Fill My Bracket starts a full March Madness bracket from five questions.
How often does a 16 seed beat a 1 seed?
Twice in 160 games. UMBC beat Virginia 74–54 in 2018. Fairleigh Dickinson beat Purdue 63–58 in 2023. The other 158 tries all lost.
130 days until Selection Sunday, Sunday, March 14, 2027.
Start your bracketFor 33 tournaments, it never happened. Both wins are recent.
The two wins
| Year | Winner | Beat | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | UMBC | Virginia | 74–54 |
| 2023 | Fairleigh Dickinson | Purdue | 63–58 |
UMBC won by 20 points. It was not close.
Neither winner won again
UMBC lost its next game, to Kansas State.
Fairleigh Dickinson lost its next game, to Florida Atlantic.
No 16 seed has ever reached the Sweet 16.
How we counted
Counted from every men's tournament game, 1985 to 2025.
Main bracket only. First Four and Opening Round games are not counted.
The full table lives on which first-round upsets happen most.
Five questions start your bracket. Your picks finish it.
The picker opens on Selection Sunday, March 14, 2027. Name your favorite and your upsets.
Common questions
How often does a 16 seed beat a 1 seed?
Twice in 160 games since 1985. UMBC beat Virginia in 2018, and Fairleigh Dickinson beat Purdue in 2023.
Has a 16 seed ever reached the Sweet 16?
No. The two winners, UMBC and Fairleigh Dickinson, both lost their next game, in the round of 32.