The 2027 NCAA Tournament is 11 months away, but that doesn't stop some from producing way-too-early predictions for the most exciting event in college sports. ESPN 's Joe Lunardi recently put together his early Bracketology for March Madness next season, and Purdue is projected in a favorable spot.

Lunardi projects Purdue as a No. 5 seed for next year's NCAA Tournament, putting the Boilermakers in the South Region, which will be played in San Antonio. He has the Boilers playing No. 12 seed Belmont in Spokane, Wash., in their first-round game.

The early bracket projection also has Purdue playing the winner of No. 4 Tennessee vs. No. 13 Akron in the second round.

Purdue is losing its veteran core of Braden Smith, Fletcher Loyer and Trey Kaufman-Renn, but it does return 10 players from last year's roster.…