ESPN bracketologist Joe Lunardi’s “Bracketology HQ” tracks the field of 68 on the way to the NCAA Tournament. Undoubtedly the most followed bracket projections, Lunardi’s projections always get a lot of attention.
Yesterday, Lunardi published his final regular season bubble watch. On Reddit’s r/CollegeBasketball, there was a lot of scrutiny.
Fans React to Joe Lunardi’s NCAA Tournament Picks
Lunardi’s last four byes consisted of the Baylor Bears, Utah State Aggies, Arkansas Razorbacks, and Indiana Hoosiers.
Lunardi’s last four in consisted of the San Diego State Aztecs, Ohio State Buckeyes, Oklahoma Sooners, and Xavier Musketeers.
Joe Lunardi’s Final Regular Season Bubble Watch
byu/Fun_Reflection1157 inCollegeBasketball
Lunardi’s first four out consisted of the Boise State Broncos, North Carolina Tar Heels, Texas Longhorns, and Colorado State Rams.
Lunardi’s next four out consisted of the Nebraska Cornhuskers, Wake Forest Demon Deacons, Cincinnati Bearcats, and Dayton Flyers.
Lunardi’s bubble got quite a reaction from some fans.
“Why are we still on there,” wrote Ohio State fan u/OSUFORLIFE6381.
The Buckeyes (17-14, 9-11) have lost four of their last six games and face Iowa in the Big Ten Tournament on Wednesday, March 12. Ohio State currently sits 34th in the KenPom rankings.
“Genuinely worst overall bubble I can remember,” Maryland fan u/PinkSaldo wrote. “We’ve had some more questionable individual teams before ironside, but the whole of the bubble is so unimpressive.”
KEEP READING: 2025 March Madness Bracket Predictions 2.0: Who’s In, Who’s Out, and the Biggest Surprises
One user, Maryland fan u/strongscience62, theorized the weak bubble came from two reasons.
“1. Super conferences. We eliminated the Pac12 and put their best teams into the B1G and Big 12,” the fan wrote. “Teams that would have been standouts in a Pac12 were mid in the super conferences. More competitive super conferences make for worse looking records with more high quality games.
“2. NIL. The top players can transfer at will and the super conferences have the most NIL money. All the best players are in the super conferences, making the quality of each individual team better than they have been.”
College Sports Network has you covered with the latest news, analysis, insights, and trending stories in football, basketball, and more!
