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There are plenty of reasons to watch the NCAA Tournament 2026. Some watch to follow a local team, some watch to see future NBA talent and some watch to track the biggest schools in the sport. One significant reason why the NCAA Tournament is among the most-watched annual events is for the March Madness Cinderella teams and March Madness bracket busters. The 2026 NCAA Tournament bracket will be no different, with mid-major teams looking to shock the big-name programs on their way toward a magic run.

When filling out 2026 March Madness bracket picks, who are those double-digit seeds you'll want to include in your 2026 NCAA Tournament picks? Could Hofstra, a No. 13 seed and coached by former NBA player and alumnus Speedy Claxton, be the underdog story America rallies around during March Madness 2026? Before making any 2026 March Madness bracket predictions, be sure to check out the 2026 NCAA Tournament 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 percent 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.

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.

Three 2026 March Madness Cinderella teams to watch out for

One potential 2026 NCAA Tournament bracket buster is the Akron Zips. The No. 12 seed from the Midwest Region is playing in its seventh NCAA Tournament since 2009, and although the Zips haven't won a March Madness contest, this could be the team to change that. Akron enters at 29-5 overall, and its only conference loss came in a 76-73 final on the road to Miami (OH), which was undefeated before its high-profile conference tournament defeat. Senior guard Tavari Johnson is one of the nation's top scorers at 20.2 points per game, and he's the type of experienced guard that can create a Cinderella story.

Another potential double-digit darling for 2026 March Madness is the High Point Panthers. The No. 12 seed in the West Region enters on a 14-game winning streak and as the Big Sky champion. High Point is coming off a program-record 30-win season at 30-4 overall. The Panthers have increased their win total in each of the last four years from 14 to 27 to 29 to now 30. The Panthers are coming off their second straight Big Sky title, and they challenged Purdue last year as a No. 13 seed before falling, 75-63, in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament. High Point is 22-1 over its last 23 games, and the Panthers should be plenty confident entering March Madness.

Another Cinderella team to watch for is the California Baptist Lancers. The No. 13 seed from the East Region enters on a six-game winning streak after claiming the Western Athletic Conference title. The Lancers have won 15 of their last 17 games and are 25-8 this season. California Baptist has scored more than 80 points in four of its last five games. With how well their offense is playing lately, the Lancers are a candidate to get hot at the right time, potentially upset No. 4 Kansas in the first round, and go on a run. Check out more of the model's 2026 Cinderella picks and full 2026 NCAA bracket picks here.

How to make 2026 NCAA bracket predictions

Who wins every tournament-defining matchup? And which teams will make surprising runs through the 2026 NCAA Tournament bracket? 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 Cinderella teams will shock college basketball? Visit SportsLine now to see which double-digit seeds you can back with confidence, all from the model that called all four Final Four teams in 2025.