Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NCAA. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Mid-Major fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.
More teams = more access.
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But does it?
The NCAA Tournament is expanding to 76 teams from 68 teams beginning next season. The bigger field is supposed to mean more opportunities for worthy teams to get into the field.
So that led us to ask the question… with the NCAA Tournament expanding next season, how many additional bids will mid-majors receive?
This season saw four at-large bids for men’s mid-major teams and just one on the women’s side.
Let’s take a look at what this past year’s men’s tournament would have looked like if it was a 76-team field.
The first eight teams left out of the men’s field were the following:
Oklahoma (19-15, 7-11 SEC)
Auburn (17-16, 7-11 SEC)
San Diego State (22-11, 14-6 Mountain West)
Indiana (18-14, 9-11 Big Ten)
New Mexico (23-10, 13-7 Mountain West)
Seton Hall (21-12, 10-10 Big East)
Virginia Tech (19-13, 8-10 ACC)
Stanford (20-12, 9-9 ACC)
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I spot two mid-majors on that list: San Diego State and New Mexico.
Remember, SDSU will be in the Pac-12 next season, but as the fans told us, the conference will be considered a mid-major.
As for the women’s tournament, here’s who were the top teams left out:
BYU
North Dakota State
Utah
Texas A&M
Mississippi State
Stanford
Kansas
Indiana
Just one mid-major listed here in NDSU.
What makes the NCAA Tournament, especially the early rounds if the mid-majors. It’s all about the upsets and Cinderellas.
More teams and more access is the theme from the NCAA.
“The more teams we can get into the tournament and make it work logistically and mathematically, the better,” NCAA president Charlie Baker said, according to ESPN. “It gives more kids the opportunity to experience that.”
So, the big question remains, do these opportunities trickle down to mid-majors?
