Selection Sunday has come and the brackets are out for the 2025 NCAA Tournament.
Yes, “it’s the most wonderful time of the year!”
Now comes the fun part — filling out your brackets and picking all the upsets. To help out, I created a Power Rankings list below of all 68 teams to help give you an edge to win your friends, family, or company contest.
These rankings take into account a variety of factors: momentum, player talent, current roster health, key wins, weaknesses, as well as some gut instinct and eye test from what I’ve seen.
Important: If you want to pick the right upsets, pay close attention to the 5 vs. 12 and 6 vs. 11 games. There have been 55 upsets by No. 12 seeds since the NCAA tournament field was expanded in 1985. This comes out to a 35% win percentage. When it comes to the 6 vs. 11 games, there’s been 61 upsets during this same time frame which comes out to a winning percentage of nearly 40%. Last year, two 12-seeds won opening round matchups (James Madison and Grand Canyon), and three 11-seeds won as well (Duquesne, NC State, and Oregon).
Lastly, the NCAA seeding had nothing to do with these power rankings.
2025 NCAA Tournament Power Rankings
- Duke: 31-3 (19-1 in ACC)
2. Houston: 30-4 (19-1 in Big 12)
3. Auburn: 28-5 (15-3 in SEC)
4. Florida: 30-4 (14-4 in SEC)
5. St. John’s: 30-4 (18-2 in Big East)
6. Tennessee: 27-7 (12-6 in SEC)
7. Texas Tech: 25-8 (15-5 in Big 12)
8. Alabama: 25-8 (13-5 in SEC)
9. Michigan State: 27-6 (17-3 in Big Ten)
10. Maryland: 25-8 (14-6 in Big Ten)
11. Iowa State: 24-9 (13-7 in Big 12)
12. Wisconsin: 26-9 (13-7 in Big Ten)
13. Kentucky: 22-11 (10-8 in SEC)
14. Texas A&M: 22-10 (11-7 in SEC)
15. BYU: 24-9 (14-6 in Big 12)
16. Arizona: 22-12 (14-6 in Big 12)
17. Purdue: 22-11 (13-7 in Big Ten)
18. Clemson: 27-6 (18-2 in ACC)
19. Michigan: 25-9 (14-6 in Big Ten)
20. Ole Miss: 22-11 (10-8 in SEC)
21. Oregon: 24-9 (12-8 in Big Ten)
22. Gonzaga: 25-8 (14-4 in West Coast)
23. Illinois: 21-12 (12-8 in Big Ten)
24. Saint Mary’s: 28-5 (17-1 in West Coast)
25. Kansas: 21-12 (11-9 in Big 12)
26. Louisville: 27-7 (18-2 in ACC)
27. Connecticut: 23-10 (14-6 in Big East)
28. Marquette: 23-10 (13-7 in Big East)
29. Missouri: 22-11 (10-8 in SEC)
30. UCLA: 22-10 (13-7 in Big Ten)
31. Arkansas: 20-13 (8-10 in SEC)
32. Creighton: 24-10 (15-5 in Big East)
33. VCU: 28-6 (15-3 in Atlantic 10)
34. Memphis: 29-5 (16-2 in American)
35. Baylor: 19-14 (10-10 in Big 12)
36. UC San Diego: 30-4 (18-2 in Big West)
37. Colorado State: 25-9 (16-4 in Mountain West)
38. Mississippi State: 21-12 (8-10 in SEC)
39. Drake: 30-3 (17-3 in Missouri Valley)
40. Utah State: 26-7 (15-5 in Mountain West)
41. New Mexico: 26-7 (17-3 in Mountain West)
42. Texas: 19-15 (6-12 in SEC)
43. Oklahoma: 20-13 (6-12 in SEC)
44. Georgia: 20-12 (8-10 in SEC)
45. San Diego State: 21-9 (14-6 in Mountain West)
46. Vanderbilt: 20-12 (8-10 in SEC)
47. Xavier: 21-11, 13-7 in Big East
48. North Carolina: 22-13 (13-7 in ACC)
49. McNeese: 27-6 (19-1 in Southland)
50. Liberty: 26-6 (13-5 in Conference USA)
51. Grand Canyon: 26-7 (13-3 in WAC)
52. Yale: 22-7 (13-1 in Ivy League)
53. High Point: 29-5 (14-2 in Big South)
54. Lipscomb: 25-9 (14-4 in Atlantic Sun)
55. Troy: 23-10 (13-5 in Sun Belt)
56. Akron: 28-6 (17-1 in Mid-American)
57. UNC-Wilmington: 27-7 (14-4 in CAA)
58. Montana: 25-9 (15-3 in Big Sky)
59. Bryant: 22-11 (14-2 in AEC)
60. Wofford: 19-15 (10-8 in SoCon)
61. Robert Morris: 26-8 (15-5 in Horizon)
62. Norfolk State: 23-10 (11-3 in MEAC)
63. Omaha: 22-12 (13-3 in Summit)
64. SIU-Edwardsville: 22-11 (13-7 in Ohio Valley)
65. American 22-12: (13-5 in Patriot League))
66. Mount St. Mary’s: 22-12 (12-8 in MAAC)
67. Alabama State: 19-15 (12-6 in SWAC)
68. Saint Francis: 16-17 (8-8 in NEC)
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