With Florida’s championship celebration barely over, basketball fans are already hungry for next season’s predictions. We turned to AI for insights, asking ChatGPT to analyze returning talent, transfer portal moves, and recruiting classes to project which eight teams will reach the Elite 8 in 2026. The AI’s response mirrored many expert rankings but offered surprising inclusions.
ChatGPT’s Elite 8 Bracket Prediction
When asked to predict the Elite 8 teams for the 2025-26 NCAA Tournament, ChatGPT identified Houston, Purdue, UConn, Duke, Texas Tech, BYU, St. John’s, and Michigan State as the most likely contenders.
The AI emphasized that these eight programs “currently have the strongest combination of talent, coaching, and program infrastructure” to make deep tournament runs next season. ChatGPT states, “Houston and Purdue emerge as the clear favorites for Final Four berths, but college basketball’s unpredictability means any of these eight teams could cut down the nets in Indianapolis next April.”
Breaking Down ChatGPT’s Tournament Vision
ChatGPT’s Elite 8 predictions offer an interesting perspective, though they include some notable surprises and omissions that merit discussion. Perhaps most puzzling is the absence of Florida, the reigning national champions who decisively defeated Houston in last year’s title game. The Gators’ championship experience and returning talent typically place them high on any Elite 8 watchlist.
St. John’s inclusion raises questions despite their impressive 31-5 record last season. Their second-round tournament exit to Arkansas revealed vulnerabilities, and they’ve since lost RJ Luis, their Big East Player of the Year, to the NBA draft. While Rick Pitino’s coaching acumen and their transfer portal additions bring value, replacing Luis’s production presents a significant challenge that ChatGPT may have underestimated.
Texas Tech represents an intriguing selection based on JT Toppin’s return and their rise in ESPN’s rankings. While Toppin’s talent is undeniable, the Red Raiders’ tournament history suggests their Elite 8 projection might be optimistic. They’ve reached that stage once since 2019, showing how difficult sustained tournament success can be for programs outside the traditional powerhouses.
Auburn’s exclusion stands out given their Final Four appearance and SEC championship last season. Similarly, ChatGPT includes BYU primarily on the strength of adding Robert Wright III, a talented player but not necessarily someone with proven March Madness success. This highlights the challenge in weighing transfer additions against established tournament performers.
The coaching landscape represents another factor that deserves more attention. College basketball is experiencing significant turnover, with 14 major programs facing coaching transitions. Tony Bennett’s retirement, Willard’s appointment as Head Coach at Virginia, and Jim Larrañaga’s departure from Miami could reshape conference dynamics in ways that statistical models might not fully capture.
ChatGPT does show good judgment in several areas. Houston’s elite recruiting class, featuring three top-20 prospects, gives them legitimate title aspirations. Similarly, Purdue’s return of potential National Player of the Year candidate Braden Smith provides a strong foundation, though their tournament history suggests caution before considering them Elite 8 locks.
Last year’s tournament featured unusual predictability. All four No. 1 seeds reached the Final Four, and the Elite 8 included just one team seeded lower than No. 2. This pattern may have influenced ChatGPT’s predictions, though college basketball rarely follows the same script in consecutive seasons.
KEEP READING: How Far Will Purdue Men’s Basketball Team Go Next Season? Analyzing Their Path to March Madness
ChatGPT predictions provide data-driven insights, but March Madness’s magic lies in unpredictable performances, buzzer-beaters, and Cinderella stories. The absolute joy of college basketball isn’t in perfect predictions, but in witnessing the journey that unfolds when the brackets are revealed.
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