Bracketology: Predicting the 2025 NCAA Tournament field – My College Hoops Christmas List

12/16/2024 08:56 AM

Hello friends, and welcome to a mid-December edition of Bracketology here at ClutchPoints! But hey, before I get into my updated projections, I was hoping you wouldn’t mind if I used this space to send along my College Hoops Christmas List to Santa Claus. I figure that there’s a better chance of him seeing it here than if I send it directly to the North Pole, because lord knows how many letters he’s gotten over the last couple of months, and admittedly, this wishlist is coming in a little late.

Dear Santa,

Season’s greetings, big guy! Hope all is well with you and Mrs. Claus and all of the elves as you get ready to embark on another year of spreading Christmas joy all over the world. I just wanted to take a quick second to speak to you about my College Hoops Christmas List.

Now I know, historically, your M.O. is to build toys and games and whatnot and deliver them to all of the boys and girls who made your Nice List, and admittedly, what I’m asking for is a little different. But hey, you have mystical powers. I mean, you fly a sleigh pulled by eight reindeer and slide down chimneys and eat millions of cookies and remain only slightly overweight. Coming through on some of my requests — and I only have five of them — doesn’t seem like it would be deal-breaker.

With that said…

-I’d like a lifetime supply of tickets to as many NCAA Tournament games as I could get to. You’ve got a credit card you could charge that on, right?

-Speaking of the NCAA Tournament, I’d like for you to make sure that the tournament never expands beyond 68 teams. I understand that expanding to 72 or 76 isn’t a huge change, but not long after that it’ll expand to 84. And then to 96. And then to 128. And then it’s just chaos. Why are we trying to change the most perfect postseason in all of sports? Please Santa, use your pull and make sure the field never expands beyond 68 teams.

-I’d like to see more on-campus games between Top 25 programs. I understand the logic behind it. Bigger gates. Experience of playing in an NCAA Tournament-like atmosphere. Nobody gets the home court advantage. But let’s cut that out. Give me Duke/Kentucky at Cameron Indoor or Rupp Arena instead of in Atlanta.

-I’d like for BracketBusters Weekend to make a return. Not only does it give the mid-majors a chance to shine, but it gives college hoops fans a chance to see some potential Cinderella’s in a national spotlight. Now I know, the logistics are tricky and this concept may be slightly outdated considering every game is televised or streamed in some form or fashion now. But I’m confident this concept could work, especially if you put someone like, I don’t know, me, in charge of making the matchups.

-Lastly, I’d like for my UConn Huskies to win a third straight National Championship. Plain and simple.

Thanks Santa, and safe travels next week!

Bracketology Bracket 

Bracketology Breakdown

Top Seeds: Tennessee Volunteers (Midwest Region), Auburn Tigers (South Region), Iowa State Cyclones (West Region), Duke Blue Devils (East Region)

Multi-Bid Leagues: ACC (4), Big 12 (8), Big East (4), Big Ten (10), Mountain West (3), SEC (13), WCC (2)

Bracketology Bubble Watch 

Last Four Byes: Nebraska, BYU, Creighton, Georgia

Last Four In: West Virginia, Missouri, Ohio State, Boise State

First Four Out: Arizona State, Nevada, Xavier, Indiana

Next Four Out: St. Bonaventure, Penn State, SMU, Butler

Five Most Intriguing Games of the Week 

Tuesday December 17th (ESPN, 7 PM ET) – Florida at North Carolina

Wednesday December 18th (ESPN2, 9 PM ET) – Oklahoma at Michigan

Saturday December 21st (CBS, 12:30 PM ET) – Mississippi State at Memphis

Saturday December 21st (ESPN, 4:30 PM ET) – Purdue at Auburn

Sunday December 22nd (ESPN+, 8 PM ET) – Utah State at Saint Mary’s

And One!

For my And One prediction this week, I’ll be staying in the NCAA but stepping away from the hardwood and moving over to the gridiron, because this Friday marks the start of the first ever 12-team College Football Playoff and I could not be more excited. Now I’m sure there’s someone out there thinking, ‘Hey Sonny, didn’t you just ask Santa to make sure the NCAA Tournament never expanded? Why are you on-board with a newly-expanded College Football Playoff?’

I’m on-board with it for two reasons:

A) The College Football postseason has been broken for quite some time and it’s drastically needed a fix. I’m hopeful that the 12-team Playoff gets the job done.

B) For years I’ve been a proponent of a 16-team Playoff, so watching it expand from four teams to 12 teams is a step in the right direction.

Anyway, for my And One! prediction this week, I’m taking all of the teams with home field advantage in the opening round — Texas, Penn State, Notre Dame and Ohio State — to advance to the quarterfinals of the College Football Playoff. 

Past And One! Predictions 

11/24/24 – I’ll eat way too much food on Thanksgiving (CORRECT)

12/2/24 – The Big 12 will win the Big East-Big 12 Battle (CORRECT) and the SEC will win the ACC-SEC Challenge (CORRECT)

12/12/24 – At least nine of those 12 SEC teams in the December 12th Bracketology field will be victorious over the weekend (CORRECT)

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