Life outside the power conferences in college athletics isn't going to get any easier. As the 27 leagues outside of the Power Five are set to pay $990 million over a 10-year period to thousands of current and former student-athletes as part of a landmark settlement for the NCAA in resolving three antitrust cases, it's apparent that the opportunities for mid-majors to shine on the game's biggest stage are dwindling. In the latest 2025 NCAA Tournament bracketology update from ESPN's Joe Lunardi, only one school from a non-power conference — Saint Mary's — is projected to earn one of the 36 at-large bids. Since the field expanded, teams outside the power conferences have averaged just over seven at-large bids.
CONF | OVR | PF | PA | |
---|---|---|---|---|
15-1 | 24-7 | 2302 | 1813 | |
14-2 | 24-6 | 2567 | 2061 | |
11-5 | 23-9 | 2494 | 2100 | |
10-6 | 20-12 | 2473 | 2305 | |
7-9 | 18-15 | 2392 | 2550 | |
5-11 | 13-20 | 2403 | 2443 | |
5-11 | 12-19 | 2244 | 2214 | |
5-11 | 12-21 | 2360 | 2622 | |
0-16 | 6-26 | 2071 | 2553 |