Nebraska is Considered One of 25 Men’s Basketball Teams That Can Win 2027 National Title

Nebraska is among the 25 men’s college basketball teams that meet CBS Sports’ historical criteria for winning the 2027 national championship.

After the Huskers’ historic 2025-26 season, and what looks to be a solid roster going into next season, maybe this isn’t a big surprise.

CBS Sports writer David Cobb says since Villanova won the title in 2018, every national champion was a “high-major NCAA Tournament team from the year before” and also checked at least one of the following three boxes.

* A top-20 high school recruiting class
* A top-20 transfer class
* Returned the leading scorer

For the Huskers, that would be the return of leading scorer Pryce Sandfort, who averaged 18.1 points last season as Nebraska went 28-7 (15-5 in the Big Ten) and advanced to the Sweet 16. Along the way, Nebraska won its first NCAA Tournament game after eight tries.

Sandfort, a 6-foot-7, 210-pound senior forward, had what became a trademark quick trigger that squeezed off shots seemingly at will and with great accuracy. He shot 42.3 percent from distance.

Cobb writes: “Data suggests that, in the transfer portal era, it’s only becoming harder for teams to win it all without the return of their top scorer or a significant offseason talent infusion.”

Where Sandfort can improve to help his NBA status

Sandfort could have declared for the NBA Draft this spring. Recently, he spoke at a news conference where he discussed his NBA possibilities and his offseason sports hernia surgery.

“Talked to GMs and teams, got some feedback. It was going to be second round if I couldn’t improve [my] stock with my surgery I had earlier in the season,” Sandfort said. “So I wasn’t going to be able to do team workouts or anything.

“It was possible I could have slid into the first round, but you know I really wanted to come back for another year. It was just an amazing year last year and didn’t really want to give it up yet.

“I was obviously flattered and super excited that I got that point of making the decision, but at the end of the day this is where I wanted to be.”

Sandfort said he met with NBA folks and was given pointers on how to improve his game. And, of course, Sandfort's head coach is former NBA player and coach Fred Hoiberg.

“All areas can still improve,” Sandfort said. “Getting that ball-handling a lot better is something I got feedback on from the NBA.

“Rebounding and defense was something I’m going to have to improve on. So, I continue to work on that. It’s a little tougher, the rebounding and defense. That’s kind of a mindset, especially rebounding. It’s been tough working on those two specifically with coming back from injury but ball-handling we worked on a lot.”

Sandfort is close to returning to practice full-time as he continues to rehab. His presence alone benefits the Huskers as he expects a larger leadership role with the group.

“It’s pretty rough seeing the guys play, definitely gets my engine going a little bit standing on the side,” said Sandfort, who said he felt the injury in the first Iowa game, on Feb. 17 at Iowa City. “But there’s definitely been some challenges.

“Just me kind of being me, I get kind of impatient with it and want to just push as hard as I can. But we had some tweaks where it was hurting pretty bad and I had to take a step back.”

CBS Sports’ metrics for NCAA title possibilities

Based on CBS Sports’ criteria, five other Big Ten teams are national-title timber (in alphabetical order):

* Illinois: No. 6 recruiting class
* Michigan: No. 4 recruiting class and No. 12 transfer class
* Michigan State: leading scorer back and No. 5 recruiting class
* Purdue: No. 8 recruiting class
* Ohio State: No. 19 recruiting class

That’s heady company the Huskers are keeping. Michigan won the national title in April; Illinois, Michigan State and Purdue are longtime basketball powers in the Big Ten and nationally. Ohio State was in the Final Four in 2012.

Here are the 19 other teams with national-title credentials:

* Alabama: No. 13 recruiting class
* Arkansas: No. 1 recruiting class
* Duke: No. 2 recruiting class and No. 10 transfer class 
* Florida: leading scorer back
* Houston: No. 16 transfer class
* Kansas: No. 3 recruiting class
* Kentucky: No. 3 transfer class
* Louisville: No. 1 transfer class and No. 20 recruiting class
* Miami (Fla.): No. 6 transfer class
* Missouri: No. 14 recruiting class and No. 14 transfer class
* North Carolina: No. 15 recruiting class and No. 7 transfer class
* St. John’s No. 8 transfer class
* Tennessee: No. 2 transfer class and No. 17 recruiting class
* Texas: No. 4 transfer class and No. 16 recruiting class
* Texas A&M: No. 11 transfer class
* UConn: No. 17 transfer class
* Vanderbilt: leading scorer back
* Villanova: leading scorer back and No. 19 transfer class
* Virginia: leading scorer back

Cobb listed three other teams with national-title chops who do not fit the criteria: Arizona, Gonzaga and Iowa State.

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