Since 2004, every national champion has been top 12 in the Week 6 AP Poll. Kentucky was 18th before the Gonzaga loss, and history says that’s a huge problem.
If you’re clinging to “just get in the tournament and anything can happen,” history is not exactly on your side.
Since 2004, every national champion has shared one simple trait: at Week 6 in the AP Poll, they were sitting inside the top 12. Not just “ranked.” Not just “in the conversation.