Joe Lunardi’s first crack at the 2027 NCAA Tournament bracket already has Arizona sitting in a familiar spot: right at the top.
In ESPN’s opening projection, the Wildcats are a No. 1 seed in the West Region, a placement that would send them to Sacramento for a first-round matchup against the winner of a play-in game between Bethune-Cookman and Long Island. Ohio State, projected as a No. 8 seed, and Oklahoma, slotted at No. 9, round out that part of the bracket.
For Tommy Lloyd, it’s another sign that Arizona’s ceiling remains sky-high as he heads into his sixth season in Tucson. The Wildcats finally broke through in the NCAA Tournament last year, reaching the Final Four for the first time since 2001. Even before that run, Lloyd had built a strong regular-season résumé, with Arizona earning two No. 1 seeds, two No. 2 seeds and a No. 4 seed over his first five years.
Lunardi’s early read suggests more of the same is coming in 2027, and the roster gives him plenty of reason to think that way. Arizona brings back two proven starters in center Mo Krivas and forward Ivan Kharchenkov, both of whom are expected to be in the preseason All-Big 12 mix after averaging in double figures last season.
The incoming class is loaded again, too. Five-star guard Caleb Holt is viewed as a real contender to go No. 1 overall in the 2027 NBA draft, while four-star wing Cameron Holmes brings NBA bloodlines through his older brother DaRon and profiles as a strong athlete with two-way upside.
Still, the Wildcats aren’t without questions. Guard depth and the four spot are the biggest ones. RJ Godfrey was excellent last year at Clemson and looks like a near-ideal replacement for Koa Peat at power forward, but right now he’s not eligible after the NCAA granted a stay request in the Georgia lawsuit that originally gave him eligibility.
That leaves Arizona leaning harder on Kharchenkov, Holmes and backup Maxsim Brnovic to fill the gap if that situation doesn’t change.
The backcourt picture has its own pressure points. Arizona is counting on a pair of sophomore transfers to handle point guard duties in North Carolina’s Derek Dixon and Washington’s JJ Mandaquit. Both posted strong assist numbers and kept turnovers low at power conference schools last season, and Dixon also brings scoring and shooting that should earn him a starting role alongside Holt and Kharchenkov.
After Mandaquit, though, the depth drops off fast. Bryce James, who redshirted last season, is the only other guard projected to log rotation minutes.
Lunardi’s bracket also paints a big-picture view of the expanded field, with 10 Big 12 teams projected to make the tournament in 2027. The league’s presence is boosted by the move to 76 teams.
Along with Arizona, the Big 12 teams in Lunardi’s field include Houston as a 3 seed, Kansas at 4, Texas Tech and Iowa State at 5, BYU at 6, Oklahoma State at 10, Baylor and TCU at 11, and West Virginia at 12. Baylor and West Virginia are listed among the last four in, while Cincinnati and Arizona State are the first two teams out.
Arizona opens the season Nov. 2 in Las Vegas against UCLA, a former Pac-12 rival projected as a No. 7 seed. Tipoff is set for 7:00 PM PT at T-Mobile Arena.
In Other News...
Arizona Suddenly Has A Major Gio Richardson Problem
Arizonas passing game took a hit in the second quarter against BYU when Gio Richardson went down with a lower extremity injury and never returned. The wide receiver had been the Wildcats most productive target through the opening stretch, leading the team in catches and receiving yards, so his exit immediately changed the feel of an offense that has leaned on him for reliable production.
Brent Brennan said Richardson will be out for a little bit, leaving Arizona to adjust without its top receiver while the schedule keeps moving. How the Wildcats redistribute those targets matters now, especially with Richardsons early-season role making his absence more than just a short-term depth issue. [Read more 🡒]
Arizonas BYU Loss Put Brent Brennans Biggest Questions Front And Center
Brent Brennans postgame takeaways from Arizonas loss at BYU brought several long-running issues into sharper focus, starting with how much he trusts his defense when the game is on the line. The broader picture is just as uneasy for the Wildcats, because the offense still has unanswered questions at receiver, along the offensive line and in the backfield, where recent performances have made the depth chart look thinner than it did earlier in the season.
Giovanni Richardsons injury only adds to the concern around a receiving group that already needed stability, and Arizona now has to sort out who can consistently carry the load. With a weaker opponent coming up, there is at least a chance to get more players live reps and learn more about what this roster can really give Brennan, even if the most important answers are still waiting to be found. [Read more 🡒]
Former Arizona Wildcats Are Already Making Noise In The NFL
Former Arizona Wildcats alumni wasted little time reminding NFL fans what they can do, with several of them turning in notable Week 1 performances around the league. Treydan Stukes stood out immediately for the Las Vegas Raiders, Jacory Croskey-Merritt found the end zone for the Washington Commanders, and Roy Lopez was part of the Arizona Cardinals upset win over the Los Angeles Chargers, giving the Wildcats a strong early footprint on the pro schedule.
Stukes first career start brought a flash of the playmaking that helped define his college career, while Croskey-Merritts touchdown gave Washington another former Wildcat worth tracking. Lopez also drew attention in Arizonas win, and the broader opening-week recap included more former UA players plus Pro Football Focus grades that helped show which ex-Wildcats were off to a fast start and which still have room to climb. [Read more 🡒]