The NCAA released its first NET Rankings for the 2025-26 season, one of the most important evaluation tools that the selection committee uses to determine the field for the 2026 NCAA Tournament. The metric includes win location and quality of opponent, strength of schedule, offensive and defensive efficiency, and scoring margin. The NET does not take into account a team's pure record or ranking in the AP Poll. The Duke basketball program came in at No. 2, followed by Louisville at No. 9. However, the opening NET Rankings show that the ACC has some serious depth this season, and the conference looks to be in a much better place than it's been over the last few years.
The ACC hasn't gotten more than five teams into the NCAA Tournament since 2021. After spending years regarded as the best basketball conference in the nation, it's been fairly lackluster as of late. However, the NET Rankings show that the ACC has depth and could feasibly get anywhere from six to eight teams into the field.
Where does the ACC stack up in the first NET Rankings compared to the other Power Conferences?
Now, not only does the ACC look like it has more depth than recent years, but it also looks to be on the same level as most other Power Conferences. The ACC currently has eight teams slotted in the top 50 of the NET. The only Power Conferences with more are the Big 10 and SEC, with 9 each.
Number of teams in the top 50 of the NET by Power Conference:
SEC: 9
Big 10: 9
ACC: 8
Big 12: 7
Big East: 4
The Big East looks like it's in for another major down year, but the ACC is sitting right there with the rest of the top dogs in the sport. Now, we're only a month into the season, but after a week filled with so many MTEs, it's a very encouraging sign for the ACC to see so many of its schools stacking up with the rest of the top conferences in college basketball.
As of Monday, December 1st, the eight top 50 NET teams from the ACC have a combined 7-5 record against Quad 1 opponents. That compares to an 8-3 record for the Big 10, a 6-6 record for the Big 12, a 7-11 record for the SEC, and a 4-6 record for the Big East.
ACC Commissioner Jim Phillips announced that the conference has gone back to an 18-game conference slate for the first time since the 2018-19 season, and much of that had to do with trying to get more teams into the field with more non-con opportunities. This is definitely the strongest the ACC has been in the last five years, and it could be back to national relevance.