March Madness is right around the corner and the college basketball world is buzzing with excitement. Many tournaments, series and big games in sports draw attention, but it is difficult to beat the NCAA Tournament, as the term "March Madness" is not an understatement by any means.
In fact, college basketball fans almost expect there to be upsets at this point. However, right when you start believing an upset will occur, is the exact moment that the favored team can take care of business.
The underdog stories are always remembered, however.
Let's take a trip down memory lane and revisit some of the most notable underdog stories of March Madness' past. After our trip back in time we will list potential underdog stories in 2024.
Underdog Stories of the Past
Villanova, 1985
Villanova's 1985 championship run was thrilling. The Wildcats entered the tournament as a No. 8 seed and went on to win the championship.
Villanova was the lowest-seeded team to win an NCAA Tournament. Each one of its games during March Madness came down to the wire. You can call it luck or you can call it skill, but the Wildcats found a way to continue winning throughout the tournament.
They narrowly edged out Georgetown in the championship to earn a truly remarkable title.
Kansas, 1988
Kansas was a six-seed in 1988. Danny Manning stepped up and led the Jayhawks during that fateful tournament.
Kansas' standing as a six-seed led to a Cinderella story. Its 11 regular season losses were also the highest by a national champion.
It was clear that Kansas simply caught fire at the perfect time. The Jayhawks pulled off multiple upsets and shocked the college basketball world en route to the championship.
George Mason, 2006
George Mason had an incredible run in 2006 after just sneaking into March Madness. The roster featured stars such as Jai Lewis and Tony Skinn.
Nevertheless, George Mason wasn't taken all that seriously at first in the NCAA Tournament. The Patriots ultimately upset a number of top teams, and fans began to wonder if George Mason could go all the way to the championship.
In the end, George Mason reached the Final Foul. It ended up losing to a talented Florida team, though, which ended a magical run. Still, George Mason's 2006 journey was incredible.
Davidson, 2008
Stephen Curry and Davidson were not expected by many to make much noise in the NCAA Tournament in 2008. Davidson entered March Madness as a No. 10 seed.
The Wildcats went on to pull off multiple upsets before falling to Kansas in the Elite Eight. Regardless, Curry emerged as a star and made a name for himself. The same can be said for Davidson, as the school earned much more respect around the college basketball world.
Davidson would have obviously preferred to have made a deeper run in the tournament, but its performance was impressive nonetheless.
Butler, 2011
Butler had an amazing 2011 March Madness run. The Bulldogs were a No. 8 seed in the tournament but still had plenty of confidence.
Butler was an interesting underdog pick at the time, and the team proved its believers right for most of the tournament. The Bulldogs took down some of the best teams in college basketball and punched their ticket to the national championship.
They were unable to finish the improbable run on a high note though, falling to Connecticut in the championship.
Connecticut, 2014
UConn was unable to participate in the prior season's tournament due to poor academic ratings. These kinds of punishments often set programs back for a while, but UConn quickly rebounded.
The Huskies ultimately made the Final Four, but they had a difficult matchup against Florida. UConn earned the victory and went on to defeat a talented Kansas team in the championship.
UConn's national championship win wasn't quite as shocking as some others on this list, but its ability to bounce back from the difficult previous season made this quite the story.
Loyola-Chicago, 2018
Loyola wasn't expected to make a run in 2018, but it certainly upset expectations. The program booked its ticket to the tournament and made its first Final Four appearance since 1963.
Fans were pulling for Loyola, as the Ramblers were a Cinderella story, but their momentum cooled down in the Final Four. Loyola was defeated by Michigan and its season came to an end, but it was still a memorable March Madness performance.
Potential New Underdog Stories Heading into 2024 NCAA Tournament
So, what programs can potentially have the next legendary March Madness runs? It's always difficult, if not nearly impossible to predict. Here are four teams who could shock the NCAA basketball world in 2024.
Texas A&M
Texas A&M is currently 15-11. A recent loss to Arkansas hurt its chances of making the tournament. The Aggies' hopes are still alive, though.
Texas A&M features some question marks on its roster, but the Aggies have displayed flashes of being a competitive team this season. If they can sneak into the tournament, it wouldn't be surprising to see them pull off a few upsets.
Nevada
Nevada isn't known for their dominance in basketball. Yet, the Wolf Pack are 21-6 as of this story's writing.
They most recently earned a big victory over UNLV. Nevada should have a decent chance of making the tournament, but it will need to end the season strong.
Wake Forest
Wake Forest has produced some superstar NBA players over the years. The Wake Forest basketball program is typically among the best, but it is just 17-9 in 2023-24. It's a respectable record for most programs, but Wake Forest expects more.
The Demon Deacons have a huge game coming up against Duke on Saturday, and an upset in that affair will catch the college basketball world's attention.
For now, there's a realistic chance that Wake Forest will miss the NCAA Tournament.
Villanova
Villanova is another strong basketball school that has endured a down year. The Wildcats are just 15-11 in 2023-24, and if they continue to be inconsistent, they may end up missing March Madness.
Speaking of big games on Saturday, Villanova will take on No. 1 UConn. That game will be an important test for Villanova.
If they can finish the season on a high note and just get into the tournament, perhaps they will make a run.
