There’s nothing like a good upset in sports. This season in baseball, we’ll be rooting for whoever can beat the Los Angeles Dodgers. We always got a little extra joy when Tom Brady lost in the Super Bowl. When an underdog is going up against the favorite, it gives us a collective reason to cheer. Upsets might be the best part about sports, and March Madness might be the best tournment on the sports calendar. Mixing them together, and there’s truly nothing like it.
Every year, there are insane upsets in the NCAA Tournament. Last year, we had two 12-seed teams take out five-seed teams. But that happens every year. It’s when a team really upsets their opponent that it becomes memorable. Which upsets have the biggest impact on the sport of college basketball?
10. No. 15 Middle Tennessee vs. No. 2 Michigan State (2016)
Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders | Jeff Curry-Imagn Images
Point Spread: Michigan State +16.5
The first round is full of upsets. Some are bigger than others. All of the biggest upsets come up in those first two days. Yes, there are other big upsets, but this is when an upset hits us across the face with its surprise. This is where Middle Tennessee State had the shock of the 2016 tournament when they took down Michigan State.
Most had Michigan State as a key contender that year. Denzel Valentine was expected to be one of the best players in the tournament, and Tom Izzo is a legendary coach. They had all the momentum, running through the Big Ten Tournament before heading to the NCAA Tournament. This destroyed so many brackets and changed the trajectory of the tournament.
Middle Tennessee controlled the game, starting off with a 15-2 run right off the opening tip. They were hitting their shots, and Michigan State missed a ton. The Spartans made it close heading into halftime, but they couldn’t secure the lead. In the second half, MTSU went off for 49 points, holding off any chance of a Michigan State comeback.
Because Middle Tennessee beat the Spartans, the entire tournament was up for grabs. Because of this win, Jim Boeheim’s Syracuse team made a run to the Final Four as a 10 seed. North Carolina avoided its biggest threat in the Final Four, and Villanova ended up claiming the championship. All because of Middle Tennessee going crazy on the Spartans.
9. 2014 No. 14. Mercer vs. No. 3 Duke (2014)
Mercer Bears | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images
Point Spread: Duke -13
This one doesn’t have the biggest point spread in the world. However, when an unknown like Mercer University takes down a blue blood like Duke University, it’s extremely significant. Mercer made the tournament for the first time that year in almost 30 years. Thousands of Bears’ students never got a sniff of the tournament, and they’ve never seen a tournament win since it took over the NIT as the top tournament in the nation.
This was a back-and-forth affair in the first half, and with 10 minutes left in the game, the game was tied at 51. With five minutes left, Duke had a two-point lead. It looked like it was going to be too close for comfort, but it was even worth it for the Blue Devils.
Anthony White Jr. hit a three-pointer for Mercer to tie that game with less than three minutes to go. That was as close as Duke got. Mercer dominated the rest of the game, and Duke’s desperation made it hard to hit a shot.
Duke has been upset before. Their second-round loss to seventh-seeded South Carolina in 2017 was the most recent major disappointment. The same thing happened when West Virginia took them out in 2008. In 1997, they saw Providence race past them in the second round. However, a first-round loss is almost never on the table. This season, Mercer took down Goliath.
8. No. 15 Florida Gulf Coast vs. No. 2 Georgetown (2013)
Florida Gulf Coast Eagles | Eileen Blass-USA TODAY
Point Spread: Georgetown -13.5
Truthfully, we’re surprised this game had such a low point spread. Florida Gulf Coast didn’t have a basketball team until the 2002-03 season. They started out playing Division II basketball before eventually becoming eligible for the NCAA Tournament in 2012, based on several factors. They are the youngest Division I university, beginning classes in 1997. So, when they saw themselves going one-on-one with a blue blood like the Georgetown Hoyas, it felt unfair.
Little did the Hoyas know, FGCU was preparing for a magical run all the way to the Sweet Sixteen. One of the great Cinderella stories was going to shake the foundation of the 2013 NCAA Tournament. They beat San Diego State in the second round, becoming the first 15-seed to make it to the second weekend, but their matchup with Georgetown was a real upset.
As far as games go, this one was as strange as it gets. It was the biggest example of a “Tale of Two Halves” as one game can get. The two teams combined for 46 points in the first half, with FGCU holding a 24-22 lead. In the second half, both teams scored at least 46 points individually.
Sherrod Brown led the Eagles with 24 points, and they followed a 21-2 run in the second half to really pull away. It became clear that brackets would be busted, and the exclamation point came when Chase Fieler slammed down an alley-oop that brought the house down.
7. No. 15 Oral Roberts vs. No. 2 Ohio State (2021)
Oral Roberts Golden Eagles forward Kevin Obanor | Mike Dinovo-Imagn Images
Point Spread: Ohio State -15
Here’s another example of a relatively recent 15 seed taking down one of the top eight teams in the tournament. Of course, the entire 2021 March Madness tournament was bizarre, with arenas sitting at just 25% capacity due to COVID-19 restrictions. There were barely any fans in the arena, as that 25% included players and staff.
The game itself was incredible. Kevin Obanor led all scorers with 30 points, including seven of Oral Roberts’ 11 points in overtime. Max Abmas wasn’t far behind him, with the guard scoring 29 points. They combined for 59 of their team’s 75 points. They both scored more than their other teammates combined.
Ohio State had a chance to tie the game at the buzzer, sending up a three-pointer with time expiring in overtime, but it hit the rim and hit the court without hitting the net. Ohio State was a contender going into the tournament, but they went home before most people were finished their first plate of wings.
It was Oral Roberts’ first tournament win since 1974. It didn’t take long for them to get their second win. They beat Florida in the second round to get to the Sweet Sixteen for the second time in program history. There, they lost to third-seeded Arkansas, but the run was still inspirational.
6. No. 15 Coppin State vs. No. 2 South Carolina (1997)Point Spread: South Carolina -18.5
Upsets feel like part of the deal in the NCAA Tournament today, but in the 1990s, they were rarer. Every March, someone busts a bracket, and a giant fall, but every once in a while, an upset hits differently. However, 1997 was an insane year. The College of Charleston took out Maryland. Chattanooga knocked out No. 3 Georgia in the first round and made a run to the Sweet 16. However, there was one that felt bigger than both of those upsets.
The moment that the Coppin State Eagles men’s basketball team stunned the South Carolina Gamecocks in the 1997 tournament wasn’t just surprising… it felt impossible. That was 1990s college basketball. South Carolina had the star guard in BJ McKie, pushing the Gamecocks to a 24–7 and top-10 ranking heading into the tournament. Their defense suffocated opponents, and their size and athleticism made this an incredible mismatch.
That’s why they don’t play these games on paper. Coppin State had the perfect gameplan in place, spreading the floor with a healthy selection of 3-pointers, essentially neutralizing South Carolina’s defense. The Gamecocks didn’t know how to play this style of game, and they never truly adjusted.
Coppin State finished off their opponents with a final score of 78-65. It wasn’t even close. Not only did Coppin State upset the No. 2 seed in the region, but they dominated in victory.
5. No. 15 Saint Peter’s vs. No. 2 Kentucky (2022)
Saint Peter’s Peacocks, Kentucky | Robert Goddin-Imagn Images
Point Spread: Kentucky -17.5
The most recent two-seed on the list to get upset (but not the most recent overall), Saint Peter’s became a national sensation during the 2022 NCAA Tournament. It helps that they beat John Calipari and Kentucky, two entities that are so easily hated. We love to see a good blue blood taking a fall.
This game had everything. It was the first opening-round loss for John Calipari, and it probably led to his overall downfall in Lexington. It had an up-and-coming coach in Shaheen Holloway, who is now the head coach of Seton Hall. It was intense the entire time, with a tie game going into halftime and a tie game at the end of regulation. It also had a star going down early, with Oscar Tshiebwe’s 30 points and 16 rebounds going down for nothing.
The game featured 16 ties and 13 lead changes. It was never a game of runs, as both teams made the most of their possessions. Daryl Banks III had 27 points, and Doug Edert went on an insane heater, scoring 20 points off the bench.
What made it legendary was what came next. Saint Peter’s didn’t stop winning after taking down the Wildcats. They doubled down and kept the good times rolling. The Peacocks rode that confidence all the way to the Elite Eight, becoming the first 15-seed ever to reach that round. That run turned a shocking win that put a small Jesuit school from Jersey City on the map.
4. No. 15 Santa Clara vs. No. 2 Arizona (1993)Point Spread: Arizona -18.5
There are two Cinderella stories in March Madness that led to two of the 20 best players in the history of the NBA. The first is Steph Curry, who carried 10th-seeded Davidson to the Elite Eight. He showcased his value as a shooter, went in the top 10 of the first round in the NBA Draft, and dominated the league for close to two decades. The other one is Steve Nash, who is a two-time NBA MVP.
Nash helped the 15th-seeded Santa Clara to the upset victory over No. 2 Arizona in 1993. He took down fellow superstar point guard Damon Stoudamire (who went 0-for-7 from the field) with the freak victory. Nash’s team came out on top 64-61. The funny part is Nash was awful in this game, going 1-for-7 from the field with seven rebounds and four assists. He did take a ridiculous 10 free throws, so he still had 10 points (but not Bam Adebayo ridiculous).
Who really got the Broncos to the upset was Pete Eisenrich, with 19 points. He’s not someone who was destined for NBA glory. This was his moment.
This was a message to the rest of the tournament. Seeds do not matter. Effort and preparation matter. Santa Clara was clearly just more prepared from the start of the game, and they rode that to the upset victory.
3. No. 16 Fairleigh Dickinson vs. No. 1 Purdue (2023)
Fairleigh Dickinson Knights | Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
Point Spread: Purdue -23.5
The biggest point spread on this list is unsurprisingly a team that came into the tournament and took down a number-one seed in the first round. It only happened once before. Teams came close, but every year, those four top seeds in the regions found a way. Purdue couldn’t find a way. This is also the most recent game on this list, being the freshest in the minds of fans.
The Boilermakers were built to run through Zach Edey. The thing about running your team through the center position is that there’s a clear blueprint in making life hard for those top teams. Create chaos and spread the floor. That’s exactly what Fairleigh Dickinson did in 2023, with a special emphasis on the chaos.
They wanted to make sure Edey couldn’t beat them, with constant switches and double teams the second he touched the ball. This forced Purdue out of its comfort zone. Besides that, there was relentless pressure on the guards, forcing turnovers very often. Those turnovers turned into points.
Purdue was a flawed number-one seed, clearly. They were missing a level of speed that is necessary to go on a run in the NCAA Tournament. Fairleigh Dickinson had that in their game plan, forcing their defenders to essentially run around the court. Some might think Purdue lost this game, but the only reason it felt that way is that’s what their opponents wanted. The only way they were winning this game was if they made Purdue beat themselves, and that’s exactly what they did.
2. No. 15 Norfolk State vs. No. 2 Missouri (2012)
Norfolk State Spartans | Peter G. Aiken-Imagn Images
Point Spread: Missouri -21.5
This isn’t as famous an upset as many of the others on the list, but there’s a reason this point spread is so high, and the disparity in talent is apparent. Just 1.2 percent of ESPN brackets had Missouri losing in the first round in 2012. Remember that some people pick their brackets based on the mascot or simply by flipping a coin. Yet, it was just over one percent going into the tournament.
That’s partially because most people aren’t familiar with Norfolk State University. The historically African American university had a strange season going into the tournament. They had some big games, including a two-point loss to Marquette. They also lost to Division II Elizabeth City. Nobody expected much from NSU.
What stands out about this game is the confidence of Norfolk State. They opened the game with the same confidence and lack of fear that they ended the game with. They played as if they belonged. Missouri’s game plan was to force its opponents to make mistakes and take advantage of them. If there are no mistakes, there’s nothing to take advantage of, and that led to one of the biggest upsets of all time.
Center Kyle O’Quinn was a double-double machine, and that continued in the tournament. He had 26 points and 14 rebounds. He allowed them to slow the game down when Missouri did everything they could to push pace. It ended with an 86-84 win.
1. No. 16 UMBC vs. No. 1 Virginia (2018)
UMBC Retrievers | Jeremy Brevard-Imagn Images
Point Spread: Virginia -20.5
Never before had we ever seen a No. 1 seed fall. In decades of upsets, we’ve never had the opportunity to see the biggest possible upset. This is a top-four team in the country losing to a team ranked in the 60s or worse. On March 16, 2018, it finally happened. And the way in which it happened is even more impressive.
The University of Maryland, Baltimore County came to play to start their tournament. It felt insane that a team like Virginia, which was a legitimate favorite to win it all, could lose to this team of ragtags. Virginia held early leads, and it looked like it was going to be business as usual for Tony Bennett’s squad. Instead, they allowed the Retrievers to stay too close for comfort, and that allowed them to strike when the time was right.
Jairus Lyles was their star player. He was a former three-star recruit who almost immediately transferred after starting his college career with VCU, another holder of huge upsets. He played under Shaka Smart, but he averaged less than one point per game. He moved to UMBC and created history.
In this game, he had 28 points, including a few huge three-pointers. It was a dominant performance from a bottom seed. They outscored Virginia by 20 points in the second half. The Cavaliers didn’t show up, and the Retrievers were ready to use that and make history.