It is finally March which means the most unpredictable tournament in sports takes place as the March Madness bracket was announced today. For the first time in a few years, it feels like this year’s NCAA tournament is up for grabs as there is no singular dominant team like we have had with UConn in the past few years. With the First Four starting on Tuesday and the first round starting on Thursday, it is time to start thinking about which upsets to pick. Historically, the 5 seed vs. 12 and 6 seed vs. 11 seed have been prone to upsets, but in recent years we have also seen more major upsets of 1 and 2 seeds. There are three games that you need to pick the upset to keep your bracket perfect.
4 Texas A&M vs. 13 Yale
We have seen both Yale and their Ivy League rival Princeton have big wins in this tournament in back-to-back years. When it comes to these Ivy League teams, their offense thrives in big moments and is very difficult for their opponents to handle. Last year, Yale shocked the world by beating Auburn in the first round of the tournament, an upset no one saw coming. This year, however, everyone should be on upset watch. So far this season, Yale has put up a strong fight against numerous power conference opponents including Purdue and Minnesota. Matched up against Texas A&M, a team that has been up and down through the year, Yale should be able to ride the momentum they have built up and win this game.
12 McNeese vs. 5 Clemson
Picking McNeese to pull off the upset might be questionable to some, especially considering that they were a popular upset pick last year just to get blown out. This year however is different. McNeese went 27-6 and finished first in the Southland conference. Although they lost to Alabama, one of the top teams in the country, they held their own and made it a close game. In March Madness, all they need is to make it a close game, and then their high-powered offense can take over in the biggest moment. The closest comparison to McNeese is 2024 Furman who pulled off a major upset over Virginia. For Clemson, they have not been very impressive this year, only having five quad-one wins. Although McNeese is a very beatable team at times, if they can get hot at the right moment, we could witness a major upset here.
4 Arizona vs. 13 Akron
The Akron Zips are one of the most high-powered offenses in the country, finishing eighth in points per game among every school. Although the Zips have yet to win a NCAA Tournament game, this year is their best opportunity. They are on a hot streak currently, winning the MAC in multiple thriller games. This team is experienced in close games and will be able to hit the big shots when they need to. The Arizona Wildcats however are not a team to underestimate as they have put together a very impressive season. If they can take an early lead, it might be too much for Akron to handle. However, I expect Akron to keep this game close, in which case a big upset could be brewing.
Although it may be tempting to pick all three of these upsets in your bracket as it is March Madness, statistically speaking, only one or two of these will actually happen. With March Madness being so unpredictable, we will have to wait and see if these games bust peoples brackets
Third Down With Devin 