How many bids will new Pac-12 receive next season following NCAA Tournament expansion?

The NCAA Tournament is expanding from 68 to 76 teams for the 2026-27 men’s basketball season.

The new Opening Round will feature 12 games played on the Tuesday and Wednesday following Selection Sunday, replacing the old First Four. Dayton, Ohio and a to-be-determined site will host two-day tripleheaders to narrow the field to 64 teams.

The 12 lowest-seeded automatic qualifiers and the final 12 at-large teams in the field will participate in the Opening Round.

Under the previous system, Boise State made three consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances between 2022-24. The Broncos were among the first four out in 2025 and would’ve reached the Opening Round in the new system. Boise State finished 20-12 overall last year and was not in contention for an NCAA Tournament bid.

Boise State is leaving the Mountain West this summer to join the reborn Pac-12 alongside current members Oregon State and Washington State, Gonzaga of the West Coast Conference, Texas State of the Sun Belt and fellow MWC alumni Colorado State, Fresno State, San Diego State and Utah State. The nine-team conference is expected to be among the top six leagues in the country next season.

With NCAA Tournament expansion becoming official this week, several publications released bracket projections for the 2027 NCAA Tournament.

ESPN’s Joe Lunardi had just one Pac-12 team—No. 3 seed Gonzaga—included in his field of 76. Lunardi listed Utah State among his first four out.

The rebuilding Bulldogs, who finished 31-4 last season and were upset in the second round of the NCAA Tournament by Texas, have already landed two big fish in the transfer portal: Arizona State center Massamba Diop and Houston guard Isiah Harwell.

New head coach Ben Jacobson inherits a Utah State program that has reached the NCAA Tournament in four consecutive seasons. The Aggies were able to retain 2026 MWC Player of the Year Mason Falslev and have added three transfers, including star Louisiana Tech point guard AJ Bates.

The SEC led the way in Lunardi’s projection with 13 bids, followed by the Big Ten (12), Big 12 (nine), ACC (eight), Big East (six), Atlantic 10 (two), WCC (two) and Atlantic Sun (two). Lunardi projected New Mexico to win the MWC and earn a No. 11 seed.

CBS Sports also had Gonzaga as its lone Pac-12 team inside the field of 76 as a No. 2 seed. San Diego State ranked among CBS Sports’ first four out.

Andy Katz’s projection had Gonzaga as a No. 6 seed and Utah State as a No. 12 seed in the Opening Round.

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