Deace's One & Only Perennial Bracketology: 2020 Edition
Here it is, two weeks before Selection Sunday and before any of the conference tournaments are played/decided. Last year I got 50 of the eventual 68 teams in the field correct. Ask yourself what's more impressive? These allegedly brilliant bracketologists getting 98% right after all the automatic bids are decided and seconds before the field is announced?
Or getting 74% right with none of the automatic bids yet decided a full two weeks before the field is revealed, as I did last year?
Automatic Bids (32)
AMERICA EAST: Vermont
AMERICAN ATHLETIC: Wichita State
ATLANTIC 10: Dayton
ACC: Duke
ATLANTIC SUN: Liberty
BIG 12: Baylor
BIG EAST: Villanova
BIG SKY: Eastern Washington
BIG SOUTH: Radford
BIG TEN: Michigan State
BIG WEST: UC-Santa Barbara
COLONIAL: William & Mary
CONFERENCE USA: Western Kentucky
HORIZON: Wright State
IVY: Yale
METRO ATLANTIC: Monmouth
MID-AMERICAN: Bowling Green
MID-EASTERN: Norfolk State
MISSOURI VALLEY: Loyola-Chicago*
MOUNTAIN WEST: Nevada*
NORTHEAST: St. Francis
OHIO VALLEY: Belmont
PAC-12: Oregon
PATRIOT: Colgate
SEC: Florida
SOUTHERN: Furman*
SOUTHLAND: Stephen F. Austin
SWAC: Prairie View A&M
SUMMIT: South Dakota State
SUN BELT: Texas State
WCC: BYU
WAC: New Mexico State
*=won by a "bid stealer" that could potentially cost someone else an at-large berth
At-Large Bids (36)
AMERICAN (1): Houston
ACC (3): Louisville, Florida State, Virginia
BIG 12 (5): Kansas, West Virginia, Texas Tech, Oklahoma, Texas
BIG EAST (5): Seton Hall, Creighton, Butler, Marquette, Providence
BIG TEN (9): Maryland, Penn State, Iowa, Ohio State, Michigan, Wisconsin, Illinois, Rutgers, Indiana
MISSOURI VALLEY (1): Northern Iowa
MOUNTAIN WEST (1): San Diego State
PAC-12 (6): Arizona, Colorado, Stanford, Arizona State, USC, UCLA
SEC (3): Kentucky, Auburn, LSU
WCC (2): Gonzaga, St. Mary's
Last four in: St. Mary's, Providence, UCLA, Texas
Last four out: Utah State, N.C. State, Richmond, Cincinnati
MIDWEST (INDIANAPOLIS)
Omaha
1. Kansas vs. 16. Prairie View A&M/Norfolk State
8. Illinois vs. 9. USC
Tampa
4. Creighton vs. 13. Bowling Green
5. Auburn vs. 12. Furman
St. Louis
6. Iowa vs. 11. UCLA/St. Mary's
3. Louisville vs. 14. Western Kentucky
Cleveland
7. Florida vs. 10. Indiana
2. Dayton vs. 15. Colgate
EAST (NEW YORK)
Greensboro
1. Duke vs. 16. Monmouth
8. Texas Tech vs. 9. Wichita State
Albany
4. Arizona vs. 13. Wright State
5. Villanova vs. 12. Belmont
St. Louis
6. Ohio State vs. 11. Loyola-Chicago
3. Kentucky vs. 14. William & Mary
Greensboro
7. Colorado vs. 10. Rutgers
2. Maryland vs. 15. Vermont
WEST (LOS ANGELES)
Sacramento
1. San Diego State vs. 16. St. Francis
8. Marquette vs. 9. Oklahoma
Spokane
4. Oregon vs. 13. South Dakota State
5. Houston vs. 12. Liberty
Albany
6. Michigan vs. 11. Nevada
3. Seton Hall vs. 14. Eastern Washington
Spokane
7. West Virginia vs. 10. Northern Iowa
2. Gonzaga vs 15. UC-Santa Barbara
SOUTH (HOUSTON)
Omaha
1. Baylor vs. 16. Radford
8. Butler vs. 9. Virginia
Sacramento
4. BYU vs. 13. Yale
5. Penn State vs. 12. Providence/Texas
Tampa
6. Wisconsin vs. 11. New Mexico State
3. Florida State vs. 14. Stephen F. Austin
Cleveland
7. LSU vs. 10. Arizona State
2. Michigan State vs. 15. Texas State