David is back to conquer Goliath…time and time again.
Every March, fans around the country try to guess what low-seeded team will make a run in the NCAA Tournament. Will an 11-seed make another deep run to the Final Four? Which 12 or 15-seed will deliver a stunning first-round win?
In especially lucky years, fans are treated to multiple Cinderella stories as underdogs navigate the bracket against some of the biggest teams in the country.
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The magic of March tends to convince us we’re witnessing the greatest tournament to date, but what really is the most upset-friendly tournament? Here’s a look at some of the NCAA Tournaments with the most upsets.
What is an upset?
While it’s easy to overlook teams from mid-majors and small conferences, the reality is that so often, the margin between teams of nearby seeds is so negligible.
The NCAA website defines an upset as a win by a team of at least five seeds or fewer than their opponent. So that 10-seed win over a 7-seed, while exciting, doesn’t make the list of upsets.
What is the record for upsets in a single March Madness tournament?
Twelve different men’s tournaments can claim at least 10 upsets. Half of those came in the last decade, including the last two tournaments that saw a record 14 upsets.
If history is any indication, the 2023 tournament could easily crack the top 10.
Here are the 10 tournaments with the most upsets:
T-1. 2021 - 14 upsets
T-1. 2020 - 14 upsets
T-3. 1985 - 13 upsets
T-3. 2014 - 13 upsets
5. 1986 - 12 upsets
T-6. 2002 - 11 upsets
T-6. 2006- 11 upsets
T-6. 2011 - 11 upsets
T-6. 2013 - 11 upsets
T-6. 2018 - 11 upsets
How many upsets have there been in the 2023 NCAA Tournament?
One day down and the men’s tournament has already seen two double-digit upsets.
The complete list of upsets for the 2023 men’s Tournament is:
First round
- No. 11 Pitt def. No. 6 Iowa State 41-59
- No. 13 Furman def. No. 4 Virginia 68-67
- No. 15 Princeton def. No. 2 Arizona State 59-55
- No. 16 Fairleigh Dickinson def. No. 1 Purdue 63-58
Second round
- No. 8 Arkansas def. No. 1 Kansas 72-71
- No. 15 Princeton def. No. 7 Missouri 78-63
- No. 7 Michigan State def. No. 2 Marquette 69-60