The NCAA Tournament is expanding for next season. March Madness will now feature 76 teams at the start compared to the 68-team format. However, the main 64-team bracket heading into the first round will stay the same. That means nothing really changes for Houston in the tournament.
The Cougars, now a perennial NCAA Tournament team, have either been a conference champion or one of the top-seeded programs in March Madness in recent years. The First Four hasn't been necessary for this team, and neither should the expanded format in the new opening round.
This was a move that many people considered unnecessary by the NCAA, as almost everyone loves March Madness the way it is. The First Four was added in 2011, which expanded the tournament to 68, but it wasn't a dramatic expansion. The argument is that it's a privilege to make March Madness, and 76 is too many.
There will now be an "opening weekend" of March Madness with 24 teams. Six games will be played over the first two days of the tournament.
Either way, the main part of the tournament is not affected which means it doesn't really impact Houston. It could change who its opponent is, however. The first 76-team projected bracket and seeding has already been released by Andy Katz this past week, and here is where Houston has been placed.
Way-Too-Early March Madness Seeding For Houston
Mar 26, 2026; Houston, TX, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini guard Keaton Wagler (23) dribbles the ball against Houston Cougars guard Mercy Miller (25) in the first half during a Sweet Sixteen game of the South Regional of the men’s 2026 NCAA Tournament at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images
Houston is the No. 4 seed in the South region of the bracket. That would be a second straight year in the South for Houston, but it does make sense considering the South Regional is in San Antonio for 2027.
That site would obviously be familiar to Houston, as the Final Four and National Championship were there in 2025 and Houston's run to the Elite Eight in 2022.
The Cougars had to undergo a "rebuild" of sorts due to four starters departing the program and now senior forward Joseph Tugler as the only starter returning. Houston also needed to add more bench depth. All that was accomplished through the busy transfer portal for the Cougars, with Dedan Thomas Jr. as the new point guard and Delrecco Gillespie as likely a starting forward.
Houston has the No. 1 center in the class of 2026 in Arafan Diane, as well as forward Braden East and guard Corey Hadnot II. It will be interesting to see how the Cougars play and come together as a team. The expectations aren't as high as last season, but Houston is certainly equipped to make a deep run in the tournament, regardless if everything fits.
In terms of this potential South region, it does look challenging. Likely preseason No. 1 Florida is the No. 1 seed while national runners-up in UConn are the No. 2 seed. Vanderbilt is the No. 3, while St. John's is the sixth seed. North Carolina is also listed as the No. 9 seed in the region.
Fellow Big 12 team, BYU, is also in the South as the No. 7 seed. This would be a tough road for Houston with a possible Sweet 16 matchup against Florida and an Elite Eight against UConn. It's way too early to tell, but Houston will be a team to watch.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/houston as Where Houston is Predicted in the First 76-Team March Madness Bracket.
