BYU Basketball Slips In NCAA Bracketology Amid Losing Streak
Feb 6, 2026, 3:36 PM
PROVO, Utah – Bracketology projections are heating up for the NCAA Tournament.
We’re five weeks away from Selection Sunday. The stretch run of the season is approaching.
BYU basketball is on a three-game losing streak and has dropped four of its last five. That’s not the greatest trend for Kevin Young’s squad. The good news for them, though, is that all four of the losses have come against Quad 1 opponents.
So, BYU is comfortably in the NCAA Tournament.
The problem is that they are beginning to drop out of the top-16 seeds and are entering similar territory to what they found themselves in the Big Dance last year: around a No. 6 seed.
BYU is 4-5 against Quad 1 opponents this season, and a perfect 13-0 against Quads two, three, and four.
The biggest knock on BYU’s resume right now is that they are lacking a signature “Quad 1A” victory. Quad 1A teams would qualify as teams ranked in the NET from one to 15 in home game settings, one to 25 on a neutral floor, or one to 40 on the road.
BYU has an opportunity on Saturday to get a signature win against Houston, which is ranked No. 7 in the NET.
ESPN/Joe Lunardi Bracketology: 5-seed vs. Stephen F. Austin
Lunardi has BYU outside of the protected top-16 seeds in his latest bracketology. The upside of Lunardi’s bracket forecast is that he still has BYU in Portland, in a quadrant with Vanderbilt as a 4-seed.
CBS Sports: 4-seed vs. UC Irvine
The one major bracketology forecast that has BYU as a top-16 seed. In this draw, BYU would be in a quadrant with 5-seed Saint Louis and a potential Sweet 16 rematch against UConn.
Basket Under Review: 7-seed vs. Saint Mary’s
The Basket Under Review crew noted that BYU was a No. 6 seed in their bracket. However, BYU was moved to a No. 7 seed during the bracketing process due to the Cougars’ “No Sunday” policy.
It underscores the importance for BYU of climbing the seed lines in the final month of the regular season.
Also, a reunion with Randy Bennett and Saint Mary’s is not something BYU fans are clamoring to see.
FOX Sports: 6-seed vs. UCLA
The last time BYU faced UCLA was in the 2021 NCAA Tournament in Indianapolis. BYU was a 6-seed, and UCLA was a pesky Cinderella as an 11-seed. The Bruins won that game.
Blogging The Bracket: 6-seed vs. Miami (Ohio)
Miami (Ohio) is one of two undefeated teams remaining this season. The RedHawks have won 23 consecutive games to open the year.
Where BYU basketball opponents stand in Bracketology
Twelve of BYU’s opponents on the 2025-26 schedule land in the composite bracketology compiled by the Bracket Matrix.
Here’s where those teams stand in the Bracket Matrix aggregate.
- Arizona: 1-seed
- UConn: 1-seed
- Iowa State: 2-seed
- Houston: 2-seed
- Kansas: 4-seed
- Texas Tech: 4-seed
- Clemson: 6-seed
- UCF: 7-seed
- Villanova: 8-seed
- Wisconsin: 9-seed
- Miami (FL): 11-seed
- Oklahoma State: Next Four Out
Mitch Harper is a BYU Insider for sports.ksl.com and hosts the Cougar Tracks Podcast daily on KSL Sports YouTube and KSL NewsRadio (SUBSCRIBE). Harper also co-hosts Cougar Sports Saturday (12–3 p.m.) on KSL NewsRadio.
Follow Mitch’s coverage of BYU athletics in the Big 12 Conference on X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram: @Mitch_Harper.
