W-16 BP68

Watching the college football poll/playoff debate makes me thankful that the college basketball system is so superior to football. We don't have to pretend that Northern Iowa is better than North Carolina just because "They won head to head! They proved it on the field! They're better!". #CollegeFootballTwitter is enough to make your head hurt.

College basketball fans generally understand that your resume is who you beat and who you lost to, and that's all that matters in the end. Of course, the season has a long way to go, so the fact that Northern Iowa's resume is superior to North Carolina's at the moment is not really relevant. By the end of the season, with Marcus Paige back, I still think the Tar Heels have to be considered the ACC favorite.

In the end, I moved just two new teams into the projected bracket this week: Iowa and Bucknell. Iowa replaces Oklahoma State, while Bucknell replaces Lehigh as the new Patriot League favorite.

For now, here's how I see things ending up on Selection Sunday 2016:

1. KANSAS (BIG 12)
1. NORTH CAROLINA (ACC)
1. KENTUCKY (SEC)
1. ARIZONA (PAC-12)

2. Virginia
2. MICHIGAN STATE (BIG TEN)
2. VILLANOVA (BIG EAST)
2. GONZAGA (WCC)

3. Maryland
3. Oklahoma
3. Duke
3. Iowa State

4. Purdue
4. Baylor
4. Texas
4. WICHITA STATE (MVC)

5. Indiana
5. Xavier
5. UCONN (AAC)
5. Cincinnati

6. DAVIDSON (ATLANTIC TEN)
6. Oregon
6. UCLA
6. Miami-Florida

7. Texas A&M
7. California
7. Louisville
7. Notre Dame

8. Michigan
8. Utah
8. Vanderbilt
8. West Virginia

9. Pittsburgh
9. Dayton
9. Wisconsin
9. Butler

10. LSU
10. Providence
10. Georgetown
10. SAN DIEGO STATE (MOUNTAIN WEST)

11. Ohio State
11. Tulsa
11. Iowa
11. NC State
11. BYU

12. Florida State
12. UNLV
12. VALPARAISO (HORIZON)
12. STEPHEN F. AUSTIN (SOUTHLAND)
12. CENTRAL MICHIGAN (MAC)

13. UAB (CONFERENCE USA)
13. IONA (MAAC)
13. BELMONT (OVC)
13. UC-IRVINE (BIG WEST)

14. HOFSTRA (COLONIAL)
14. SOUTH DAKOTA STATE (SUMMIT)
14. STONY BROOK (AMERICA EAST)
14. PRINCETON (IVY LEAGUE)

15. GEORGIA STATE (SUN BELT)
15. WINTHROP (BIG SOUTH)
15. NEW MEXICO STATE (WAC)
15. CHATTANOOGA (SOUTHERN)


16. NORTH FLORIDA (ATLANTIC SUN)
16. MONTANA (BIG SKY)
16. BUCKNELL (PATRIOT)
16. ROBERT MORRIS (NEC)
16. NORFOLK STATE (MEAC)
16. SOUTHERN (SWAC)

Teams seriously considered that just missed the cut:
Memphis, Syracuse, George Washington, Rhode Island, Oklahoma State, Old Dominion, Northern Iowa, Boise State, Oregon State, Florida, Georgia, South Carolina

Other teams with a decent shot to get onto the bubble:
Temple, Clemson, Georgia Tech, Richmond, St. Bonaventure, VCU, Creighton, Marquette, Seton Hall, Illinois, Minnesota, Northwestern, TCU, William & Mary, UTEP, Akron, Evansville, Illinois State, Colorado State, New Mexico, Arizona State, Colorado, USC, Stanford, Washington, Alabama, Arkansas, Mississippi, Tennessee, Saint Mary's

Other teams I'm keeping my eye on:
Vermont, Houston, Boston College, Virginia Tech, Wake Forest, La Salle, UMass, St. Joseph's, St. John's, Nebraska, Penn State, Kansas State, Texas Tech, Hawaii, Northeastern, Louisiana Tech, Oakland, Yale, Buffalo, Kent State, Loyola-Chicago, Fresno State, Utah State, Wyoming, Murray State, North Dakota State, Washington State, Auburn, Mississippi State, Missouri, Pepperdine