For weeks, the teams that make up the 68-team Men’s NCAA Tournament bracket have been a source of constant speculation, prompting heated discussions revolving around NET rankings, Quad One games and Wins Above Bubble.

For nearly half of the field, though, there isn’t a debate about whether they should be included.

Advertisement

March Madness bubble winners, losers: 1 bid stealer lives, another fades away

The NCAA tournament rewards automatic bids to the champions of each of the 31 Division I conference tournaments. It’s a setup from which much of March’s madness comes, with small schools from the smallest conferences earning a chance to try to stun national powerhouses on the biggest, brightest stage their sport has to offer.

In the two weeks leading up to Selection Sunday, schools from across the country compete in conference tournaments, with a spot in the Big Dance on the line. For many of those leagues, it’s the only and only bid that’s available.

Advertisement

With the start of the tournament approaching, who has locked up those coveted spots? Here’s a look at who has earned automatic berths to the 2026 men’s NCAA Tournament:

Think you can beat our expert? Join USA TODAY’s Bracket Challenge today!

Ready to win March Madness? Join USA TODAY’s Survivor Pool today!

March Madness automatic bids 2026

Here’s a rundown of the team that have won their conference tournaments and earned bids to the 2026 NCAA Tournament:

Advertisement

Conference USA: Kennesaw State

Missouri Valley: Northern Iowa

Mountain West: Utah State

Ohio Valley: Tennessee State

Summit: North Dakota State

Here are the conferences whose championship games will play out on Sunday, March 15:

American: Wichita State vs. South Florida

Atlantic 10: Dayton vs. VCU

Big Ten: Michigan vs. Purdue

Ivy League: Yale vs. Penn

SEC: Arkansas vs. Vanderbilt

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: March Madness automatic bids 2026: Full list of conference tournament champions