March Madness sleepers 2025: Top 5 Cinderella teams that can surprise fans ft. UC San Diego

March Madness is one of the most exciting North American sporting events of the year. It is a crazy tournament with a single-elimination format that makes it hard to predict. Every year there are big upsets and unexpected teams that go on Cinderella runs.

With the 2025 NCAA Tournament already underway with the First Four round, fans are starting to tune in to the games. However, most fans will start to tune in with the start of the first round on Thursday. That is when big upsets can start. These are five teams that could go on Cinderella runs in this year's tournament.

Top 5 possible Cinderella teams in the 2025 March Madness tournament

#1 UC San Diego Tritons

When looking at teams that could pull off an upset, the No. 12 seeds are a good place to start. In the past 39 tournaments, at least one No. 12 seed has won a game in 33 of those tournaments. UC San Diego has a matchup against No. 5-ranked Michigan in the South side of the bracket.

Although Michigan had a dominant run in the Big Ten Tournament, the NCAA committee did not reward them with a higher seeding. Additionally, the Tritons only rank 11 slots behind Michigan in KenPom efficiency. This makes San Diego an interesting candidate to pull off a first-round upset.

#2 Yale Bulldogs

Yale enters March Madness as the smallest underdog among the 13 seeds. It is only a 7.5-point underdog against Texas A&M, and as a result, is a candidate to pull off an upset. Additionally, the Bulldogs are one of the hottest teams entering the tournament, having won 16 of their past 17 games.

#3 Arkansas Razorbacks

As a No. 10 seed, it would not be a huge upset if the Razorbacks defeated Kansas in the first round. However, they are more than a candidate to pull off a first-round upset, the Razorbacks could go on a run. They are one of the best shot-blocking teams in the country, which could be important when games get tight.

The Razorbacks are also lower-seeded because of a slow start to the season. They started the season 0-5 against SEC teams before turning things around. If they can perform how they did in the second half of the season, a strong run in March Madness is a possibility.

#4 Troy Trojans

It is hard to predict a No. 14 seed to win a game in March Madness, but it is not unheard of. Troy is only a 10.5-point underdog against Kentucky, so if there is a No. 14 seed that could win in the first round, it is Troy. With a win, they would likely have another favorable matchup against Illinois and could make a bit of a run.

#5 Colorado State Rams

Colorado State was only going to be able to qualify for March Madness by winning the Mountain West Tournament, and that is what it did. The Rams have been in playoff mode since the start of the tournament, and as a result, should be ready for the pressure of March Madness.

Their strong defense could frustrate opponents and make them an interesting candidate to pull off an upset over Memphis in Round 1.