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TCU, UCLA and Texas A&M all notched massive Quad 1 victories on Tuesday to nudge themselves closer to safe status for at-large inclusion in the 2026 NCAA Tournament. While the Horned Frogs are still among the "Last Four In" within the CBS Sports Bracketology model as of Wednesday morning, they are now well-fortified after a 73-65 win at No. 10 Texas Tech.

At No. 36 in Wins Above Bubble (WAB), the Horned Frogs are comfortably within at-large territory. A Saturday home loss to Cincinnati and quick exit from the Big 12 Tournament could make make things iffy, but only if a handful of "bid thieves" emerge to greatly consolidate the bubble.

Texas A&M jumped from a No. 11 seed to a No. 10 seed with its 96-85 win over Kentucky and UCLA fortified itself on the No. 9 seed line with a 72-52 win over Nebraska.

Wednesday is another busy day on the NCAA Tournament bubble, as teams whose postseason fates are hanging in the balance will put their aspirations on the line. Among them are SMU and Cal -- both of which are trending in the wrong direction with just two games remaining in the regular season.

The ACC's eventual bid tally will be greater than last year's lowly total of four. But it could be as high as nine if the Mustangs and Bears finish strong. Virginia Tech is also on the fringe of the bubble conversation.

Check out the CBS Sports Bracketology model's latest bracket at the Bracketology hub

Last Four In

First Four Out

Next Four Out

Bubble teams in action Wednesday

All times ET

Indiana

vs. Minnesota | 6:30 p.m. (Big Ten Network)
Entering the day: Out
Game status: Quad 2
Record: 17-12 (8-10 Big Ten)
WAB rank: 51

Pros
+ Indiana owns victories over projected at-large teams Purdue, UCLA and Wisconsin.
+ The Hoosiers still average out as a top-40 team in predictive metrics looked at by the selection committee.
+ IU has no losses outside of Quad 1 and Quad 2. 

Cons
- Indiana has just four combined Quad 1 and Quad 2 victories, which is fewer than any other high-major team in the top 70 of the NET.
- The Hoosiers have dropped four straight games.
- IU hasn't beaten a team ranked in the top 40 at KenPom away from home.

California

at Georgia Tech | 7 p.m. (ESPNU)
Entering the day: word
Game status: First Four Out
Record: 20-9 (8-8 ACC)
WAB rank: 50

Pros
+ Cal is a respectable 4-4 in Quad 1 games.
+ The Bears own wins over projected at-large teams UCLA, North Carolina, Miami and SMU.
+ A 2-0 week would get the Bears to 22-9 (10-8 ACC), which is a record with some curb appeal.

Cons
- Cal's average in predictive metrics is hovering around 70th.
- The Bears picked up a devastating Quad 3 home loss against Pitt last weekend.
- Beating Georgia Tech and Wake Forest this week won't realistically move the needle too much.

SMU

vs. No. 22 Miami | 7 p.m. (ACC Network)
Entering the day: No. 10 seed
Game status: Quad 2
Record: 19-10 (8-8 ACC)
WAB rank: 44

Pros
+ SMU has four Quad 1 wins, including victories over Texas A&M, North Carolina and Louisville.
+ The Mustangs have no Quad 3 or Quad 4 losses.
+ SMU is hovering around 40th in both resume and predictive metrics.

Cons
- The Mustangs are 0-5 in "Quad 1A" opportunities.
- SMU is down eight spots at KenPom late January, which suggests the Mustangs are trending down.
- After Saturday's 20-point loss at Stanford, the Mustangs are outside the top 100 in defensive efficiency.

Texas

at No. 20 Arkansas | 7 p.m. (ESPN2)
Entering the day: No. 10 seed
Game status: Quad 1
Record: 18-11 (9-7 SEC)
WAB rank: 40

Pros
+ Texas owns seven Quad 1 victories.
+ The Longhorns rate as a top 35 team in predictive metrics.
+ A Jan. 14 win at Alabama is aging very well.
Cons
- An 0-2 finish could make things dicey for Texas heading into the SEC Tournament.
- A 10-11 record across Quads 1-3 is underwhelming.
- A slow start left the Longhorns without much of a safety net.

Ohio State

at Penn State | 7:30 p.m. (Peacock)
Entering the day: No. 9 seed
Game status: Quad 2
Record: 18-11 (10-8 Big Ten)
WAB rank: 39

Pros
+ Ohio State finally picked up a marquee victory over Purdue on Sunday.
+ The Buckeyes are a top 35 team in predictive metrics
+ There are no Quad 3 or 4 blemishes on the resume

Cons
- Ohio State is still just 2-10 in Quad 1.
- The Buckeyes haven't defeated a projected at-large team away from home.
- This week's games against Penn State and Indiana are more like landmines than opportunities.

Stanford

at Notre Dame | 9 p.m. (ESPNU)
Entering the day: Next Four Out
Game status: Quad 2
Record: 18-11 (7-9 ACC)
WAB rank: 61

Pros
+ Stanford owns four Quad 1 victories.
+ Wins over Louisville and North Carolina are evidence of this team's ability against quality opposition.
+ Consecutive ACC road wins to close the season this week would make at-large consideration a bit more realistic.

Cons
- The Cardinal still have significant ground to make up in resume metrics.
- Three Quad 3 losses are a drag on the resume.
- With predictive metrics in the 60s, the Cardinal aren't getting in on style points.

New Mexico

vs. Colorado State | 10 p.m. (CBS Sports Network)
Entering the day: Last Four In
Game status: Quad 3
Record: 22-7 (13-5 Mountain West)
WAB rank: 46

Pros
+ New Mexico is 8-6 across Quad 1 and Quad 2.
+ The Lobos are hovering in the mid-40s in resume metrics, which is right around the cut line.
+ Saturday's road game at Utah State is a major Quad 1 statement opportunity 

Cons
- The Lobos are closer to 50th in predictive metrics.
- New Mexico doesn't have an eye-catching "marquee" victory.
- A Nov. 15 loss at rival New Mexico State is a Quad 3 eyesore.

USC

at Washington | 10:30 p.m. (Big Ten Network)
Entering the day: First Four Out
Game status: Quad 1
Record: 18-11 (7-11 Big Ten)
WAB rank: 48

Pros
+ A Jan. 25 win at Wisconsin is evidence of USC's ceiling.
+ The Trojans are still a top-50 WAB team.

Cons
- Leading scorers Rodney Rice and Chad Baker-Mazara are unavailable for the rest of the season.
- The Trojans have dropped five straight.
- USC is plummeting in predictive metrics.