Fill My Bracket starts a full March Madness bracket from five questions.
Which March Madness tournament had the most upsets?
The 1999 tournament, with 23 upsets. The lower seed won 23 of the 63 games. We counted every game since 1985.
128 days until Selection Sunday, Sunday, March 14, 2027.
Start your bracketThe most upset-filled tournaments
| Upsets | Year |
|---|---|
| 23 | 1999 |
| 22 | 2014 |
| 21 | 2001 |
| 21 | 2003 |
| 21 | 2006 |
| 21 | 2022 |
An upset here means the lower seed won the game.
A normal year has about 18 upsets in all.
Why 1999 stands out
The first round alone had 12 upsets in 1999.
Five double-digit seeds reached the Sweet 16 that year. No year has had more.
UConn still won the title, beating Duke 77 to 74.
The runner-up year, 2014, ended with a 7 seed, UConn, beating an 8 seed, Kentucky.
How we counted
Counted from all 2,583 men’s tournament games, 1985 to 2026.
Main bracket only. First Four games are not counted.
See the full count on the March Madness upset analysis page.
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
Which March Madness tournament had the most upsets?
The 1999 tournament, with 23 upsets. We counted every game from 1985 to 2026.
How many upsets happen in a normal year?
About 18. Across the 41 tournaments we counted, the lower seed won 722 of 2,583 games.
Which year had the most first-round upsets?
Two years tie. The first round had 13 upsets in 2001 and again in 2016.