basketball’s best conferences since its inception in 1953. Lunardi sees it will have a good season as he sees the ACC having six of its teams in the tournament this seasonalso sees the Atlantic Coast Conference as a six-team bid league. That would be the most since seven teams earned invites in 2021.

Where Other ACC Teams are Seeded According to Lunardi:

No. 1 seed: Duke (East)

No. 5 seed: Louisville (West)

No. 6 seed: North Carolina (East)

No. 7 seed: North Carolina State (South)

No. 10 seed: Miami (East)

No. 11 seed: SMU (West)

The Tar Heels will play Duke both at home and on the road this coming season. Louisville will come to the Dean Dome, and NC State, SMU, and Miami will host the Tar Heels on the road.

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This article first appeared on North Carolina Tar Heels on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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