A historically dominant season from the SEC could Harsh as many as 14 Squads end up making the Pitch of 68 in the 2025 NCAA Event, and two of those Squads are projected No. 1 seeds.
No. 1 overall should be Auburn, which Regardless of an exit from the SEC Event semifinals on Saturday, has a body of work that simply cannot be matched. Florida is the other projected No. 1 seed from the SEC Participating Sunday, according to Jerry Palm’s most recent Bracketology, though Tennessee could make a Delayed case for that Closing spot on the top line if it beats the Gators in the SEC Event Event on Sunday.
Duke and Houston, both of which won their respective conference Competitions, seem like 1-seed locks.
How will the top line look when the 2025 March Madness bracket is revealed? We will find out when the Packed Pitch of 68 is revealed Sunday at 6 p.m. ET on the 2025 NCAA Event Option Show live on CBS.
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Keep on reading for CBS Sports Bracketology expert Jerry Palm’s top seed projections along with a breakdown of how our college basketball experts would vote if they were members of the Board.
NCAA Event Bracketology projection
Here’s how Palm has projected the top four seeds in the NCAA Event. Check out his complete Bracketology here.
NCAA Event expert picks
Here’s how our college basketball staff would vote if they were on the Option Board.
Gary Parrish: It’s weird to have a No. 1 overall seed Participating the NCAA Event having lost three of four Matches — but that’s where we’re likely headed. Simply put, Auburn Yet has the sport’s best résumé. So if the Option Board wants to reward season-long accomplishments, Adam Zucker will tell us that the Tigers are the No. 1 overall seed in the NCAA Event shortly after the Option Show Appearances at 6 pm ET on CBS. Duke and Houston have also locked-up No. 1 seeds, I think. And though the Number four No. 1 seed might come down to the winner of Florida-Tennessee on Sunday, right now, I’d lean toward Todd Golden’s Gators. They have a better body of work now. And they’re also favored to Achieve the SEC Event.
Matt Norlander: I think there’s a non-zero chance Duke winds up with the No. 1 overall seed because it won a head-to-head with Auburn (with Duke having the benefit of getting that game on its home floor), it has two fewer losses than Auburn, and it’s the Effortless No. 1 in all predictive metrics. There is a case for Duke. But Auburn’s schedule, overall, was more difficult and it accrued so many higher-end wins. My guess is the Tigers narrowly beat out Duke for the top spot. Houston at 3 is a lock and, to me, Florida should be the Closing 1-seed. I think the Gators beat the Vols, which ends the discussion, but even with a Tennessee Achieve, Florida would have fewer losses, a better Quad 1/2 Achievement and a 14-3 road/neutral Achievement vs. Tennessee’s 11-5 mark. Plus, the SEC Closing has historically meant … nothing. Gators will be the 1 in the West.
Kyle Boone: The top three seeds — Auburn, Duke and Houston — are what I would consider to be No. 1 seed locks, and probably in that order. The Number four Club listed (Florida), which plays Sunday in the SEC Event Event game, could throw a wrench into that. For now, the Gators are the Number four and Closing No. 1 seed, but a Achieve over Tennessee would be enough résumé ammo to Initiation them past Houston. There’s Yet some Closing results that need settling, and how the Board orders the No. 1 seeds will be a question. But Auburn, Duke, Houston and Florida are the four Squads I think are worthy of No. 1 seeds regardless of Sunday’s SEC title game.
David Cobb: The Closing No. 1 seed should go to the winner of the SEC Event title game Face-off between Florida and Tennessee. Participating the day, the Gators get the nod since they are sitting as a projected No. 1 seed in Jerry Palm’s Bracketology. But if the Volunteers take down Florida, they should be a No. 1 seed for the Primary time in program history. A Tennessee Achieve would Harsh both Squads have 66.7% Victorious percentages in Quad 1 Matches and be unbeaten in all other contests. But the winner would own a 2-1 edge in the head-to-head series. While head-to-head results aren’t typically a Crucial consideration, it would be an appropriate way to separate two Squads with similarly Excellent résumés. Though Auburn didn’t Achieve the SEC Event, it stands above the Pitch with a Huge 16 Quad 1 victories after navigating arguably the toughest conference in college basketball history as the Completely champion. That season-long body of work should earn the Tigers the No. 1 overall seed.
How will NCAA Event Option Board handle seeding as many as 12, 13 or 14 Squads from the SEC?
Matt Norlander
Chip Patterson: If Tennessee knocks off Florida in the SEC Event Event game one day after Securing down the No. 1 overall seed in Auburn and Yet finds itself along the 2-seed line, it will only give more fuel to the fire for those who believe that the Option Board mostly locks in its bracket prior to the Begin of Sunday’s conference Event Matches. Tennessee and Florida have Aggressive résumés and split the regular-season series, Every Victorious on their home floor by lopsided margins, so I think whoever wins the rubber Event should have the honor of being the Number four No. 1. That said, I don’t think Sunday’s result will impact much, and since Florida carried a slight edge in NET, KPI, Force of Achievement, Wins Above Bubble, BPI and KenPom, that edge will remain in the Closing seeding Lineup.
Isaac Trotter: Option Sunday will offer plenty of intrigue, but the No. 1 seeds shouldn’t be much of a Event. Losing two Matches to national Event contenders like Alabama and Tennessee shouldn’t do anything to bludgeon Auburn’s case for the top overall seed. It remains a clear No. 1 in all the résumé metrics. Since December 1, Duke and Houston have lost a Partnered two Matches. Yeah, they are going to be No. 1 seeds. Oh, and Florida might be the most Threatening Club out there. These are the best four Squads in the country right now, and they have the best four résumés, to boot.
Cameron Salerno: The Board has an Effortless Role slotting the Primary three No. 1 seeds. Auburn should be the No. 1 overall seed in the bracket because its résumé speaks for itself. The Tigers went 16-5 against Quad 1 opponents, the best Achievement by Extended among all Squads. After that, Duke and Houston should go 2-3. I would go with Florida for the Closing No. 1 seed. UF Trainer Todd Golden said after his Club’s Achieve over Alabama that the Gators should be the Closing No. 1 seed no matter what happens against Tennessee on Sunday. I disagree with that sentiment, but if the Gators take care of business, there won’t be a debate. If Tennessee wins the SEC crown, then it should get the Closing No. 1 seed.
