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The 2023 NCAA March Madness bracket won't be available until Selection Sunday on March 12.
However, several college basketball experts have already begun predicting the top 68 teams in the nation. This is even before the results of each of the 32 conference championships and the NCAA Selection Committee makes its decision.
For bettors, the favorites to win the NCAA championship this season are the Houston Cougars (+700). They are followed by the Alabama Crimson Tide (+800), Purdue Boilermakers (+1000), defending champions Kansas Jayhawks (+1100) and Arizona Wildcats (+1400) as per DraftKings.
As for the surprise picks, the Florida Atlantic Owls (25-3) could upset a few teams and make the Sweet 16 or Elite Eight. BetQL's Matthew Horner likes the Owls' chances because they are one of the nation's best teams based on advanced statistics.
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Andy Katz's top five teams for 2023 March Madness
NCAA Tournament exper Andy Katz, who works for the Big Ten Network under Fox Sports, has the second-ranked Alabama Crimson Tide (24-4) as his top team heading into March Madness, despite their 69-59 loss to the then-10th-ranked Tennessee Volunteers on Feb. 15.
Katz has the top-ranked Houston Cougars (26-2) as his No. 2 because they lost to Alabama earlier in the season (71-65 on their home floor on Dec. 10). His top five is rounded out by the fifth-ranked Purdue Boilermakers (24-4), third-ranked Kansas Jayhawks (23-5) and eighth-ranked Texas Longhorns (22-6).
Houston tops John Rothstein's Week 16 March Madness rankings
CBS Sports' John Rothstein, meanwhile, has the Houston Cougars as his No. 1 team in the nation after Week 16.
The Cougars have been dominant this season and are currently the betting favorites to win the 2023 March Madness. If Houston qualify for the Final Four, they will have home-court advantage at NRG Stadium.
Rothstein's top five teams also include the Alabama Crimson Tide at No. 2, followed by the Kansas Jayhawks, Purdue Boilermakers and the fourth-ranked UCLA Bruins (24-4). Alabama owns a win over Houston, while Kansas is the defending champion.
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Houston reclaims top spot in the AP Top 25
The Houston Cougars regained the top spot in the AP 25 for Week 16 following their seventh win in a row. The Alabama Crimson Tide slipped into the second spot after losing to the Tennessee Volunteers. Alabama bounced back immediately with a 108-59 win over the Georgia Bulldogs on Saturday, but it was not enough to retain the top spot.
The Kansas Jayhawks, the defending champions, jumped two spots to No. 3, while the UCLA Bruins remained at the fourth spot. The Purdue Boilermakers switched places with Kansas and are now at No. 5.
Watch: Brandon Miller "Lock him up!" chants erupt as Alabama star gets booed on court
