Bracketology 2024: Happy 2023-24 College Basketball Season!

Graphics by Chris Dobbertean using logos from either SportsLogos.net, Wikimedia Commons, or the institutions’ websites.

It’s finally Monday, November 6th, which means college basketball is back with a full schedule. (Matt Sarz’s College Sports on TV site has a handy daily schedule tool, which is a godsend.)

That means it’s also time for the useless practice of sharing a preseason bracket. Last November’s effort featured 40 of the 68 teams who made the real field in March. That was a drop of three teams from the 43 in the 2021-22 preseason bracket.

In other words, I’m not going to spend a ton of time on analysis here.

IN for Preseason 2023-24: Akron (MAC), App State (Sun Belt), Clemson, Colorado, Dayton (A 10), Eastern Kentucky (ASUN), Florida, Liberty (CUSA), McNeese (Southland), Morehead State (OVC), New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio State, Sacred Heart (NEC), South Dakota State (Summit), St. John’s, Stanford, Syracuse, UC Irvine (Big West), UNCG (SoCon), Villanova, Weber State (Big Sky), Wisconsin, Wright State (Horizon), Yale (Ivy)

2023 Bracket Teams OUT: Arizona State, Fairleigh Dickinson (NEC), Furman (SoCon), Iowa State, Kennesaw State (ASUN), Kent State (MAC), Louisiana (Sun Belt), Montana State (Big Sky), NC State, Nevada, Northern Kentucky (Horizon), Northwestern, Oral Roberts (Summit), Penn State, Pittsburgh, Princeton (Ivy), Providence, Southeast Missouri State (OVC), A&M-Corpus Christi (Southland), UC Santa Barbara (Big West), Utah State, VCU (A 10), Virginia, West Virginia, Xavier

While there were some significant realignment moves heading into this season—most notably 2023 Final Four team Florida Atlantic jumping up to the American with NIT champ North Texas, NIT finalist UAB, Charlotte, Rice, and UTSA with WAC stalwarts Sam Houston and New Mexico State and ASUN power Liberty replacing them in Conference USA—next summer’s super-sizing of power conferences might be the beginning of the end of college basketball as we know it.

Let’s take a look at what that bids by conference would look like with 2024-25 alignments in place. Teams on the move are in bold.

SEC (9/14 in 2023, 10/16 in 2024): Tennessee (auto), Texas, Arkansas, Alabama, Texas A&M, Kentucky, Auburn, Florida, Missouri, Mississippi State (Oklahoma will also join from the Big 12.)

Big Ten (8/14 in 23-24, 10/18 in 24-25): Purdue (auto), Michigan State, USC, Indiana, UCLA, Maryland, Illinois, Ohio State, Wisconsin, Iowa (Oregon and Washington will also join from the Pac-12.)

Big 12 (6/14 in 23-24, 6/16 in 24-25): Kansas (Auto), Houston, Arizona, Baylor, TCU, Kansas State, Colorado (Arizona State and Utah will also join from the Pac-12. Cincinnati and UCF joined from the American and BYU from the WCC this season.)

ACC (5/15 in 23-24, 6/18 in 24-25): Duke (auto), North Carolina, Clemson, Miami (Fla.), Syracuse, Stanford (California will also join from the Pac-12 and SMU from the American.)

All five Pac-12 teams in this projection are headed elsewhere, so good luck Oregon State and Washington State.

Some coverage notes for this season: I do not plan on tweeting this season—unless the Nazi who owns the site right now decides to sell. However, I’ll still be posting stories on the BtB Facebook page. I will also be skeeting over at Bluesky (@chrisdobbertean.net) and I may also start posting at Threads (@chrisdobbertean).

Additionally, I was recently promoted at my day job, so there may be changes coming to the regular-season update schedule. In the past, I’ve typically posted updates on Tuesdays and Fridays. I’m thinking this season that will change to Mondays and Fridays.