Where Clemson basketball sits in ESPN bracketology after hot ACC start

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After beating the Syracuse Orange and the Pitt Panthers to open their ACC basketball schedule, the Clemson Tigers are off to a good start in conference play with a top 25 opponent coming to town in the SMU Mustangs.

Coach Brad Brownell's Tigers are 12-3 overall ahead of Wednesday's prime time showdown against SMU (12-2), which is ranked No. 25 in this week's USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll. The Tigers are unranked but received 29 votes for consideration, the third-highest among teams outside the top 25

After SMU, Clemson isn't scheduled to face another opponent that is currently ranked in the top 25 until Feb. 14 when they visit Cameron Indoor for a matchup against the No. 6 Duke Blue Devils.

Clemson has won five straight since a last-second 67-64 loss to the BYU Cougars on Dec. 9 at the Jimmy V Classic at Madison Square Garden in New York. The Tigers are No. 33 in the NET rankings and have one Quad 1 victory (against Georgia), plus a 4-0 record against Quad 2 opponents.

Here's where Clemson sits in ESPN's latest bracketology update, updated on Jan. 6.

Will Clemson basketball make the NCAA Tournament? ESPN's projection

In the latest bracketology update from longtime ESPN college basketball analyst Joe Lunardi, Clemson is a projected No. 7 seed in the NCAA Tournament. The Tigers had been a projected No. 8 seed.

If the NCAA Tournament were to begin today, Lunardi sees the Tigers taking on the projected No. 10 seed Indiana Hoosiers in the first round of the Midwest Region in Greenville. The winner would face the No. 2 seed vs. No. 15 seed winner of Vanderbilt-Colgate.

Lunardi previously had the Tigers in the East Region bracket in March Madness and facing the LSU Tigers in the first round in Philadelphia.

The Michigan Wolverines (14-0) are the projected top seed in the Midwest Region, as well as the projected No. 1 overall seed in the NCAA Tournament. Michigan is ranked No. 1 in the Coaches Poll.

ESPN projects the top four seeds in 2026 NCAA Tournament

With Dusty May's Wolverines as ESPN's projected top overall seed, the UConn Huskies join them on the seed line as the projected top seed in the East Region. The Arizona Wildcats (West Region) and Iowa State Cyclones (South Region) are also projected No. 1 seeds.

How many ACC basketball teams will reach 2026 NCAA Tournament?

A detail view a Wilson basketball as it sits beside the ACC logo on the court is seen during a practice session ahead of the first round of the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Greensboro Coliseum on March 16, 2023 in Greensboro, North Carolina. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)

GREENSBORO, NORTH CAROLINA - MARCH 16: A detail view a Wilson basketball as it sits beside the ACC logo on the court is seen during a practice session ahead of the first round of the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Greensboro Coliseum on March 16, 2023 in Greensboro, North Carolina. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)

The ACC has eight teams projected to make the NCAA Tournament as of Jan. 7, tied with the Big 12. The SEC and Big Ten lead the way with 10 projected bids.

Here's a look at the ACC teams projected to make the NCAA Tournament in ESPN's latest bracketology.

Duke Blue Devils (No. 2 seed, East Region)
Louisville Cardinals (No. 5 seed, West Region)
Virginia Cavaliers (No. 6 seed, West Region)
SMU Mustangs (No. 7 seed, East Region)
Miami Hurricanes (No. 10 seed, West Region)
NC State Wolfpack (No. 14 seed, First Four)

Clemson basketball schedule 2025-26

Clemson hosts SMU at Littlejohn Coliseum in a late tipoff Wednesday at 9 p.m. ET. The game will be televised on ESPNU. After that, the Tigers will visit South Bend to face Notre Dame on Saturday. Tipoff for Clemson-Notre Dame is 6 p.m. ET. The game will be televised on ESPN2.

Here's a look at the Tigers' full 2025-26 men's college basketball schedule.

All start times Eastern.