Fill My Bracket starts a full March Madness bracket from five questions.
How often does a 9 seed beat an 8 seed?
87 times in 164 games. The 9 seed wins more often than the 8 seed.
128 days until Selection Sunday, Sunday, March 14, 2027.
Start your bracketTwo of three eras went to the 9 seed.
2026: the 9 seeds swept
| Winner | Beat | Score |
|---|---|---|
| TCU | Ohio State | 66–64 |
| Iowa | Clemson | 67–61 |
| Utah State | Villanova | 86–76 |
| Saint Louis | Georgia | 102–77 |
A 9 seed has won at least once in 38 of 41 tournaments.
The next game is the hard part
The winner plays a 1 seed next.
Only 9 of the 87 winners won that game.
Wichita State in 2013 and Florida Atlantic in 2023 reached the Final Four.
How we counted
Counted from every men’s tournament game, 1985 to 2026.
Main bracket only. First Four 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 9 seed beat an 8 seed?
87 times in 164 games since 1985. That is about 53 in 100. The 9 seed wins this game more often than the 8 seed.
Has a 9 seed ever reached the Final Four?
Yes, twice. Wichita State in 2013 and Florida Atlantic in 2023. Both teams lost in the semifinals.