March Madness upset predictions 2026: Teams with the best odds to bust your bracket in Rounds 1-2

March Madness upset predictions 2026: Teams with the best odds to bust your bracket in Rounds 1-2 originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

This may not be the year of the Cinderella in college basketball.

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The teams at the top of the sport are as dominant as ever, and last year’s NCAA Tournament served as a reminder that the gap between those at the top and everyone else can be quite large.

The whole idea of an upset, though, is the unlikeliness of the result. Some don’t envision many early-round upsets this year, but that disbelief is what makes an upset a true upset. Some surprise teams will inevitably get hot once the adrenaline of March kicks in, while others could crumble under the pressure.

Which games are primed for upset watch? Here’s a look at the teams that could bust your bracket.

MARCH MADNESS HQ: Live NCAA bracket | Full TV schedule | Printable bracket

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March Madness upset predictions 2026

Odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook.

No. 11 South Florida vs. No. 6 Louisville

“No one wants to face this team” is a common line when the NCAA Tournament bracket is revealed, but that is absolutely true about South Florida. The Bulls, with an excellent coach in Bryan Hodgson, have won 17 of their last 19 games and haven’t lost by more than one possession since mid-December. USF has experience and continuity, as much of its core followed Hodgson over from a good Arkansas State team before this season.

The Bulls got a bit of a tough draw, as Louisville entered the season as a consensus top-10 team and still has that talent, but the Cardinals have looked vulnerable of late. Star freshman Mikel Brown Jr. hasn’t been able to consistently stay on the court, and Louisville is just 1-8 in Quad 1A games. USF’s fast pace could be jarring for Louisville, which didn’t look ready for the opening round last season, and the Bulls could win outright as 5.5-point underdogs if they play anything like they…

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Publish date : 2026-03-16 09:00:00

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