Seth Greenberg reveals top three NCAA championship contenders

March is less than a week away, which means the top teams in the country have seperated themselves from the rest of the country, and a clear group of potential NCAA champions have emerged.

During an appearance on SportsCenter on Sunday morning, ESPN College GameDay’s Seth Greenberg revealed his top three March Madness contenders heading into the final week of February. He began in the SEC with the Florida Gators.

“Top 10 in offensive and defensive efficency,” Greenberg said of the Gators. “They have a dynamic backcourt, explosive backcourt led by Walter Clayton. His ability to create separation, jump up and shoot the three. Alijah Martin‘s got a physicality, transfer from Florida Atlantic. Rueben Chinyelu — he goes for 19 [points],13 rebounds, three blocks, seven offensive rebounds [vs. LSU]. He is an absolute problem at the rim and that’s where their defense has improved.”

Greenberg believes Duke is the second team fans should consider as a legitimate championship contender.

Cooper Flagg leads the Blue Devils in points, rebounds, assists, steals and blocks, and is expected to be the No. 1 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. A game-changing presence in blue, Greenberg believes Duke’s success goes deeper than just having the biggest name in college basketball on their roster.

“It’s more than just Cooper Flagg,” Greenberg explained. “It’s the collective responsibility of this team. The force they play with on both ends of the court. Tyrese Proctor playing his best basketball of the season. Khaman Maluach, he’s not just a lob threat. He’s a rim protector. He’s a guy that controls the backboard and controls the paint.”

If Duke is second, Auburn is No. 1. This selection from Greenberg may ruffle feathers in Durham considering Duke’s head-to-head win over the Tigers in December.

However, Auburn is the No. 1 team in the country, per the AP Top 25 poll, and are currently 13-1 against a conference that is projected to put 13 teams in the NCAA Tournament compared to the ACC’s four.

“Johni Broome, he is still in discussion for player of the year, but you come up off bench with a guy like Tahaad Pettiford, who changes the pace of the game,” Greenberg concluded. “Denver Jones, who starts, is one of the elite perimeter defenders in all of college basketball. They get the shot from where they want, from who they want and when they want. They’re so hard to contain.”

Greenberg believes one of these three teams will go on to run the gauntlet in March Madness and emerge as the national champion of college basketball. It would be the third championship for the Gators, sixth for the Blue Devils — and the first for the Tigers.