The field of 68 has been revealed. With the unexpected always happening in March, which upsets have the best chance of happening? Here are the best March Madness upset predictions based on the top college basketball odds.
The 2023 March Madness bracket has been revealed, which means everyone is already looking for the upsets and long shots that are going to help them win their office pools. While you may feel inclined to go chalk, the one thing that is always certain come March is that there will be upsets, and more often than not, they won't be the ones we expect.
Whether you're looking for a 12 seed over a 5 seed or you are looking for a potential double-digit seed to make the Final Four, the 2023 iteration of March Madness offers plenty in way of upset potential. Now, let's narrow it down to what is most likely to happen.
Here are our best March Madness upset predictions, (odds via [linked sportsbook]; pick confidence based on a 1-to-5-star scale).
March Madness upset predictions
When the bracket was revealed, Indiana Hoosiers' fans had to be thrilled. They're in a region that features a No. 1 seed that could be without its best player, and a No. 5 seed that could be without its only inside presence. A run to the Elite Eight doesn't seem far-fetched at all.
However, to get there, the Hoosiers will have to win their first game over the pesky Kent State Golden Flashes. The Golden Flashes went a forgivable 15-3 in MAC play this season, with all three of those losses coming on the road. They haven't lost since Feb. 21, and they won their conference championship game by 15.
Still not convinced? Well, let's take a look at the nonconference schedule. The Golden Flashes lost three games before facing a MAC opponent. Those three losses came by a combined 14 points to the likes of the Charleston Cougars, the Houston Cougars, and the Gonzaga Bulldogs. Again, all three of these losses came on the road.
The Golden Flashes weren't able to pull off a victory in any of those games, but they were in all of them right until the very end. If the Hoosiers get caught sleeping, they're going to be heading home very early.
Of all the five seeds, the Duke Blue Devils feel the safest. That has left the potentially short-handed Miami Hurricanes and non-Power 5 San Diego State Aztecs as popular picks for five seeds to be knocked off in the first round. But the real value lies in taking the VCU Rams to win outright over the Saint Mary's Gaels.
The Rams are an incredibly athletic team that has won nine games in a row entering the postseason. They don't have a huge win to their name, but they did beat the Pittsburgh Panthers on a neutral floor back in November, and they beat the Vanderbilt Commodores 70-65 in nonconference play.
The Gaels are fourth in the nation in points allowed, which makes them a tough team to beat if they are shooting well. However, they're just 171st in the country in points per game, which means they let teams hang around with them in a lot of contests. This is exemplified by losses to Loyola Marymount, Washington, New Mexico, and Colorado State.
The West Region features the defending national champion Kansas Jayhawks, the UCLA Bruins, the Gonzaga Bulldogs, and a popular long-shot Final Four pick in the UConn Huskies. But one team that almost no one is talking about is the TCU Horned Frogs.
The Horned Frogs obtained the No. 6 seed in the West, and of all the six seeds, they got the best draw. Why? Be cause the No. 3 seed Bulldogs are not the team they usually are, and despite the No. 2 seed Bruins being loaded with talent, they are going to be without defensive ace Jaylen Clark for the tournament.
The Huskies and Jayhawks feel like they are on a crash course for a Sweet 16 matchup, which is going to be a physical and exhausting game for whichever team wins. The Horned Frogs sputtered down the stretch, but they did beat the Jayhawks by 23 points in Kansas earlier this season. This is a team that can play with anyone, if its playing up to its potential.
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