First in-season Bracket Projection: Kansas at No. 1

No surprise that Kansas starts our bracket projections as the No. 1 overall seed.  The Jayhawks opened preseason discussions in the top spot and have stayed in place.  The remaining No. 1 seeds in our opening look-ahead: Texas, Kentucky and North Carolina.  Only Michigan State (a two-seed now) has changed, and don’t be surprised if the Spartans return to the top line in March.   See the full bracket in Bracketology.

A couple of things to keep in mind … our bracket projections are based on both performance and potential.  Hence, you may see a few teams in the bracket who haven’t started as quickly as anticipated.  We’ll know more as we work through December.  History informs us that young teams often start slow and have to work through a few misteps.  This opening in-season look tries to balance what we’ve learned in the first month, with what we see happening down the road.  There are some teams in the last five out who could easily be included, and vice versa.  You could make an argument for other teams as well.  Hopefully, the number of mid-major at-large candidates will grow.  Our next update is Monday, December 21.  Weekly updates start in January.  You can follow key wins and losses under Team Capsules.  Here’s to a great season … and, as always, send a rebound.