The 2026 NCAA Tournament bracket is out, and the top seed lines feature many familiar programs like Duke, UConn, Florida and Michigan as either No. 1 or No. 2 seeds in their regions. Duke is a No. 1 seed for the second straight year and a top-two seed for the fifth time in the last eight NCAA Tournaments. Duke has also played in two of the last four Final Fours. Florida is the defending national champion, with UConn winning the prior two. It's hard to imagine building a 2026 March Madness bracket without Duke going to at least the Sweet 16, but there will be plenty of 2026 March Madness upsets along the way. Which schools should you back and who should you fade when making your 2026 NCAA Tournament picks? Before you make your 2026 NCAA Tournament predictions, see the 2026 March Madness bracket picks from the proven computer model at SportsLine. Two years ago, SportsLine's computer simulation nailed massive upsets, including huge wins by No. 11 Oregon over No. 6 South Carolina, No. 11 NC State over No. 6 Texas Tech, No. 10 Colorado over No. 7 Florida. Last year, SportsLine's computer simulation nailed massive upsets, including calling both 9-seeds that advanced in the first round, No. 12 Colorado State over No. 5 Memphis, and No. 6 BYU advancing to the Sweet 16. The model has beaten over 91 percent of all CBS Sports bracket players in four of the past seven tournaments. This model, which simulates every game 10,000 times, has nailed 25 first-round upsets by double-digit seeds since its inception in 2016 and nailed UConn's championship run in 2024. It nailed 12 teams in the Sweet 16 and correctly predicted all four Final Four teams a year ago. The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every college basketball game 10,000 times. It entered conference tournament week on a sizzling 14-2 run on its top-rated over/under college basketball picks dating back to last season, and is on a 28-21 run on top-rated CBB side picks. You shouldn't even think about making a pick without seeing what their model has to say. Top 2026 March Madness bracket upset picks One South Region surprise the model has identified: No. 11 VCU upsets six-time national champion and No. 6-seeded North Carolina. Keith Gill, the chair of the 2025-26 NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Committee, said VCU needed to win its conference tournament to make the NCAA Tournament, and that's exactly what the Rams did in taking the Atlantic 10 final. Strange things happen in March, and if you are in the dance, you have a shot. VCU can ride that momentum into a deep tournament run. VCU is 16-1 over its last 17 games, playing its best basketball at the right time. Meanwhile, North Carolina is battling injuries and the Tar Heels' shorthandedness showed itself in an 80-79 loss to unranked Clemson in the quarterfinals of the ACC Tournament. The Tar Heels are without their top scorer. North Carolina is just 4-3 over its last seven games, and given how well VCU is currently playing, the model is siding with the David against the Goliath of a program in the Tar Heels. Another South Region surprise the model has identified: No. 10 Texas A&M defeats No. 7 Saint Mary's to advance to the Round of 32. The Aggies tied for fourth in the SEC regular season and won four of their last six games, including a triple-overtime 94-91 win at LSU on March 7. The strength of the SEC is unmatched, as 10 SEC teams have made it into the NCAA Tournament field. Saint Mary's is just one of three West Coast Conference teams in the tournament. Texas A&M enters the 2026 NCAA Tournament with the ninth-best scoring offense in Division I, averaging 87.7 points per game, while Saint Mary's is tied for 116th at 78.2 points. Although this is the Gaels' fifth consecutive trip to the NCAA Tournament, they are coming off a 76-71 loss to Santa Clara in the WCC Tournament semifinals. The Aggies also are led by seniors Rashaun Agee (14.7 points), Rylan Griffen (11.6) and Marcus Hill (10.8), the team's top three scorers. See which other 2026 March Madness upsets and matchups to target here. How to make 2026 NCAA Tournament bracket predictions Who wins every tournament-defining matchup? And which teams will make surprising runs through the 2026 NCAA Tournament bracket? With the model's track record of calling bracket-busting upsets, you'll want to see which stunners it's calling this year before locking in any 2026 NCAA bracket picks. So what's the optimal NCAA Tournament 2026 bracket? And which NCAA Tournament Cinderella teams will shock college basketball? Visit SportsLine now to see which region features two mammoth upsets in the first round, including one by a No. 14 seed, and see which 6-seed makes the Sweet 16, all from the model that's nailed 25 first-round upsets by double-digit seeds.