NCAA Bracket 2016: Predicting the first round upsets

Let’s take a look at who could be the first round upset victims in the NCAA Bracket.

It’s that time of year again. The most exciting three weeks in all of sports are upon us and if you haven’t filled out your 2016 NCAA Bracket just yet, you better get to it. If you’re looking for potential upsets to pick, you’ve come to the right place.

No one has ever filled out a perfect bracket and don’t expect it to happen this year as there will be plenty of wild upsets because of the wide open field. There isn’t one dominant team, although some might argue it’s Kansas, and seeds anywhere from No. 3 to No. 7 are on major upset alert.

This year’s field has a different feel to it. The bracket is missing some of its usual suspects such as Georgetown, Louisville, Ohio State, Florida and others, but that doesn’t mean it won’t be an exciting time without them. Perennial powerhouses like Duke, North Carolina, Kansas and Michigan State are there to make things very interesting.

As for the first round of play, many could argue that it’s the most exciting out of all the rounds in the NCAA Tournament. In no other span of games will you see crazy upsets like the ones in the round of 64.

Take the 2015 NCAA Tournament for example. There were so many wild, unexpected upsets in the first round that people were ripping up their brackets in anger in record numbers. Upsets such as No. 14 UAB over No. 3 Iowa State, No. 14 Georgia State over No. 3 Baylor and No. 11 UCLA over No. 6 SMU.

Notoriously, the No. 5 seed is the most prone to being upset in the first round by the No. 12 seed, but in recent years, it’s been No. 14 over No. 3 that’s happening constantly.

Let’s take a look at which big upsets I see happening in the first round this season.

Next: Hawaii over Cal