Eligibility chaos clouds opening of expanded NCAA tournament
A legal quagmire over college basketball's new eligibility rules leaves 25 players in eligibility limbo ahead of the 2026-27 season, as the tournament expands to 76 teams.
College basketball's 2026-27 season is shadowed by a spreading eligibility crisis. Twenty-five players remain locked in legal limbo before the opening tipoff, per ESPN, their status uncertain as courts in Louisiana, Texas, California and elsewhere issue conflicting rulings on the NCAA's new age-based 'five-in-five' model. Among those caught in the backlog are LSU's RJ Luis Jr. and Missouri's Mark Mitchell.
The turmoil reflects a larger fracture. Four major conferences—the SEC, Big Ten, Big 12 and ACC—have each put their own eligibility rules in place, barring players with professional experience from competing, per ESPN. That patchwork has collided with the courts, leaving prospects unsure whether they are cleared to play and teams uncertain of their rosters ahead of tip-off.
The season will tip off with a fresh tournament format. The NCAA men's basketball tournament has expanded to 76 teams for 2026-27, per ESPN, featuring 44 at-large bids and 24 Opening Round games split across Dayton and Wichita.
On the court, defending champion Florida leads ESPN's preseason rankings and returns approximately 82 per cent of its scoring. Duke, Illinois, Texas and UConn round out the top five.