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Nebraska caught the nation's attention with its 20-0 start to the season, climbing to No. 5 nationally. However, the Cornhuskers fell off, going 6-6 over their final 12 games, and enter the 2026 NCAA Tournament bracket as a No. 4 seed against No. 13 Troy. Which version of Nebraska should you expect when building 2026 March Madness bracket picks? Nebraska was unranked entering this season, but the Cornhuskers enter March Madness 2026 with 26 wins for their third straight 20-win season.

Many may hesitate to put them far in 2026 NCAA Tournament brackets given their recent struggles, so could there be a chance to gain an edge by sending them on a deep run as a part of your 2026 NCAA Tournament bracket strategy? Before filling out your NCAA Tournament bracket 2026, be sure to see the 2026 March Madness bracket picks from the proven computer model at SportsLine.

Their proven projection model has simulated every game in the tournament 10,000 times. It has absolutely crushed its March Madness picks recently, beating over 91% of all CBS Sports brackets in four of the past seven tournaments. It was all over UConn's championship run two years ago and nailed 12 teams in the Sweet 16 last year. It also correctly predicted all four Final Four teams in 2025.

It knows how to spot an upset as well. The same model has produced brackets that have nailed 25 first-round upsets by double-digit seeds since its inception in 2016.

There's no reason to rely on luck when there's proven technology to help you dominate your 2026 March Madness picks. Now, with the 2026 NCAA bracket revealed, the model is simulating the matchups and its results are in. You can only see it over at SportsLine.

Top 2026 March Madness bracket picks (preview two matchups)

One of the Midwest Region picks from the model: No. 9 Saint Louis defeats No. 8 Georgia in the first round. Georgia has name appeal as a big-time school in the SEC, and although its basketball program has improved, it's certainly not at the level of the football team. Fading the big name can give you an edge in bracket competitions, and if you haven't been tracking Saint Louis throughout the season, you've missed a lot of victories. The Billikens (28-5) had an 18-game winning streak this season and started the year off 24-1. They suffered a one-point loss in the Atlantic 10 Tournament semifinals, but their body of work was enough to get them safely into the field of 64.

Georgia lost in the first round of last year's NCAA Tournament, which was the program's first March Madness appearance since 2015. The Bulldogs have been one-and-done in each of their last four NCAA Tournament appearances and have only one March Madness win over the last 30 years. The model is backing Saint Louis in a 9 over 8 upset. 

Another surprise in the Midwest: the First Four winner of Miami (Ohio) vs. SMU knocks off 6-seed Tennessee in the first round. Tennessee is coming off back-to-back Elite Eight appearances for the first time in school history, but it has its worst NCAA Tournament seed since 2014. The Vols have played 59 games in the Big Dance but have never reached the Final Four.

They have lost four of their last six games and are just 4-11 when allowing at least 70 points in a game this season. This will be a tricky first-round matchup regardless of their opponent, as Miami (OH) averages the second-most points per game (90.7) in college basketball, while SMU is also in the top 25 at 84.2 points per game. One of those teams will generate some momentum in the First Four, so Tennessee will be facing a confident squad. You can see the model's 2026 NCAA bracket picks here.

How to make 2026 NCAA bracket predictions

Who wins every tournament-defining matchup, and which region does the model project the No. 1 seed not making the Final Four, plus there being two double-digit seed stunners? With the model's track record of calling bracket-busting upsets, you'll want to see which stunners it's calling this year before locking in any 2026 NCAA bracket picks.

So what's the optimal NCAA Tournament 2026 bracket, and which NCAA Tournament double-digit seeds will shock college basketball? Visit SportsLine now to see which region is loaded with upsets, all from the model that's beaten 91% of bracket players in four of the last seven tournaments.