Looking at the team's in a position to bring their region a bid...and who could take it from them.
March 6, 2026 by Aidan Thomas in Opinion
Ultiworld’s coverage of the 2026 college ultimate season is presented by Spin Ultimate; all opinions are those of the author(s). Find out how Spin can get you, and your team, looking your best this season.
Welcome back to Bidwatch, where we give you the latest in strength bid distribution predictions. First, a recap of how the bid process works:
- 20 teams in each D-I division go to Nationals
- 10 spots at Nationals are reserved for the winners of each of the 10 regional tournaments. These are called autobids, and they cannot move from one region to another.
- The remaining 10 bids are called ‘strength bids’ and are distributed to the highest ranked (according to a USAU algorithm) teams not to win their respective regional tournaments. Strength bids are fluid.
There’s a lot of regular season frisbee yet to be played, but the bid-earning picture is starting to take shape. As the regular season clock counts down, the margins for error shrink. In both our hearts and in the decay function, the games started to matter more. The time is lay the ground work for bids is now. Let’s take a region-by-region look at current bid-holders, teams that could feasibly work their way into the picture, and dark horses that could have some favorites begging for hotel refunds in May.
Atlantic Coast
Current Bid Projection: 1 – North Carolina
Potential Bid Earners: UNC Wilmington, NC State
Darkhorse: Johns Hopkins, Virginia
North Carolina is currently the only bid-earner in this group and it’s likely to stay that way. The UNC Wilmington Seamen have not shown the teeth to garner the premier wins needed to climb into the top 20, and NC State’s 5-1 record will likely tailspin at Easterns. That being said, both teams will have a chance at the regular season’s final elite tournament to garner signature results and climb into the bid-earning picture.
On the outside, Virginia is ranked no. 32 with a 10-4 record. As the bottom seed at Northwest Challenge, they have opportunities vs. California, Victoria, and BYU to gain signature wins and alter the bid picture, but that’s unlikely. Johns Hopkins gets a shout for being 6-0 and ranked within the top 25 right now in Projected Rankings. Could an undefeated showing at East Coast Invite keep them in the picture? It’s unlikely as Dangerzone will not have an opportunity against a true top 20 team until the Series, so even their unblemished record will not be enough to rise to a second bid for the AC.
Great Lakes
Current Bid Projection: 1 – Michigan
Potential Bid Earners: Davenport
Darkhorse: Chicago, Illinois
The Michigan region! MagnUM’s region until proven otherwise, the Great Lakes will remain a one-bid region in 2026. Michigan should coast to a Great Lakes championship and defend the region’s only bid. Chicago and Illinois have put forward strong campaigns and have the talent to maybe challenge Michigan MagnUM, but neither team is positioned to earn themselves a bid, both sitting outside the top 40 currently. But former (and brief) D-III powerhouse Davenport is sitting within striking distance of a bid at 35th, but it is a tough climb upwards.
New England
Current Bid Projection: 3 – Brown, UMass, Vermont
Potential Bid Earners: McGill
Darkhorse: Northeastern
The powerful New England region has three clear bid-earners and a couple of talented teams that are hoping to earn a bid or steal a bid at Regionals. Brown, UMass, and Vermont should be able to defend their bids, but with all three programs playing at Easterns, a disastrous weekend by one squad could spell disaster and turn New England into a cutthroat two-bid affair.
On the flip side, McGill is currently ranked no. 22, but they’re unlikely to find the signature wins necessary to make it into the field. More likely, however, could be 37th-ranked Northeastern picking up some steam at Northwest Challenge; the Huskies have pool play opportunities versus top-10 Oregon State and Western Washington and a chance to skyrocket up the rankings and into the bid picture with a strong weekend. They’ll end the season at Easterns, so there’s lots of frisbee still to be played for this squad and bid-earning opportunities are out there.
Metro East
Current Bid Projection: 1 – Ottawa
Potential Bid-Earners / Darkhorse: N/A
This bid is staying at one, there’s no question. Ottawa is actually currently earning their way, but nobody else in the region is in the top 40, with SUNY Binghamton and SUNY Buffalo among the top challengers to challenge Ottawa at Regionals. But if you’re awaiting the day there’s multiple Metro East teams at Nationals… perhaps try bidwatching or tend to a bonsai tree.
North Central
Current Bid Projection: 2 – Carleton, Wisconsin
Potential Bid-Earners: Minnesota
Darkhorse: N/A
Defending national champion Carleton has just one loss and will obviously earn their bid, but the North Central has a fighting chance at multiple bids again, which would certainly make CUT breathe easier as a one-bid North Central regional can get dicey with the potential for horrendous weather. The second bid could come from the return of frisbee blue blood Wisconsin; the Hodags are 13-2 and won Eastern Qualifiers, earning the right to play some signature games at Easterns. Can Wisconsin hang on to their top-20 ranking?
Elsewhere, Minnesota sits just outside of bid-earning range ahead of their appearance at Northwest Challenge. They’ll have multiple signature win chances, including a pool play matchup against Cal Poly SLO. Will the 2024 national quarterfinalists return to the field in 2026? They have a chance to earn a third bid. If they don’t, however, Minnesota and Wisconsin in a game-to-go could be a cinematic matchup.
Northwest
Current Bid Projection: 5 – Oregon, Victoria, Oregon State, British Columbia, Washington
Potential Bid-Earners: Western Washington, Utah Valley, Utah
Northwest should max out their five bids with some combination of the above eight teams. Really, regardless of the number of bids, this regional will be drama-filled, and nobody except Oregon should feel safe about their trip to Nationals. Western Washington and Utah are a pair of bracket teams from last year that could absolutely earn a bid or steal. Worst case for this region is dipping down to four bids, but it would take a series of weak performances down the stretch. Six of these squads are in action at Northwest Challenge and avoiding upsets will be key to the region remaining in the driver’s seat for five bids.
Ohio Valley
Current Bid Projection: 2 – Penn State, Pittsburgh
Potential Bid-Earners: N/A
Darkhorse: Cincinnati
Pittsburgh has comfortably worked themselves into bid-earning range after wins over Oregon and UNC at Smoky Mountain Invite. They have a volatile nature about them, but they should stay in the top-15 barring a collapse. Penn State has been a little more dicey, but their win over Brown at SMI is doing enough heavy lifting to keep them in possession of a second bid. Pitt is undoubtedly rooting for them to hang onto a second bid, as both teams will feel secure about their Nationals hopes with two bids coming out of the region. After the two Pennsylvania squads, perhaps the next biggest challenger is Cincinnati, who won’t challenge for a bid but has beaten BYU and could spring an upset in a weather-impacted game.
South Central
Current Bid Projection: 2 – Colorado, Texas
Potential Bid Earner: N/A
Darkhorse: Colorado State
Much like the women’s division, Colorado has locked up their autobid and the drama remains to be seen if Texas can hang onto a second bid. If they do, it should be Mamabird and TUFF headed to Nationals. Colorado State is hovering around the outskirts and plays in the Stanford Invite next weekend, but the field doesn’t look strong enough for them to jump 15-plus spots in the final month. They could put a scare in TUFF, but winning a game-to-go would be shocking. Texas is talented enough to make Colorado sweat in a one-bid region, so the South Central would love to see their two best teams cruise to Nationals with two bids.
Southeast
Current Bid Projection: 1 – Georgia Tech
Potential Bid Earners: N/A
Darkhorse: Tulane, Tennessee, Georgia
One of the division’s weirdest divisions, the Southeast is almost undoubtedly a one-bid region again. This time, Georgia Tech Tribe earn the bid, and nobody else is remotely close, so the Southeast’s representative will come down to an inconsistent but very talented Tribe squad holding off a bevy of challengers including Tulane, Tennessee, and longtime region winner Georgia Jojah.
Southwest
Current Bid Projection: 2 – UC Santa Cruz, Cal Poly SLO
Potential Bid-Earners: California, UCLA
Darkhorses: N/A
Right now, the Southwest feels secure in two bids, with UC Santa Cruz and Cal Poly SLO both sitting in the top 10. However, they’d love to see the talented California and UCLA work their way into the bid-earning picture, rather than remain outside as dangerous bid-stealers entering the postseason. Both squads play this weekend at the Northwest Challenge with a plethora of opportunities to catapult them from their top-30 ranking to near that top-20 benchmark.
