2026 Official Seed Watch List Thread

[bleedingTNorange]

NCAA Net Rankings have us at 21 with a 4-7 record against Quad 1. A number of the teams above us have Quad 2 losses (including #1 Michigan) but we're the highest ranked team that is more than 2 games underwater against Quad 1 opponents. Louisville is the only team above us who has a losing road record (like us) as well. So it looks like we're pretty fairly in the 5-6 range by the criteria chosen by the NCAA.

I don’t disagree as of today, if that number stays the same then we definitely aren’t moving up…however the discussion has been about running the table or dropping just 1, we have quite a few Q1 opportunities upcoming to change that number a bit.

 

[MoCo_Vol]

Syracuse is currently 72nd with 4 games left, 3 of those games are Quad 1 opponents.... if they go 2-2 or 3-1 they'll stay Quad 1

 

[cncchris33]

7 of the 8 teams behind us on the seed list lost over the last 2 days, don’t want to jinx it but you can just about eliminate 7/8 seed from the seed lists to watch…a win Saturday and I think the numbers would shift enough to where 7 & 8 are removed from seed list watch and a 2 would then be added

Getting to a 3 is huge. That is the line of demarcation for me. If we get to that line, I like our NCAAT odds much better.

 

[bleedingTNorange]

Getting to a 3 is huge. That is the line of demarcation for me. If we get to that line, I like our NCAAT odds much better.

Oh absolutely, a win Saturday makes it much more plausible

 

[OrangeBeachVol]

Barnes is doing a masterful job of getting this team to possibly peak at the right time. My NCAA expectations are rising fast.

 

[ftsandersvol]

I'm hoping for a play-in game. That way we can be the first team to ever go 7-0 to win the tournament.

 

[wtmvol]

I'm hoping for a play-in game. That way we can be the first team to ever go 7-0 to win the tournament.

You're on your own on that one my friend.

 

[Volprofch05]

I'm hoping for a play-in game. That way we can be the first team to ever go 7-0 to win the tournament.

There's a reason why it would be a first

 

[bleedingTNorange]

They’re doing a media/NCAAT mock bracket today and this is the top 16, that’s good news for Tennessee as multiple SEC times are higher on this seed list than many thought heading into today…

 

[Volprofch05]

They’re doing a media/NCAAT mock bracket today and this is the top 16, that’s good news for Tennessee as multiple SEC times are higher on this seed list than many thought heading into today…

 

[VolFan_stuck_in_the_901]

Feels like we could definitely move up to the 4-seed line if we have a strong close to the regular season

 

[bleedingTNorange]

Feels like we could definitely move up to the 4-seed line if we have a strong close to the regular season

We would be a 4 seed Saturday with a win, nevermind a strong close to the season

 

[ftsandersvol]

There's a reason why it would be a first

 

[ColinS]

Barnes is doing a masterful job of getting this team to possibly peak at the right time. My NCAA expectations are rising fast.

I think we have been hiding out against weaker SEC competition just taking care of business. It's back to the grind from here on out. I'm anxious to see how we look in a tough road game against Vandy. A win in that one puts a three seed and a second place finish on the table. I guess I'm just not as optimistic as you yet. Can we close out games and not let leads get away? Can Gillespie come up big at the end of games? Is Estrella gonna be healthy for the stretch run? Just a few questions still needing to be answered.

 

[bleedingTNorange]

Updated seed list heading into the weekend:

3 seed
Florida
Kansas
Nebraska
Gonzaga
——————————
4 seed
Michigan State
Texas Tech
Vanderbilt
Virginia
——————————
5 seed
Alabama
Arkansas
St. John’s
Tennessee
——————————
6 seed
Louisville
North Carolina
BYU
Kentucky
——————————
7 seed
Villanova
Utah State
Saint Louis
Wisconsin
——————————
8 seed
North Carolina State
Clemson
Iowa
Miami

 

[bleedingTNorange]

Tonight’s games:
7pm: VCU vs. Saint Louis
8pm: Indiana vs. Purdue


Neither is of major significance, but something to root for, tomorrow will be a big day.

 

[wtmvol]

Tonight’s games:
7pm: VCU vs. Saint Louis
8pm: Indiana vs. Purdue


Neither is of major significance, but something to root for, tomorrow will be a big day.

Doesn’t look like we’re getting any help tonight.

 

[Bigorangefan 98]

If we can get Vandy tomorrow on the road , we can get to the 4 line discussion least

 

[VolCalls]

If we close 5-1 I think we’ll be in that 3/4 discussion, if you look at those teams currently in that range many have a tough close and are expected to lost 2-3 more games which would open that door.

I think a 4 is our ceiling unless we run the table and win the SECT.

 

[VolCalls]

Feels like we’re ahead of BYU and if we handle business that’ll stick, don’t disagree that a win for them at Arizona would be huge, just don’t think it’s biggest impact of our goal is moving up. Kansas, Gonzaga, Vanderbilt, Virginia, SJU are all ahead of us and playing tonight.

We should now be ahead of BYU on the S-Curve based on the season-ending injury to Saunders.

 

[VolCalls]

I've got a feeling Texas Tech is gonna drop a bit without Toppin. They won't bottom out, but that guy made their entire team go and him being out with an ACL injury is a huge, huge loss.

I bet they drop to the 6-line unless they rally around each other and keep winning. Same for BYU.

 

[VolCalls]

7 of the 8 teams behind us on the seed list lost over the last 2 days, don’t want to jinx it but you can just about eliminate 7/8 seed from the seed lists to watch…a win Saturday and I think the numbers would shift enough to where 7 & 8 are removed from seed list watch and a 2 would then be added

I don’t see any way we sniff consideration for a 2 seed. We aren’t passing any of these, even if we run the table from here on out:

Michigan
Arizona
Houston
Duke
Illinois
Iowa State
UConn
Purdue
Florida
Kansas

 

[VolCalls]

I think we have been hiding out against weaker SEC competition just taking care of business. It's back to the grind from here on out. I'm anxious to see how we look in a tough road game against Vandy. A win in that one puts a three seed and a second place finish on the table. I guess I'm just not as optimistic as you yet. Can we close out games and not let leads get away? Can Gillespie come up big at the end of games? Is Estrella gonna be healthy for the stretch run? Just a few questions still needing to be answered.

I get what you’re saying, but winning at Alabama and Georgia in recent weeks tells me we are well-positioned for March.

 

[bleedingTNorange]

I think a 4 is our ceiling unless we run the table and win the SECT.

A couple games would need to go our way, but running the table to close the season would almost certainly have us at a 3. That would also mean top 2 finish and double bye in SECT, as we know games that late in conference tournaments have no impact on seeding…so even a likely Q1 loss that Friday wouldn’t drop us from a 3 imo.

 

[bleedingTNorange]

I don’t see any way we sniff consideration for a 2 seed. We aren’t passing any of these, even if we run the table from here on out:

Michigan
Arizona
Houston
Duke
Illinois
Iowa State
UConn
Purdue
Florida
Kansas

agree on Michigan, Houston, Arizona & Duke.

In theory these teams could finish…
Illinois 22-9
Iowa State 23-8
UCONN 24-7
Purdue 22-9
Florida 20-11
Kansas 20-11


A Tennessee team that is 24-7 would be ranked above every one of those imo, but to attain a 2 seed would just need to be ahead of 3 of those teams, not all 6.

Also, my post was more pointing out that a 7/8 seed become a very small % of happening, and likely a lesser % chance than climbing to a 2 seed, I didn’t suggest it was likely or even probable.