March Madness perfect bracket count drops to just over 200 out of 36 million after opening round

The cleanable March Madness bracket mightiness inactive exist, but the chances person narrowed importantly aft the archetypal circular of games wrapped up connected Friday night. 

Of the much than 36 cardinal brackets filled retired crossed large sports platforms, lone 224 flawless entries remained entering the 2nd circular connected Saturday, according to the NCAA’s website. 

High Point Panthers fans ticker earlier a crippled against the Wisconsin Badgers successful the archetypal circular of the NCAA men's hoops tourney astatine the Moda Center successful Portland, Oregon, connected March 19, 2026. (Soobum Im/Getty Images)

Roughly 14,000 brackets remained aft a trio of upsets connected Thursday, and contempt nary Cinderella stories connected Friday, that fig was further reduced to 224. That fig dropped further connected Saturday day aft No. 1 effect Michigan punched its summons to the Sweet 16, leaving conscionable 207 entries intact.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM

According to the NCAA, the biggest bracket buster of the time was No. 7 effect Kentucky's thrilling overtime triumph implicit No. 10 effect Santa Clara. The Broncos looked primed to upset the Wildcats, but Otega Oweh’s 3-pointer successful beforehand of his ain seat with conscionable 2.4 seconds successful regularisation gave Kentucky the way to people 8 consecutive points successful overtime to determination connected to the 2nd round. 

Roughly 6,000 brackets were dismantled by the last whistle. Another 3,200 were busted erstwhile Utah State pulled distant from Villanova, 86-76. 

Brandon Garrison (10) of the Kentucky Wildcats celebrates a handbasket against the Santa Clara Broncos during overtime successful the archetypal circular of the 2026 NCAA men’s Basketball Tournament astatine Enterprise Center successful St. Louis, Missouri, connected March 20, 2026. (Jamie Squire/Getty Images)

NEARLY 36 MILLION MARCH MADNESS BRACKETS BUSTED ON DAY ONE AS UPSETS WREAK HAVOC

Saturday could spot much heartbreak for fans (or optimism) with 3 upset winners scheduled to play apical seeds. No. 11 Texas volition instrumentality connected No. 3 Gonzaga astatine 7:10 p.m. ET, No. 11 VCU volition look disconnected against No. 3 Illinois astatine 7:50 p.m. ET, and No. 12 High Point volition conflict No. 4 Arkansas astatine 9:45 p.m. ET. 

The NCAA predicts the biggest bracket buster volition beryllium Michigan State vs. Louisville. If Louisville wins, conscionable 74 brackets volition advance. 

A cleanable bracket for each 63 games earns much than conscionable bragging rights.

Siena Saints fans ticker during the archetypal fractional of a crippled against the Duke Blue Devils successful the archetypal circular of the NCAA men's hoops tourney astatine Bon Secours Wellness Arena successful Greenville, South Carolina, connected March 19, 2026. (Jacob Kupferman/Getty Images)

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Kalshi, a person successful prediction markets — successful which users bargain and commercialized shares based connected imaginable lawsuit outcomes — is offering $1 cardinal to anyone who predicts each 63 tourney games correctly, with a "consolation" prize of $1 cardinal to the idiosyncratic who finishes with the top-scoring bracket.

According to its tracker, lone 2 entries stay cleanable connected Kalshi’s platform.

The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

Follow Fox News Digital’s sports sum connected X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.