The only thing better than watching March Madness unfold is filling out your bracket with all outcomes still on the table.
Will a No. 16 seed upset a No. 1? Maybe! Could you be cooking up a perfect bracket? Why not? Everything is possible before the games actually tip off.
Most of us don't spend 24 hours a day thinking about or analyzing the college basketball field. There are teams we may not even know existed. There could be blue bloods we expect to be good who are actually primed for an upset.
That's where the experts come in. It's illuminating to look over what the people who do this for a living have to say. It's even more interesting to compare their brackets side by side.
Here's a list of the brackets we're looking at (to be updated as brackets are released), then each pick, round-by-round:
- Bill Bender, Sporting News
- Andy Katz, Bleacher Report
- Nicole Auerbach, NBC Sports
- John Fanta, Fox Sports
- Michael Cohen, Fox Sports
- Matt Norlander, CBS Sports
- Jay Bilas, ESPN
- Jon Rothstein, CBS Sports
- Mike DeCourcy, Sporting News
March Madness Brackets by the experts
- Expert First Round picks — South Region
- Expert First Round picks — West Region
- Expert First Round picks — East Region
- Expert First Round picks — Midwest Region
- Expert Second Round picks
- Expert Sweet 16 picks
- Expert Elite Eight, Final Four and Championship picks
Expert First Round picks — South Region
Matchup | Auerbach | Bender | Bilas | Cohen | DeCourcy | Fanta | Katz | Norlander | Rothstein |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1-Auburn vs. 16-Alabama St/St Francis | Auburn | Auburn | Auburn | Auburn | Auburn | Auburn | Auburn | Auburn | Auburn |
8-Louisville vs. 9-Creighton | Louisville | Creighton | Creighton | Louisville | Creighton | Creighton | Louisville | Creighton | Creighton |
5-Michigan vs. 12-UC San Diego | Michigan | Michigan | Michigan | UC San Diego | Michigan | UC San Diego | Michigan | UC San Diego | Michigan |
4-Texas A&M vs. 13-Yale | Yale | Yale | Texas A&M | Texas A&M | Texas A&M | Yale | Texas A&M | Yale | Yale |
6-Ole Miss vs. 11-SDSU/UNC | Ole Miss | Ole Miss | Ole Miss | Ole Miss | North Carolina | Ole Miss | Ole Miss | San Diego St | Ole Miss |
3-Iowa St vs. 14-Lipscomb | Iowa St | Iowa St | Iowa St | Iowa St | Iowa St | Iowa St | Iowa St | Iowa St | Iowa St |
7-Marquette vs. 10-New Mexico | Marquette | New Mexico | Marquette | New Mexico | New Mexico | Marquette | New Mexico | New Mexico | Marquette |
2-Michigan St vs. 15-Bryant | Michigan St | Michigan St | Michigan St | Michigan St | Michigan St | Michigan St | Michigan St | Michigan St | Michigan St |
Expert First Round picks — West Region
Matchup | Auerbach | Bender | Bilas | Cohen | DeCourcy | Fanta | Katz | Norlander | Rothstein |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1-Florida vs. 16-Norfolk St. | Florida | Florida | Florida | Florida | Florida | Florida | Florida | Florida | Florida |
8-UConn vs. 9-Oklahoma | UConn | UConn | UConn | UConn | UConn | UConn | UConn | UConn | UConn |
5-Memphis vs. 12-Colorado St | Colorado St | Colorado St | Memphis | Memphis | Colorado St | Memphis | Memphis | Colorado St | Colorado St |
4-Maryland vs. 13-Grand Canyon | Maryland | Maryland | Maryland | Maryland | Maryland | Maryland | Maryland | Maryland | Maryland |
6-Missouri vs. 11-Drake | Drake | Drake | Missouri | Missouri | Drake | Drake | Missouri | Drake | Drake |
3-Texas Tech vs. 14-UNCW | Texas Tech | Texas Tech | Texas Tech | Texas Tech | Texas Tech | Texas Tech | Texas Tech | Texas Tech | Texas Tech |
7-Kansas vs. 10-Arkansas | Kansas | Kansas | Kansas | Arkansas | Arkansas | Kansas | Arkansas | Kansas | Arkansas |
2-St John's vs. 15-Omaha | St John's | St John's | St John's | St John's | St John's | St John's | St John's | St John's | St John's |
Expert First Round picks — East Region
Matchup | Auerbach | Bender | Bilas | Cohen | DeCourcy | Fanta | Katz | Norlander | Rothstein |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1-Duke vs. 16-American/Mount St Mary's | Duke | Duke | Duke | Duke | Duke | Duke | Duke | Duke | Duke |
8-Mississippi St vs. 9-Baylor | Mississippi St | Baylor | Mississippi St | Baylor | Mississippi St | Mississippi St | Mississippi St | Mississippi St | Mississippi St |
5-Oregon vs. 12-Liberty | Oregon | Liberty | Oregon | Oregon | Oregon | Oregon | Oregon | Oregon | Oregon |
4-Arizona vs. 13-Akron | Arizona | Arizona | Arizona | Arizona | Arizona | Akron | Arizona | Arizona | Arizona |
6-BYU vs. 11-VCU | VCU | BYU | BYU | BYU | BYU | BYU | BYU | BYU | VCU |
3-Wisconsin vs 14-Montana | Wisconsin | Wisconsin | Wisconsin | Wisconsin | Wisconsin | Wisconsin | Wisconsin | Wisconsin | Wisconsin |
7-Saint Mary's (CA) vs. 10-Vanderbilt | Vanderbilt | Saint Mary's (CA) | Vanderbilt | Vanderbilt | Saint Mary's (CA) | Saint Mary's (CA) | Vanderbilt | Saint Mary's (CA) | Saint Mary's (CA) |
2-Alabama vs. 15-Robert Morris | Alabama | Alabama | Alabama | Alabama | Alabama | Alabama | Alabama | Alabama | Alabama |
Expert First Round picks — Midwest Region
Matchup | Auerbach | Bender | Bilas | Cohen | DeCourcy | Fanta | Katz | Norlander | Rothstein |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1-Houston vs. 16-SIUE | Houston | Houston | Houston | Houston | Houston | Houston | Houston | Houston | Houston |
8-Gonzaga vs. 9-Georgia | Gonzaga | Gonzaga | Gonzaga | Gonzaga | Gonzaga | Gonzaga | Gonzaga | Gonzaga | Gonzaga |
5-Clemson vs. 12-McNeese | Clemson | Clemson | Clemson | Clemson | McNeese | Clemson | Clemson | Clemson | McNeese |
4-Purdue vs. 13-High Point | High Point | Purdue | Purdue | Purdue | Purdue | High Point | Purdue | Purdue | Purdue |
6-Illinois vs. 11-Xavier/Texas | Illinois | Illinois | Texas | Xavier | Xavier | Xavier | Texas | Xavier | Illinois |
3-Kentucky vs. 14-Troy | Kentucky | Kentucky | Kentucky | Kentucky | Kentucky | Kentucky | Kentucky | Kentucky | Kentucky |
7-UCLA vs. 10-Utah St | Utah St | UCLA | Utah St | UCLA | UCLA | UCLA | UCLA | Utah St | UCLA |
2-Tennessee vs. 15-Wofford | Tennessee | Tennessee | Tennessee | Tennessee | Tennessee | Tennessee | Tennessee | Tennessee | Tennessee |
Expert Second Round picks
Region | Auerbach | Bender | Bilas | Cohen | DeCourcy | Fanta | Katz | Norlander | Rothstein |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
South | 1-Auburn over 8-Louisville | 1-Auburn over 9-Creighton | 1-Auburn over 9-Creighton | 1-Auburn over 8-Louisville | 1-Auburn over 9-Creighton | 1-Auburn over 9-Creighton | 1-Auburn over 8-Louisville | 1-Auburn over 9-Creighton | 1-Auburn over 9-Creighton |
South | 5-Michigan over 13-Yale | 5-Michigan over 13-Yale | 5-Michigan over 4-Texas A&M | 12-UC San Diego over 4-Texas A&M | 5-Michigan over 4-Texas A&M | 12-UC San Diego over 13-Yale | 5-Michigan over 4-Texas A&M | 12-UC San Diego over 13-Yale | 5-Michigan over 13-Yale |
South | 6-Ole Miss over 3-Iowa St | 6-Ole Miss over 3-Iowa St | 3-Iowa St over 6-Ole Miss | 3-Iowa St over 6-Ole Miss | 3-Iowa St over 11-UNC | 3-Iowa St over 6-Ole Miss | 6-Ole Miss over 3-Iowa St | 3-Iowa St over 11-San Diego St | 6-Ole Miss over 3-Iowa St |
South | 2-Michigan St over 7-Marquette | 2-Michigan St over 10-New Mexico | 2-Michigan St over 7-Marquette | 2-Michigan St over 10-New Mexico | 2-Michigan St over 10-New Mexico | 2-Michigan St over 7-Marquette | 2-Michigan St over 10-New Mexico | 2-Michigan St over 10-New Mexico | 2-Michigan St over 7-Marquette |
West | 1- Florida over 8-UConn | 1- Florida over 8-UConn | 1- Florida over 8-UConn | 1-Florida over 8-UConn | 1-Florida over 8-UConn | 1-Florida over 8-UConn | 1- Florida over 8-UConn | 1-Florida over 8-UConn | 1-Florida over 8-UConn |
West | 4-Maryland over 12-Colorado St | 4-Maryland over 12-Colorado St | 5-Memphis over 4-Maryland | 5-Memphis over 4-Maryland | 4-Maryland over 12-Colorado St | 4-Maryland over 5-Memphis | 4-Maryland over 5-Memphis | 4-Maryland over 12-Colorado St | 4-Maryland over 12-Colorado St |
West | 3-Texas Tech over 11-Drake | 11-Drake over 3-Texas Tech | 3-Texas Tech over 6-Missouri | 3-Texas Tech over 6-Missouri | 3-Texas Tech over 11-Drake | 3-Texas Tech over 11-Drake | 3-Texas Tech over 6-Missouri | 11-Drake over 3-Texas Tech | 11-Drake over 3-Texas Tech |
West | 2-St John's over 7-Kansas | 2-St John's over 7-Kansas | 2-St John's over 7-Kansas | 2-St John's over 10-Arkansas | 2-St John's over 10-Arkansas | 2-St John's over 7-Kansas | 2-St John's over 10-Arkansas | 2-St John's over 7-Kansas | 2-St John's over 10-Arkansas |
East | 1-Duke over 8-Mississippi St | 1-Duke over 9-Baylor | 1-Duke over 8-Mississippi St | 1-Duke over 9-Baylor | 1-Duke over 8-Mississippi St | 1-Duke over 8-Mississippi St | 1-Duke over 8-Mississippi St | 1-Duke over 8-Mississippi St | 1-Duke over 8-Mississippi St |
East | 5-Oregon over 4-Arizona | 4-Arizona over 12-Liberty | 4-Arizona over 5-Oregon | 4-Arizona over 5-Oregon | 5-Oregon over 4-Arizona | 5-Oregon over 13-Akron | 5-Oregon over 4-Arizona | 4-Arizona over 5-Oregon | 5-Oregon over 4-Arizona |
East | 3-Wisconsin over 11-VCU | 6-BYU over 3-Wisconsin | 6-BYU over 3-Wisconsin | 6-BYU over 3-Wisconsin | 6-BYU over 3-Wisconsin | 3-Wisconsin over 6-BYU | 6-BYU over 3-Wisconsin | 6-BYU over 3-Wisconsin | 3-Wisconsin over 6-VCU |
East | 2-Alabama over 10-Vanderbilt | 2-Alabama over 7-Saint Mary's | 2-Alabama over 10-Vanderbilt | 2-Alabama over 10-Vanderbilt | 2-Alabama over 7-Saint Mary's | 2-Alabama over 7-Saint Mary's | 2-Alabama over 10-Vanderbilt | 2-Alabama over 7-St Mary's | 2-Alabama over 7-St Mary's |
Midwest | 1-Houston over 8-Gonzaga | 8-Gonzaga over 1-Houston | 1-Houston over 8-Gonzaga | 1-Houston over 8-Gonzaga | 1-Houston over 8-Gonzaga | 1-Houston over 8-Gonzaga | 1-Houston over 8-Gonzaga | 1-Houston over 8-Gonzaga | 1-Houston over 8-Gonzaga |
Midwest | 5-Clemson over 13-High Point | 5-Clemson over 4-Purdue | 4-Purdue over 5-Clemson | 5-Clemson over 4-Purdue | 4-Purdue over McNeese | 5-Clemson over 13-High Point | 5-Clemson over 4-Purdue | 4-Purdue over 5-Clemson | 4-Purdue over McNeese |
Midwest | 3-Kentucky over 6-Illinois | 3-Kentucky over 6-Illinois | 3-Kentucky over 11-Texas | 3-Kentucky over 11-Xavier | 3-Kentucky over 11-Xavier | 11-Xavier over 3-Kentucky | 3-Kentucky over 11-Texas | 3-Kentucky over 11-Xavier | 6-Illinois over 3-Kentucky |
Midwest | 2-Tennessee over 10-Utah St | 2-Tennessee over 7-UCLA | 2-Tennessee over 10-Utah St | 2-Tennessee over 7-UCLA | 2-Tennessee over 7-UCLA | 2-Tennessee over 7-UCLA | 7-UCLA over 2-Tennessee | 2-Tennessee over 10-Utah St | 2-Tennessee over 7-UCLA |
Expert Sweet 16 picks
Region | Auerbach | Bender | Bilas | Cohen | DeCourcy | Fanta | Katz | Norlander | Rothstein |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
South | 1-Auburn over 5- Michigan | 1-Auburn over 5- Michigan | 1-Auburn over 4-Texas A&M | 1-Auburn over 12-UC San Diego | 1-Auburn over 5- Michigan | 12-UC San Diego over 1-Auburn | 1-Auburn over 5- Michigan | 1-Auburn over 12-UC San Diego | 1-Auburn over 5-Michigan |
South | 2-Michigan St over 6-Ole Miss | 2-Michigan St over 6-Ole Miss | 2-Michigan St over 3-Iowa St | 2-Michigan St over 3-Iowa St | 2-Michigan St over 3-Iowa St | 2-Michigan St over 3-Iowa St | 2-Michigan St over 6-Ole Miss | 2-Michigan St over 3-Iowa St | 2-Michigan St over 6-Ole Miss |
West | 1-Florida over 4-Maryland | 1-Florida over 4-Maryland | 1-Florida over 5-Memphis | 1-Florida over 5-Memphis | 1-Florida over 4-Maryland | 1-Florida over 4-Maryland | 4-Maryland vs. 1-Florida | 4-Maryland over 1-Florida | 1-Florida over 4-Maryland |
West | 2-St John's over 3-Texas Tech | 2-St John's over 11-Drake | 2-St John's over 3-Texas Tech | 2-St John's over 3-Texas Tech | 2-St John's over 3-Texas Tech | 2-St John's over 3-Texas Tech | 3-Texas Tech over 2-St John's | 2-St John's over 11-Drake | 2-St John's over 11-Drake |
East | 1-Duke over 5-Oregon | 1-Duke over 4-Arizona | 1-Duke over 4-Arizona | 1-Duke over 4-Arizona | 1-Duke over 5-Oregon | 1-Duke over 5-Oregon | 1-Duke over 5-Oregon | 1-Duke over 4-Arizona | 1-Duke over 5-Oregon |
East | 2-Alabama over 3-Wisconsin | 6-BYU over 2-Alabama | 2-Alabama over 6-BYU | 6-BYU over 2-Alabama | 6-BYU over 2-Alabama | 2-Alabama over 3-Wisconsin | 6-BYU over 2-Alabama | 2-Alabama over 6-BYU | 3-Wisconsin over 2-Alabamam |
Midwest | 1-Houston over 5-Clemson | 5-Clemson over 8-Gonzaga | 1-Houston over 4-Purdue | 1-Houston over 5-Clemson | 1-Houston over 4-Purdue | 1-Houston over 5-Clemson | 1-Houston over 5-Clemson | 1-Houston over 4-Purdue | 1-Houston over 4-Purdue |
Midwest | 2-Tennessee over 3-Kentucky | 2-Tennessee over 3-Kentucky | 2-Tennessee over 3-Kentucky | 2-Tennessee over 3-Kentucky | 2-Tennessee over 3-Kentucky | 2-Tennessee over 11-Xavier | 3-Kentucky over 7-UCLA | 3-Kentucky over 2-Tennessee | 6-Illinois over 2-Tennessee |
Expert Elite Eight, Final Four and Championship picks
Round and Region | Auerbach | Bender | Bilas | Cohen | DeCourcy | Fanta | Katz | Norlander | Rothstein |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Elite Eight, South | 2-Michigan St over 1-Auburn | 2-Michigan St over 1-Auburn | 1-Auburn over 2-Michigan St | 2-Michigan St over 1-Auburn | 1-Auburn over 2-Michigan St | 2-Michigan St over 12-UC San Diego | 1-Auburn over 2-Michigan St | TBD | 2-Michigan St over 1-Auburn |
Elite Eight, West | 1-Florida over 2-St John's | 1-Florida over 2-St John's | 1-Florida over 2-St John's | 1-Florida over 2-St John's | 1-Florida over 2-St John's | 1-Florida over 2-St John's | 4-Maryland over 3-Texas Tech | TBD | 1-Florida over 2-St John's |
Elite Eight, East | 1-Duke over 2-Alabama | 1-Duke over 6-BYU | 1-Duke over 2-Alabama | 1-Duke over 6-BYU | 1-Duke over 6-BYU | 1-Duke over 2-Alabama | 1-Duke over 6-BYU | TBD | 1-Duke over 3-Wisconsin |
Elite Eight, Midwest | 1-Houston over 2-Tennessee | 2-Tennessee over 5-Clemson | 1-Houston over 2-Tennessee | 1-Houston over 2-Tennessee | 2-Tennessee over 1-Houston | 1-Houston over 2-Tennessee | 1-Houston over 3-Kentucky | TBD | 1-Houston over 6-Illinois |
Final Four | 2-Michigan St over 1-Florida | 1-Florida over 2-Michigan St | 1-Florida over 1-Auburn | 1-Florida over 2-Michigan St | 1-Florida over 2-Michigan St | 1-Florida over 2-Michigan St | 1-Auburn over 4-Maryland | TBD | 1-Florida over 2-Michigan St |
Final Four | 1-Duke over 1-Houston | 1-Duke over 2-Tennessee | 1-Houston over 1-Duke | 1-Duke over 1-Houston | 1-Duke over 2-Tennessee | 1-Houston over 1 Duke | 1-Duke over 1-Houston | TBD | 1-Houston over 1-Duke |
Championship | 1-Duke over 2-Michigan St | 1-Duke over 1-Florida | 1-Florida over 1-Houston | 1-Duke over 1-Florida | 1-Duke over 1-Florida | 1-Florida over 1-Houston | 1-Auburn over 1-Duke | TBD | 1-Houston over 1-Florida |
Championship choices are varied. So are Final Four lineups. That's March Madness for you. Everyone will come at their bracket in a different way. And one upset pick in the first round could have major ripple effects throughout the bracket.
There seems to be a consensus about which teams will make it through the first round unscathed. Those are:
- Auburn
- Iowa State
- Michigan State
- Florida
- UConn
- Maryland
- Texas Tech
- St. John's
- Duke
- Wisconsin
- Alabama
- Houston
- Gonzaga
- Kentucky
- Tennessee
One popular upset pick is BYU knocking out Wisconsin in the East and then extending their run with an upset of Alabama. Another is Drake pulling off a first round upset over Missouri or Yale over Texas A&M. Several experts predict UC San Diego will make it to the Sweet 16.
Take heed, No. 1 seeds are most likely to make it far in the tournament, but it's actually very rare for all four to make it to the Final Four. As it stands on the expert front, No. 4 seed Maryland is the most bold Final Four pick, but few will project all the No. 1 seeds to get there.
How much should you listen to the experts? That's up to you. They're taking blind swings just like the rest of us. Experts haven't produced a perfect bracket either. They've just done more feeling around than most before making their best guesses.