SportsLine's model nailed 12 of the teams in the Sweet 16 last season and simulated the 2026 NCAA Tournament bracket 10,000 times
By Owen OBrien Mar 19, 2026 at 9:30 am ET • 3 min read 
Imagn Images Although it's rather unlikely a double-digit seed will be cutting down the nets at the end of the 2026 NCAA Tournament, history shows there will likely be a March Madness Cinderella team. Finding that surprise team that gets hot at the right time can give you a significant edge in your 2026 NCAA Tournament bracket picks. Whether it's picking a No. 10 seed to upset a No. 7 and a No. 2 to make the Final Four or beyond, there are plenty of ways to go about creating a 2026 March Madness bracket strategy.
Last year, Texas A&M was a No. 4 seed. This year, the Aggies have fallen to the No. 10 line in March Madness 2026. However, the Aggies have the No. 4 scoring offense in the nation at 87.7 points per game. If they can turn these games into high-tempo affairs, could they be one of the 2026 March Madness bracket busters? Before making any 2026 March Madness bracket predictions, be sure to check out the 2026 NCAA Tournament bracket picks from the proven computer model at SportsLine.
Their proven projection model has simulated every game in the tournament 10,000 times. It has absolutely crushed its March Madness picks recently, beating over 91 percent of all CBS Sports brackets in four of the past seven tournaments. It was all over UConn's championship run two years ago and nailed 12 teams in the Sweet 16 last year. It also correctly predicted all four Final Four teams in 2025.
It knows how to spot an upset as well. The same model has produced brackets that have nailed 25 first-round upsets by double-digit seeds since its inception in 2016.
Now, with the 2026 NCAA bracket revealed, the model is simulating the matchups and its results are in. You can only see it over at SportsLine.
Three 2026 March Madness Cinderella teams to watch out for
One potential 2026 NCAA Tournament bracket buster is the Akron Zips. Akron is in the NCAA Tournament for the eighth time in school history, but it is seeking its first-ever win in the Big Dance. The Zips won a school-record 29 games this season, surpassing their total of 28 from last season. They are riding a 10-game winning streak and have won 19 of their last 20 games, setting another school record with 88.4 points per game. Texas Tech enters this first-round matchup without star JT Toppin, so Akron has a clear path to make some noise this weekend.
Another potential double-digit darling for 2026 March Madness is the High Point Panthers. The No. 12 seed in the West Region is having the best season in program history, already with a record 30 wins in a 30-4 season, as the Panthers have continued their annual ascension. High Point has won 86 games over the last three seasons, achieving at least 27 wins each year, including this year under first-year head coach Flynn Clayman. Senior forward Terry Anderson leads the Panthers at 16 points per game, and he's coming off posting 25 points and 12 rebounds in the Big South semifinals on their way to winning the conference title. High Point has won 14 straight games and opens against No. 5 Wisconsin, which lost its opener as a fifth seed in 2024.
Another Cinderella team to watch for is the 13-seed California Baptist Lancers. CBU is making its NCAA Tournament debut after a strong finish to the year, winning 15 of its last 17 and taking the WAC Tournament. It has one of the nation's best scorers in Dominique Daniels Jr. (23.2 ppg), who led the WAC in points and is averaging 32 ppg over his last three games. Cal Baptist will see No. 4 Kansas in the first round, and the game will take place in San Diego -- just 100 miles from CBU's campus. Additionally, there have been seven 13-seeds to upset 4-seeds over the last seven NCAA Tournaments. Check out more of the model's 2026 Cinderella picks and full 2026 NCAA bracket picks here.
How to make 2026 NCAA bracket predictions
Who wins every tournament-defining matchup? And which teams will make surprising runs through the 2026 NCAA Tournament bracket? With the model's track record of calling bracket-busting upsets, you'll want to see which stunners it's calling this year before locking in any 2026 NCAA bracket picks.
So what's the optimal NCAA Tournament 2026 bracket? And which NCAA Tournament Cinderella teams will shock college basketball? Visit SportsLine now to see which double-digit seeds you can back with confidence, all from the model that called all four Final Four teams in 2025.
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