ESPN's Joe Lunardi sends optimistic message to Texas A&M bubble projection

The college basketball season is still six months away, but that hasn't stopped analysts from early predictions for the 2026 NCAA Championship.

As the roster comes together through the transfer portal, the teams expected to compete for a crazy March bid start to separate themselves. ESPN-class devotee Joe Lunardi this week on the first track of the 2025-26 season, with his first very beautiful brackets, he has a surprise team on the bubble.

Lunardi listed Texas A&M as one of his "first four games" and it was a welcome sight for Aggies fans. New Texas A&M head coach Bucky McMillan took over a team with only one player after Buzz Williams headed to Maryland on April 1.

McMillan quickly formed a talented roster that would help Texas A&M compete for the tournament bid in its first year. Texas A&M appeared on Lunardi's bubble, conveying the message that Aggies could be a real threat to the SEC when they fill out the roster.

Texas A&M Aggies Guard Zhuric Phelps (1) dribbles against Yale Bulldogs guard Bez Mbeng (2) at the 2025 NCAA Championship. Texas A&M hopes to compete in the NCAA Championship for the fourth consecutive time in 2026. Downing & Sol; Imagn Image

So far, on the transfer portal, the Aggies have signed seven players, signed by former Indiana forward and five-star recruit Mackenzie Mgbako and former Oklahoma guard Duke Miles.

Texas A&M is not finished either. McMillan and his staff presided over the transfer of Texas Tech, formerly Federiko Federiko, one of the top priorities of Texas A&M.

6'11" Texas Tech forward Federiko Federiko is on campus with Bucky McMillan and his staff tonight at the Aggie baseball game pic.twitter.com/yz70vtgv4a

- Luke Evangelist (@lukevangel_) April 30, 2025

The initial roster quickly grew into a nine-squad with enough talent. McMillan's rapid reconstruction led to Lunardi and many others reevaluating their views on Texas A&M.

In Lunardi's "first four games," Texas A&M is the third team behind SMU and Washington. Marquette, Indiana, Ole Miss and NC State completed Lunardi's "last four" as all four teams have big question marks into the 2025-26 season.

Lunardi currently projects 13 SEC teams for the NCAA Championship, one worse than the record created by this year's conference. Although Texas A&M is not yet part of the group, the bubble first is an encouraging signal.

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