It has taken me a lot longer than normal, but the most important part of the website appears to be ready – I have fixed all the database links so that the pages you use to register for the pool and enter your picks all work and point to the new 2026 tables. And so, I am happy to announce the 2026 Stomp the Lunatic tournament!!!

The Lunatic is back for another month of sleep deprivation, looking through stat sheets in a foolish attempt to show he can predict college basketball games.  This will likely end in a thorough stomping, but it should be a wild and entertaining ride.

It is a good thing for the Lunatic – there is already so much to blog about. It looks like we are going to have an incredible tournament. Last year at this point in the season, we had just 5 power conference teams with 4 or less losses (Auburn, Duke, St. John’s, Houston and Florida) and the best mid-major team looked like St. Mary’s at 27-4.

Currently, we have Duke, Arizona and Michigan all at 25-2, UConn at 25-3, Virginia at 24-3, and Iowa State, Houston and Nebraska with only 4 losses. And we have Gonzaga and St. Louis with only 2 losses from the mid-majors. Not to mention we have Miami OH still undefeated. And I haven’t even mentioned teams like Purdue, Florida and St. John’s that were pre-season top 5 teams.

Duke, Michigan and Arizona have rightfully earned the right to claim they are favorites, but it really looks like it could be a more wide open tournament than usual. Of course, that could be simply because I am so behind on getting ready for the tournament that I just don’t know how badly teams like the Blue Devils, Wolverines and Wildcats are going to crush their opponents on their way to Indianapolis.

I haven’t even tried to start pulling box scores. Hopefully, the NCAA hasn’t made too many changes to their websites. Normally at this point, I have already started thinking about what sleeper teams are out there – at this rate, I might not even start my bracketology until championship week. Hopefully not, but there is still so much work to do for the Lunatic to get ready.

I will eventually send out an email to invite you all to Stomp the Lunatic!  But I can’t send out an email stating that it must be March if it is still February.  Not to mention we all know that I am horrible at managing my email lists.

That being said, Selection Sunday is just 18 days away.  March 15th will be here before we know it. Have no fears – while the Lunatic might have tons of edits that he wants to make to his website, the Lunatic will be ready for the NCAA Tournament to start.

While it is certainly not necessary, the registration link is live for this year’s tournament (that being said, it is typically easier to register when you enter your picks). The Lunatic’s favorite time of the year is almost here. And even though the Lunatic might still have lots to do to fully be ready for his yearly sleep deprivation project, I hope that all of you are ready!!!! March is almost here – which means it is time to STOMP THE LUNATIC!!!!!