March Madness is truly just that: madness. It’s more than a tournament. It’s a spectacle. From the quest for a perfect bracket to the Cinderella stories to the ultimate highs and unfortunate heartbreaks, the NCAA Tournament is must-see television every year.
The true madness of March comes in the upsets. When a severely outmatched team leaves your jaw on the floor and shocks the world by knocking off a juggernaut. Those are the moments that create campus legends.
So let’s take a look back at the chaos in the biggest upsets in March Madness history.
What Are the Biggest March Madness Upsets of All Time?
When it comes to defining the “biggest” upsets, the water tends to get a bit murky. Sure, everyone agrees that Fairleigh-Dickinson and UMBC defeating No. 1 seeds will always be toward the top.
But are the biggest upsets always in the first round? The 1983 North Carolina State squad would beg to differ. A No. 6 seed, the Wolfpack defeated a heavily favored Houston team. Is that a bigger upset than a No. 15 beating a No. 2 in the first round?
The point is that this list is not ranked in any particular order. This is just a look back at the unexpected moments that thrilled us in March.
UMBC Defeats Virginia (2018): The First No. 16 Seed to Beat a No. 1 Seed
Score: 74-54
Why It Was Shocking: The University of Maryland Baltimore County Retrievers became the first ever No. 16 to defeat a No. 1, knocking off the Virginia Cavaliers by 20 points. The Cavaliers roster featured five future NBA players, but they were no match for the Retrievers who shot 50% from beyond the arc.
NC State’s Cinderella Run to the 1983 Championship
Score: 54-52
Why It Was Shocking: North Carolina State defeated Houston on a putback dunk in the final seconds to win the title. The images are iconic and have become synonymous with the NCAA Tournament. The “Phi Slama Jama” Houston team was favored by 7.5 points but the Wolfpack completed a tourney run that featured four games decided by two points or less.
Villanova Defeats Georgetown (1985): The Perfect Game
Score: 66-64
Why It Was Shocking: Regarded as one of the best college basketball teams in history, Patrick Ewing and the 1985 Georgetown Hoyas entered March Madness with a 35-2 record. The team featured five future NBA players and defeated Villanova twice in the regular season. Villanova head coach Rollie Massimino famously said his squad would need a perfect game to win—and that’s exactly what he got from his Wildcats. Villanova shot 22-for-28 from the field and 22-for-27 from the free throw line to win.
Florida Gulf Coast: Dunk City Shocks the Nation (2013)
Score: 78-68
Why It Was Shocking: Florida Gulf Coast made its NCAA Tournament debut as a No. 15 seed in 2013, matching up with the No. 2 seed Georgetown Hoyas. The Hoyas were a three-way champion in the Big East and were 13-point favorites. However, once the game began, everything changed. The Eagles’ high-flying style of play led to the moniker “Florida Dunk Coast” and they handled the Hoyas with relative ease.
No. 16 Fairleigh Dickinson Makes History No. 1 Purdue (2023)
Score: 63-58
Why It Was Shocking: FDU head coach Tobin Anderson told his team that Purdue was beatable before the game tipped off. A bold sentiment considering the Boilermakers were 23.5-point favorites and entered the tournament with a 29-5 record. But the Knights clearly didn’t care about that, leading at halftime and stunning Purdue. FDU became the first team to defeat a No. 1 seed after coming from the First Four.
Middle Tennessee Stuns Michigan State (2016)
Score: 90-81
Why It Was Shocking: Middle Tennessee had all five starters score at least 10 points to knock off Tom Izzo and Michigan State. The Blue Raiders became just the eighth No. 15 seed to defeat a No. 2 seed. Michigan State jumped out to a 15-2 lead before Middle Tennessee went on a 39-20 run to close the first half.
George Mason’s 2006 Final Four Run
Score: 86-84 (OT)
Why It Was Shocking: George Mason had never won a tournament game before this point. Yet the Patriots defeated Michigan State, North Carolina and Wichita State before clashing with No. 1 seed UConn in the Elite Eight. UConn led by as many as 12 points in the first half, but the Patriots shot lights-out from deep (50%) to complete the comeback and head to the Final Four. Many were upset that George Mason even made the tournament, highlighting that Hofstra was left out despite beating the Patriots twice that season. However, it was clearly the right call by the committee.
Lehigh Beats Duke (2012): ‘Don’t Be Celebrating’
Score: 75-70
Why It Was Shocking: It was just the sixth time that a No. 15 defeated a No. 2, but Lehigh’s star guard CJ McCollum wasn’t interested in losing. “Don’t be celebrating like you’re surprised we won,” McCollum told his teammates. Playing 39 minutes, McCollum scored 30 points in the win.
Norfolk State Upsets Missouri (2012)
Score: 86-84
Why It Was Shocking: Missouri was the No. 3 team in the country entering the tournament, but received a No. 2 seed. It was considered to be one of the strongest of that year’s 2-line, but the red-hot shooting of Norfolk State was too much for the Tigers. The Spartans shot 54% from the field and never trailed by more than four points in the second half.
Oral Roberts Takes Down Ohio State (2021)
Score: 75-72 (OT)
Why It Was Shocking: Oral Roberts entered the tournament with a 17-10 record but won the Summit League. Star guard Max Abmas actually played every minute between the conference tournament and March Madness (245). ORU defeated Florida in the next round, advancing to the Sweet 16 for the first time since 1974.
Cleveland State Shocks Indiana (1986)
Score: 83-79
Why It Was Shocking: Steve Alford and Bobby Knight. Two names that are absolute legends in Indiana. Well, neither of them could save No. 3 Indiana from falling to No. 14 Cleveland State in 1986. The Vikings frenetic pace of play was too much for the Hoosiers, who would go on to win the title the following year.
Hampton Closes Strong Against Iowa State (2001)
Score: 58-57
More College Basketball on Sports Illustrated
This article was originally published on www.si.com as Biggest Upsets in March Madness History.
