Top 5 Big Ten March Madness upset predictions for 2025 ft. No Final Four for B1G

For years or even decades, the Big Ten was the big dog of college basketball. But this year, the SEC seems likely to break the all-time record for teams in the NCAA Tournament. The Big Ten lacks a massive favorite, but has a wealth of interesting teams that could slug their way into March glory. Here are five upset predictions for the league's March experience.

Top 5 Big Ten upset predictions for March Madness

Dana Altman's Oregon Ducks could be the Big Ten's March surprise. (Photo Credit: IMAGN)

5. 10 Teams in the Tourney.

Most predictions have the Big Ten getting 11 teams into the field. But at the end of the day, it's going to be 10. Between at-large bid stealers and the mediocrity of some of the middle-of-the-pack Big Ten teams, the league will get someone left out. Nebraska is the most immediate thought, although Indiana could slide off the bubble too or instead of.

4. Four Sweet 16 teams.

There is plenty of quality depth in the league, particularly defensively. Michigan State is always a sticky opponent in March, but plenty of the Big Ten's top teams have developed enough defensive intensity to make them tough March outs.

Put the Spartans, Maryland, Michigan and Oregon into the Sweet 16. At a quarter of college basketball's big show, that's solid work by the league.

3. Michigan State to Elite 8 ... but not farther

That said, we're selling on State reaching the Final Four. State will defend everyone to within an inch of its life, but the Spartans lack a true top scorer and are a bit turnover-prone.

Those two facets will come together in the Elite Eight to send the Spartans home. MSU feels like a team that was one elite scorer away from contending for the national title.

2. Oregon to the Elite 8

On the other hand, for a surprise team to go deep, take the Oregon Ducks. Oregon has won six in a row and seems to have hit March dialed into its perimeter scoring.

Oregon had managed double-digit 3-pointers only twice all year before this six-game winning streak. They did it twice more in the streak and had games with eight and nine treys. Jackson Shelstad is catching fire at the right time.

1. No Big Ten teams to the Final Four.

At the end of the day, the season will be regarded as a negative for the Big Ten, simply because the league won't send anyone to the Final Four. The story against the conference all year has simply been the lack of an alpha dog.

No Big Ten team was in the AP top five all season. The NCAA Tournament will expose it as a league with a bunch of good teams, but no great team.

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