NCAA March Madness 2026

Mascot Madness

The field of 68 is divided into mascot groups. Pick two or three, root for every team in them, and see whose group has the most survivors when it counts. Your group total cannot exceed 22 teams.

Bracket confirmed — Selection Sunday March 15, 2026. Tournament begins March 18. Entry deadline Thursday March 19 at noon.

How It Works

  1. Pick two or three groups before the entry deadline. You're rooting for every team in your groups.
  2. Score points per win. Seed × round number per win — an 8-seed winning three games earns 8 pts in Round 1, 16 in Round 2, 24 in Round 3. A 1-seed earns 1, 2, 3. Upsets pay.
  3. Play-in games are not worth points. The tournament starts at the Round of 64.
  4. Pick two Hero teams from the groups you select. Hero wins count 1.5×. Heroes are first-come first-served — no repeats between entries, and your Heroes must come from your chosen groups.
  5. Highest total when the nets come down wins. Hero points serve as tiebreaker.
Group Teams in Field Lowest Seed
Cats 12 - 1 play-in #1
Dogs 5 - 2 play-in #2
Humans 12 #2
Mammals 9 - 1 play-in #1
Land and Sea 9 #1
Farmers 8 - 2 play-in #4
Mythology 7 #1
Birds 6 - 2 play-in #4

Cats

12 teams - 1 play-in · Lowest seed: #1
12
#1 Arizona Wildcats
S Unpredictable nature at that size certain to cause damage.
L Wild card life not for everyone.
#2 Houston Cougars
S Still looking great in her old age.
L Traumatic ruining of Homeward Bound.
#6 BYU Cougars
S Mormon muntain lions have many wives.
L Not a lot of snow out west this ski season.
#7 Kentucky Wildcats
S Still making up half the NBA.
L Still trying to find their Post Calipari spark.
#8 Villanova Wildcats
S Willard's glare from his shiny bald head can blind opponents at the rim.
L Eight lives used up during the recent rebuild.
#8 Clemson Tigers
S Large, orange, sometimes named Tony.
L Water, tuna, Frosted flakes.
#10 Missouri Tigers
S Tigers are solitary hunters. Truman the Tiger has operated alone since 1986 and doesn't ask for help.
L Bengal or Siberian — the identity question remains unresolved and shows up in recruiting.
#12 Northern Iowa Panthers
S Corn-fed panther. Methodical, Midwestern, will absolutely eat you.
L Iowa part raises questions about the jungle predator's natural habitat.
#12 High Point Panthers
S Nobody sees a 12-seed panther coming. That's the entire strategy.
L High Point, NC is not known panther territory.
#13 Hofstra Pride
S A pride of lions hunts as a coordinated unit. Thirteen of them is not a small number.
L Pride precedes the fall. The seeding confirms.
#15 Tennessee State Tigers
S A tiger is a tiger regardless of seed number.
L Nashville is a long way from the savanna.
#16 play-in Prairie View Panthers
S It's March. Panthers do not acknowledge seedings.
L The 16-seed is a lesson in humility.

Arizona and Houston both dominated the Big 12 this season and arrive in March without a soft game on their resume. Kentucky spent the SEC season as the frontcourt team everyone feared. Villanova brought Big East toughness and a decade of March muscle memory. Clemson ran the ACC all the way through. BYU put together one of the most efficient half-court offenses in the Big 12. Note: Cats and Land & Sea cross paths 4 times in round 1 — the most first-round crossover of any two groups.

Dogs

5 teams - 2 play-in · Lowest seed: #2
5
#2 UConn Huskies
S Conflicting priorities with Iditarod race still going on.
L Wolves call them soft.
#3 Gonzaga Bulldogs
S Goofy facial expressions make for a good pet.
L Bulldogs, like these team's lineups, are mostly white.
#8 Georgia Bulldogs
S The Georgia Bulldog is named Uga, has his own seat at games, and has been on the cover of Sports Illustrated many times.
L Dog ears still ringing from the SEC Championship.
#11 play-in N.C. State Wolfpack
S Moon howling, the pack, hangover crew wolf t-shirts.
L Lone wolf potential.
#16 play-in UMBC Retrievers
S Retrievers are loyal, tireless, and responsible for the greatest upset in tournament history.
L UMBC. Virginia. 2018. The dog remembers.

UConn is the Big East's standard-bearer — back-to-back national titles and a program that treats March like a conference game they've already studied. Gonzaga ran the WCC again and arrives as the best team in their conference by a wide margin. NC State fought through the ACC Tournament to earn their spot. The leanest group with real teams, but two programs in the top 3 gives it a ceiling.

Intimidating Humans

12 teams · Lowest seed: #2
12
#2 Purdue Boilermakers
S Resume building skill-set once brought steady employment.
L Automation rendered them obsolete.
#3 Illinois Fighting Illini
S Don't mess with Chief Sitting Cow at The Lodge.
L Limited support from namesake tribes.
#3 Virginia Cavaliers
S Dog is very adorable and regal. I bet this team is good at pong.
L Too much defense reminiscent of watching paint dry.
#7 Saint Mary's Gaels
S Soda bread, ripping the lyre and celtic flute solos.
L Gaelic language still banned from EU meetings.
#10 UCF Knights
S Knights answer to no one. Armor is a natural defensive advantage.
L Knights in full armor are not built for uptempo play.
#13 Hawai'i Warriors
S Warriors of the Pacific. Home court advantage over everyone in terms of scenery.
L Everyone on their campus is on vacation brain. Competitive disadvantage.
#13 CA Baptist Lancers
S The lancer was cavalry's most mobile unit — speed, precision, long reach.
L Replaced by rifles in 1850. Has not fully adjusted.
#14 Penn Quakers
S Quakers have been morally correct about everything since 1681.
L Nonviolent principles tested in the paint.
#15 Furman Paladins
S A paladin is a holy knight of supreme virtue. The armor is non-negotiable.
L Supreme virtue historically underperforms against high-major shot creation.
#15 Idaho Vandals
S Named after the Vandals who sacked Rome. Historical precedent for destruction.
L The original Vandals were eventually absorbed. The seeding reflects this arc.
#15 Queens Royals
S Good Lorde Song. Really leaning into the regal thing.
L Every underdog story eventually ends with losing to royalty.
#16 Siena Saints
S Named after a 13th century saint known for miracles. This is historically documented.
L Saints are forgiving. The bracket is not.

Illinois and Purdue both went through the Big Ten meat grinder and arrive in March tested. Virginia spent the ACC season winning ugly at a high level. Saint Mary's dominated the WCC. Warning: Purdue (West 2) plays Queens (West 15) in round 1, and Illinois (South 3) plays Penn (South 14) in round 1 — this group has two guaranteed intra-group first-round matchups.

Mammals

9 teams - 1 play-in · Lowest seed: #1
9
#1 Michigan Wolverines
S Pound-for-pound the most aggressive anima;.
L Wolverines, like their fans, are territorial and hard to work with.
#4 Arkansas Razorbacks
S Not afraid to get dirty.
L Feral pigs with anger issues.
#5 Wisconsin Badgers
S Probably have one guy who can score.
L Head in the dirt searching for worms. Mistaken for skunks.
#7 UCLA Bruins
S The Bruin is a bear with a Westwood address and a long trophy case.
L Bruins in Los Angeles have well-documented celebrity distractions.
#11 VCU Rams
S Rams lower their heads and charge. VCU runs a press that works the same way — no warning, full speed.
L VCU runs the press until someone figures it out, which historically happens in round 2.
#11 South Florida Bulls
S The bull is the strongest animal on the farm and doesn't fully understand the red cape situation.
L Running with the bulls has a high casualty rate.
#12 Akron Zips
S Hopping, kangaroo kicks, zipper making.
L Weighed down by the baby.
#14 N. Dakota St. Bison
S The northern bison — 2,000 lbs of structured offense and genuine FCS pedigree.
L Excellent in burger form.
#16 play-in Howard Bison
S Rolling with the herd, stampedes, taking out Mufasa.
L Herd energy is real but the seed is not cooperating.

Michigan was the Big Ten's most efficient offense — full stop — and their frontcourt gives them a size advantage in nearly every matchup. Arkansas came through the SEC running a press-and-transition game that destabilizes seeded teams before they settle in. Wisconsin is the Big Ten's most reliable machine: hold the ball, make every game 58-54, and be in the second weekend. UCLA made the move to the Big Ten this year and held their own against that schedule.

Land and Sea

9 teams · Lowest seed: #1
9
#1 Florida Gators
S River king, all muscle, ferocious bite.
L The medulla oblongata.
#2 Iowa St. Cyclones
S Baby Bash and T-Pain song still slaps.
L Erratic, prone to emotional spirals.
#5 St. John's Red Storm
S A red storm hits without warning and makes everyone miserable.
L Storms make landfall and then dissipate, and the March track record reflects this pattern.
#5 Vanderbilt Commodores
S A Commodore outranks a Captain. Vanderbilt understood naval hierarchy before most programs had a fight song.
L The Commodores were famously a band. Lionel Richie is the spiritual mascot and he does not play defense.
#5 Texas Tech Red Raiders
S Pillaging on the sea, cannon use.
L Desired target of sea police investigations.
#7 Miami FL Hurricanes
S Category 5 upside, unpredictable path, and the entire bracket scrambles when it forms offshore.
L Category 1 or Category 5 — impossible to know which until it makes landfall.
#9 TCU Horned Frogs
S Hypnotoad mating patterns, living under rocks with a nice buzz.
L Crossing street traffic.
#14 Wright State Raiders
S Named after the Wright Brothers. Flight is literally the origin story.
L Prototypes still in the ocean off Florida. Some assembly required.
#16 Long Island Sharks
S Nobody roots for the shark. Everybody respects the jaw.
L Shark teams historically peak in their natural habitat. Long Island is one bracket away from that.

Florida locked up the SEC regular season title and backs it up with the best backcourt in the field. Iowa State spent all year at the top of the Big 12 and is a legitimate Final Four threat. Vanderbilt was the SEC's best-kept secret. St. John's won the Big East. Texas Tech was the Big 12's most disciplined defensive team. This group has a 1 and a 2 at the top and depth behind them. Note: Cats and Land & Sea cross paths 4 times in round 1 — if you're picking both, expect carnage.

Farmers and Farm Beasts

8 teams - 2 play-in · Lowest seed: #4
8
#4 Nebraska Cornhuskers
S It's corn!
L Demand coming from high fructose corn syrup, ethanol, and moonshine.
#8 Ohio St. Buckeyes
S Bruce Thornton their point guard seems like a nice guy.
L A buckeye is a poisonous nut that cannot be eaten. This is the entire limitation.
#9 Utah St. Aggies
S Tending to the land, hoping for a fertile spring.
L Network connectivity issues.
#10 Texas A&M Aggies
S Lot of booster money. Gig 'Em energy is loud.
L Two Aggies in one bracket group. Only one can carry the flag at a time.
#10 Santa Clara Broncos
S Named after a horse, which commands immediate respect in any room.
L A bronco is an unbroken horse. The seeding confirms this is still an open question.
#11 play-in SMU Mustangs
S Mustangs run free, and Dallas money means they run in nice shoes.
L The Pony Express was replaced by the telegraph in 1861 and has not materially evolved.
#12 McNeese Cowboys
S Yellowstone popularity bump after years of Kid Rock songs.
L Dallas counterparts set back the brand.
#11 play-in Texas Longhorns
S Grass-fed winners that use a giant head to moo and say hook em.
L Cow-tipping, late night cattle theft.

Nebraska was the Big Ten's most efficient offense outside of Illinois — their backcourt can carry a scoring load against elite competition. Ohio State finished the Big Ten schedule strong. Texas A&M went through the SEC grind and has the size to cause problems. Utah State was the Mountain West's most consistent program all year. SMU came through the AAC, McNeese confirmed their Southland auto-bid.

Folklore and Mythology

7 teams · Lowest seed: #1
7
#1 Duke Blue Devils
S Boozer bros will continue a frat guy jersey tradition.
L Scheyer is too handsome to pay off the refs like Coach K.
#3 Michigan St. Spartans
S Keto diet, angry disposition well suited for the current era.
L Little war / life balance.
#4 Alabama Crimson Tide
S Basketball paying as much as football for once.
L Fans used all their prayers to get into the football playoff.
#6 North Carolina Tar Heels
S Slowing military opponents through innovative trench warfare.
L Civil War explanation of Tar Heel sounds like old man nonsense.
#6 Tennessee Volunteers
S Community service, unpaid internships, following the NCAA rules.
L Rent payments, Ramen dependance.
#9 Saint Louis Billikens
S The Billiken is a patented mythological wish-granter. They literally own the IP on luck.
L The patent expired in 1921. The luck may have followed.
#13 Troy Trojans
S Built a giant wooden horse and won a ten-year war with it. Tactical creativity that has never been replicated.
L The horse strategy doesn't work in reverse. Ask the Trojans.

Duke is the consensus national title favorite — the Boozer brothers and a roster that scores from all five positions make them a tough out. Michigan State won the Big Ten late; Izzo programs arrive in March tested. Alabama's SEC campaign was legitimate from wire to wire under Nate Oats.

Birds

6 teams - 2 play-in · Lowest seed: #4
6
#4 Kansas Jayhawks
S Jaywalking, sleepwalking through regular season til tourney time.
L Bluejay and riverhawk combination cause identity issues.
#6 Louisville Cardinals
S The cardinal is North America's most recognizable bird — red coat, decisive beak, year-round resident.
L PETA involvement cannot be ruled out.
#9 Iowa Hawkeyes
S A hawk with exceptional vision. Hawkeye sees everything from altitude and rarely commits too early.
L None of them typically migrate past the Sweet 16. The instinct kicks in.
#14 Kennesaw State Owls
S Night vision, silent approach, fully rotatable neck.
L Day games neutralize the nocturnal advantage.
#11 play-in Miami (OH) RedHawks
S Precision hunter, rust-colored plumage, MAC credentials that don't get enough credit.
L Power conference energy gap is real.
#16 play-in Lehigh Mountain Hawks
S Mountain hawks fly at altitude. The bracket takes them higher than anyone expects.
L Iowa State is a large bird to cross paths with in round 1.

Kansas ran the Big 12 all season and is the conference's gold standard for showing up in March. Louisville came through the ACC in Pat Kelsey's first full season — the Cardinals have built a versatile attack that beats teams in multiple ways. Iowa fought through the Big Ten and the Hawkeyes' size is a first-weekend problem for anyone.

🏆

Enter Mascot Madness 2026

Picks open after Selection Sunday, March 15. Entry deadline Thursday March 19 at noon.
Submit your groups, Hero picks, and don't forget — Heroes are first-come first-served.

Submit Your Picks →
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