March Madness 2021 - South Region bracket, schedule, seeds, sleepers and live stream

The March Madness tournament's South region features some very talented teams, with the Baylor Bears representing the top seed. While the college basketball season has delivered plenty of drama, the national tournament never fails to disappoint.

The Big Ten runner-up Ohio State Buckeyes enter as the second seed, carrying an impressive 21-9 overall record. The South region's first round will be played on Friday, March 19th, with the Florida Gators and Virginia Tech Hokies tipping off just after noon to begin the madness.

March Madness 2021 - South Region bracket

March Madness 2021 South Bracket - via ncaa.com

The Arkansas Razorbacks should be a very strong third seed in the South, having their nine-game winning streak snapped in the semifinals of the SEC tournament. The Razorbacks will bring plenty of offense, averaging over 82 points per game.

Mac McClung finishes second in the Big 12 in total points scored in conference games this season with 289.

— Ryan Mainville (@RMainvilleLBK) March 8, 2021

Barring an upset, the Razorbacks will meet the Texas Tech Red Raiders in the round of 32 for a Big 12/SEC battle. The Red Raiders had three wins against top-25 teams this season, being led offensively by Big 12 Newcomer of the Year Mac McClung.

March Madness 2021 - Seeds & schedule

The Ohio State Buckeyes will play Oral Roberts in the first round

A couple of first-round matchups in the South region have major upset potential, with the 12th-seeded Winthrop Eagles looking like a serious threat to the shorthanded Villanova Wildcats. The 4th-seeded Purdue Boilermakers will also need a solid all-round performance to avoid a first-round upset against 13th-seeded North Texas.

Bring on the #MarchMadnessYou ready? March On, Wisconsin! pic.twitter.com/Kl2S7Qfikx

— Wisconsin Basketball (@BadgerMBB) March 15, 2021

The most competitive first-round matchup could come from the Wisconsin Badgers and the North Carolina Tar Heels. The winner of this matchup will most likely take on top-seeded Baylor, creating another potential upset in the round of 32.

Here is the opening round schedule in the South region:

Friday, March 19th, 2021 - Round of 64

7 Florida vs. 10 Virginia Tech | 12:15 PM ET - CBS - Hinkle Fieldhouse

3 Arkansas vs. 14 Colgate | 12:45 PM ET - truTV - Bankers Life Fieldhouse

6 Texas Tech vs. 11 Utah State | 1:45 PM ET - TNT - Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall

2 Ohio State vs. 15 Oral Roberts | 3:00 PM ET - CBS - Mackey Arena

1 Baylor vs. 16 Hartford | 3:30 PM ET - truTV - Lucas Oil Stadium Unity

8 North Carolina vs. 9 Wisconsin | 7:10 PM ET - CBS - Mackey Arena

4 Purdue vs. 13 North Texas | 7:25 PM ET - TNT - Lucas Oil Stadium Equality

5 Villanova vs. 12 Winthrop | 9:57 PM ET - TNT - Indiana Farmers Coliseum

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March Madness 2021 - Sleepers in the South

The Florida Gators represent the 7th seed in the South with a 14-9 overall record

The Florida Gators could surprise some teams in the March Madness South region, bringing a strong mix of shooting and tough defense into the first round against Virginia Tech. If the Gators can handle the Hokies in the first round, they will likely meet the dangerous Ohio State Buckeyes in the second round.

This will be a huge test for the Gators, but this team cannot be underestimated, with talented scorers like Tre Mann and Colin Castleton in their ranks. While the Baylor Bears look like the team to beat, the Florida Gators could take March Madness fans by surprise this year.

Where to watch March Madness 2021 - South Region

First-round March Madness South region coverage will be broadcast on CBS, truTV and TNT.