Duke, Florida Split 2027 NCAA Title Picks — SkimNews
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- CBS Sports asked six college-basketball writers to forecast the 2027 champion, but only Florida and Duke received first-place votes, versus six different answers for the 2026 tournament.
- Duke was chosen by Matt Norlander to win its first national title in 12 years and become the first men’s team to win at least 35 games in three consecutive seasons, with Pat Ngongba, Caleb Foster, Dame Sarr and Cayden Boozer returning.
- Florida was chosen by Gary Parrish with six of its top seven scorers returning from an SEC championship won by three games and a No. 1 seed; Thomas Haugh, Alex Condon and Ruben Chinyelu were highlighted as college basketball’s best 3-4-5 trio.
- Gary Parrish predicted that no mid-major will reach the 2027 Final Four and none will return over the next decade, a sharp break from the five Final Four appearances by mid-majors from 2006 through 2013.
- David Cobb projected that an SEC team one game above .500 will make the 76-team NCAA Tournament, with a 6-12 league team considered if its nonconference play is reasonable; Auburn reached last season’s Selection Sunday at 17-16.
- Caleb Holt was projected to beat Tyran Stokes for freshman of the year if Arizona beats Kansas for the Big 12 title, with projections of more than 15.0 points, 7.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 1.5 steals per game.
- Texas Tech was named among the additional Final Four picks, alongside Illinois, Arkansas and Miami; its case depends on JT Toppin returning from an ACL tear and the eligibility of Donovan Atwell, Darrion Williams and Jamichael Stillwell.
Why it matters: The NCAA’s expansion from 68 to 76 teams gives an SEC club with a 6-12 league record a route into the field, while the panel’s zero-mid-major call highlights a widening resource gap. Under that forecast, SEC teams gain greater tournament access, whereas mid-majors face a decade without a Final Four berth.
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