Unbelievable Underdogs: The March Madness Tournaments That Shocked the Nation with Upsets

Alright, folks, let’s dive into the jaw-dropping, heart-stopping world of March Madness. If the mere mention of this tournament sends shivers down your spine, then buckle up; we’ve got some wild rides ahead. Each year, fans across the country sit down with their oversized brackets, each believing they’ve somehow outsmarted the chaos. But let me tell ya, the upsets in this tournament? They’re the stuff of legends! From the iconic buzzer beaters to the Cinderella stories that nobody saw coming, the NCAA Tournament is where every sports enthusiast’s dream—and nightmare—comes to life.

But here’s a question that’s been on my mind since my days of scribbling basketball analyses in college: What is it about these upsets that keep us on the edge of our seats, year after year? Is it the exhilarating unpredictability? The David vs. Goliath battles that shake up the brackets? Or perhaps the fact that somewhere in these tournaments, history is always being made. Every underdog that knocks off a behemoth leaves a mark on sports history.

Consider this: tournaments like the ones in 2016 and 1999 didn’t just define the word “madness,” they screamed it from the rooftops. From Florida Gulf Coast’s “Dunk City” run to UMBC’s unprecedented ousting of a No.1 seed, these moments are what we live for. So, let’s explore which NCAA tournaments have truly embraced the madness with the most upsets by seed, shall we?

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The mere mention of March Madness sends a chill down the spine of sports fans everywhere.

It’s a whirlwind of buzzer-beaters, Cinderella stories and soul-crushing bracket busts. Every year, millions fill out their brackets believing they’ve cracked the code.

And every year, March Madness laughs in their faces.

Upsets are what make this tournament difficult to predict. They are the inevitable heart and soul of the NCAA Tournament. Every scrappy underdog that defeated a powerhouse team has created a seismic moment in sports history.

Many tournaments have had their fair share of upsets, but a few have truly defined the word “madness.” In 2016 and 1999, we witnessed some of the most chaotic, upset-filled NCAA tournaments ever.

Let’s take a look at the tournaments with the most upsets by seed in March Madness history.

Note: The Round of 64 began in 1985, so we’re starting our breakdown with that tourney. We’re excluding the First Four/opening round games since that would boost every win total by four since its inception.

NCAA Tournament: Most Wins By Teams Seeded 9-16

18 â 1999

The most upsets in an NCAA Tournament since 1985 occurred in 1999. No. 13 Oklahoma, No. 10 Miami (OH), 12th-seeded Southwest Missouri State, and 10-seeds Gonzaga and Purdue all made the Sweet 16.

Gonzaga, which was in the first year of its rise to dominance, was the only one of the group to reach the Elite Eight. Funny enough, the NCAA title game that year featured two No. 1 seeds with UConn beating Duke 77-74.

17 â 2021

First Four to Final Four. That’s what UCLA did in 2021, becoming only the second team to do so after VCU in 2011.

No. 12 Oregon State also had a nice run to the Elite Eight before falling to No. 2 Houston 67-61, while Oral Roberts became the second 15 seed to reach the Sweet 16 after Florida Gulf Coast in 2013. No. 11 Syracuse was the other double-digit seed to win two games in the tournament.

17 â 2018

Who could forget Sister Jean and Loyola Chicago’s magical run in 2018? The 11th-seeded Ramblers knocked off Miami (FL), Tennessee and Nevada by a total of four points before cruising past Kansas State in the Elite Eight. At the time, they tied the record for lowest seed to reach the Final Four with three other teams.

The 2018 NCAA Tournament was also memorable for UMBC’s shocking victory over No. 1 Virginia in the first round. It was the first time a 16 seed had beaten a top seed.

17 â 2001

There were 13 wins by teams seeded ninth or lower in the Round of 64 in 2001. Only one other tournament has had that many â 2016.

No. 11 Temple was the star of the underdogs, rolling all the way to the Elite Eight before falling to top-seeded Michigan State 69-62.

16 â 2022

Saint Peter’s stunned John Calipari and No. 2 Kentucky; No. 7 Murray State, which was 31-2 entering the contest; and Jaden Ivey, Zach Edey and No. 3 Purdue, becoming only the third 15 seed to reach the Sweet 16 (all in a 10-season span) and the first to advance to the Elite Eight.

16 â 2016

No. 11 seeds Gonzaga, Northern Iowa and Wichita State, 12-seeds Little Rock and Yale, 13th-seeded Hawaii, No. 14 Stephen F. Austin and No. 15 Middle Tennessee were among the winners in a wild Round of 64 in 2016.

Overall, 13 lower seeds won in the first round, tying for the most since 1985 with the 2001 NCAA Tournament.

16 â 2013

This was the year Florida Gulf Coast’s “Dunk City” team captivated the nation. The 15 seed reached the Sweet 16, but the Eagles weren’t the only double-digit seed there as No. 13 LaSalle and No. 12 Oregon joined them.

Cleanthony Early and No. 9 Wichita State became one of the lowest seeds to reach the Final Four in 2013. At that point, only No. 9 Penn (1979) and 11-seeds LSU (1986), George Mason (2006) and VCU (2011) had made it while seeded ninth or lower.

Research support provided by Stats Perform’s Chase Weight. You can follow our social accounts over on X, Threads, Bluesky and Facebook.

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