That is the weird part. #3 seed Michigan, if they make it all the way, will get to the CG by beating:
- #14 Montana
- #6 Houston
- #7 aTm
- #9 FSU
- Either #9 KSU or #11 Loyola-Chicago
If the upsets were more spread out it wouldn't be such a big deal but they have all been concentrated on the left side of the bracket. It is entirely likely that two regional finals will be #1 v #2 while the other two are 3/9 and 9/11.
Over the past 30 years, only 5 times has a team made it to the national championship without facing a top 3 seed, and only 2 times (both UNC) without facing a top 4 seed. No team has ever not faced a top 5 seed. And all of the teams that ever did it without facing a top 3 were 1 seeds.
2017 Gonzaga: 16-8-4-11-7
2016 North Carolina: 16-9-5-6-10
2005 North Carolina: 16-9-5-6-5
1999 Connecticut: 16-9-5-10-4
1990 UNLV: 16-8-12-11-4
Michigan is guaranteed to break that, and if Florida State beats Michigan, then Kansas State would get it too, if they beat Loyola. I stopped at 30 years, because I'm guessing it didn't happen before that, with fewer upsets. So in the history of the tournament, we've never had a path that easy to a national championship game, and now two different regions on the same side of the bracket have a chance at producing it in the same year. And to go even farther, those previous paths were all by 1 seeds. This years would be a 3 seed and a NINE SEED!