Updated National Championship Odds Reveal Surprising Favorite: 2026 NCAA Tournament

After a shocking fall in the 2025 NCAA Tournament Final Four to the Houston Cougars, coach Jon Scheyer and the Duke Blue Devils are the way-too-early favorite to win the 2026 NCAA Tournament. According to FanDuel, Duke opens up at +1000 to be the last college basketball program standing at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis next season.

The Houston Cougars (+1200), Louisville Cardinals (+1400), and Purdue Boilermakers out of the Big Ten Conference (+1400) round out the top four teams.

Mar 23, 2025; Seattle, WA, USA; Arizona Wildcats guard Caleb Love (1) reacts during a stop in play against the Oregon Ducks in the second half at Climate Pledge Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-Imagn Images | Steven Bisig-Imagn Images

The Oregon Ducks are long shots, given the No. 28 best odds at +6000 to end up cutting the nets in 2026. Besides Purdue, six other Big Ten programs were listed ahead of the Ducks. No. 14 Michigan Wolverines, at +2500, No. 16 UCLA Bruins at +3000, No. 21 Michigan State Spartans at +3500, No. 22 Indiana Hoosiers at +500, No. 26 Iowa Hawkeyes at +6000, and No. 27 Wisconsin Badgers at +6000.

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Much more recruiting through the transfer portal needs to be done before these type of odds should be taken seriously. The NCAA's transfer portal officially opened up on March 24, and it will close on Tuesday, April 22.

As for the 2025-26 roster, Oregon coach Dana Altman will be losing many key seniors from this past campaign in guard TJ Bamba, guard Keeshawn Barthelemy, guard Ra'Heim Moss, forward Supreme Cook, and forward Brandon Angel. All five no longer have any college eligibility left.

Oregon's senior center Nate Bittle will test the NBA Draft waters while maintaining his college eligibility. The NBA Draft Combine is set for April 11 through April 18 and Bittle has until June 15 to return to Eugene for his fifth season.

" I hope he (Nate Bittle) wants to come back. I want guys who want to work... I sure hope Nathan wants to come back. He's been a big part of our program. I hope he wants to. I'm sure our staff wants him, that's for sure. He's been great to work with."
Oregon coach Dana Altman on Nate Bittle

At this moment, the roster has eight of the 15 scholarship spots filled with the recent announcements that the two cornerstone pieces of the program in Jackson Shelstad and Kwame Evans Jr. will return.

6-9 sophomore forward Kwame Evans Jr.

6-0 sophomore guard Jackson Shelstad

6-7 junior forward Oleksandr Kobzystyi

6-6 junior forward Dezdrick Lindsay

6-3 freshman guard Jamari Phillips

6-5 guard JJ Frakes (2025 high school recruit)

6-7 sophomore forward Devon Pryor (transfer from Texas Longhorns)

6-4 sophomore guard TK Simpkins (transfer from Elon Phoenix)

Nov 4, 2024; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; Elon Phoenix guard TK Simpkins (3) shoots a free throw in the first half at Dean E. Smith Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

Hear are some names that Oregon has reportedly reached out to through the portal and are currently uncommitted:

Louisville Cardinals junior Koren Johnson (6-2 guard)

Maryland Terrapins freshman Braden Pierce (7-0 center)

Longwood Lancers Colby Garland (6-1 guard)

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