Bracketology: Georgia Bulldogs Aren't the First Team in Or the Last Team Out...Or Something

Can you find the first team out?

Joe Lunardi (I wonder how many times he was called Joe Lu-nerdy growing up) has come out with his preseason bracketology standings, in which the Georgia Bulldogs are a No. 8 seed in the East and have a first-round match up with Murray State.

But that's not the point of this post. My reason for bringing this up is because I have a problem with the terminology surrounding which teams get into the NCAA tournament and which teams are left out.

When a team is on the bubble and it's projected to make the tournament, it's referred to as one of "the last teams in." That's fine. A finite number of teams reach the tournament, and the at-large teams (or, in some cases, surprise teams who win their tornado delayed conference tournament by playing two games in one day in the mostly empty arena of one of their greatest rivals) are the last ones added.  The terminology makes sense.

But when a team is on the bubble and it's projected to not make the field, it's referred to as one of "the first teams out." This is where I have a problem. Correct me if I'm wrong, but aren't the first teams out of the tournament the ones who go 2-26 in the Atlantic Sun and don't even make the conference tournament? Shouldn't the 18-14 team from the ACC be referred to as the "last team out"?

This is a huge pet peeve of mine, and I'm glad I finally got it off my chest.

You may now proceed with your normal bracketology studies.