2025 NCAA Tournament bracketology: Gonzaga No. 2 seed, Saint Mary's among 'Last Four In' group

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.