Week one of March Madness is in the books, and it delivered every bit of the madness the name promises. Defending champion Florida is already gone — bounced by a No. 9 seed Iowa buzzer-beater that had the entire country losing their minds. St. John’s came back to stun Kansas. Texas crawled out of the First Four and knocked off Gonzaga. Now its time for the March Madness Sweet 16.
By now, ESPN has probably sent you three separate emails begging you to fill out a Second Chance bracket — and honestly, you probably need one. The chalk is out, the Cinderellas are dancing, and the 2026 Sweet 16 is shaping up to be one of the best in years. Here’s everything you need to know — full schedule, all eight matchup breakdowns, predictions, and how to watch every game Thursday and Friday night.
2026 Sweet 16 Matchup Breakdowns & Predictions
Here’s a full breakdown of all eight Sweet 16 games — with what’s at stake, the key players to watch, and a prediction for each.
#2 Purdue vs. #11 Texas
Texas is one of the best stories of the tournament — they came through the First Four and knocked out No. 3 Gonzaga to reach the Sweet 16. But Purdue is battle-tested and deep. The Longhorns’ defense will need a perfect game to pull another upset.
Pick: Purdue advances.
#4 Nebraska vs. #9 Iowa
Iowa is riding the wave of the biggest upset of the tournament — a buzzer-beating 73-72 win over defending champion Florida. Alvaro Folgueiras hit the shot heard round the country. Nebraska is the more complete team on paper, but Iowa has all the momentum.
Pick: Iowa pulls off another upset.
#1 Arizona vs. #4 Arkansas
Arizona enters as one of the most dangerous No. 1 seeds left in the bracket. Arkansas has the athleticism to make it uncomfortable, but the Wildcats’ depth and experience should be the difference in a late-night West regional game.
Pick: Arizona advances.
#2 Houston vs. #3 Illinois
This is the best matchup of Thursday night. Houston’s suffocating defense against Illinois’ balanced scoring attack. Kelvin Sampson’s Cougars are built for March — they force turnovers, control pace, and win ugly. Illinois needs to execute from the 3-point line.
Pick: Houston in a grind-it-out win.
#1 Duke vs. #5 St. John’s
The marquee matchup of the Sweet 16. Duke’s Cameron Boozer is the most hyped freshman in the country, and the Blue Devils enter as the No. 1 overall seed. St. John’s stormed back from 18 down to beat Kansas on a Dylan Darling buzzer-beater and the Johnnies have no fear.
Pick: St. Johns takes down the #1.
#1 Michigan vs. #4 Alabama
Michigan is legitimate — 33-3 and playing their best basketball of the season. Alabama has the offensive firepower to hang with anyone, but Michigan’s defense in the half-court has been smothering.
Pick: Michigan.
#2 UConn vs. #3 Michigan State
A blue-blood matchup with Final Four implications. UConn has been here before — back-to-back champions in 2023-24, hungry to return. Michigan State’s Tom Izzo has won more tournament games than anyone alive. Expect physicality, low scoring, and a close finish.
Pick: UConn survives.
#2 Iowa State vs. #6 Tennessee
Iowa State has been quietly dominant all season. Tennessee’s physical defense can disrupt any offense but the Cyclones have the guard play to break pressure and find open looks.
Pick: Iowa State.
The 5 Biggest Storylines of the 2026 Sweet 16
- No defending champion in the building. Florida became the first team to lose as a No. 1 seed in the 2026 tournament, knocked out by Iowa 73-72 on a Folgueiras buzzer-beater. For the first time since 2012, the reigning national champion won’t be dancing in the Sweet 16.
- Iowa’s once-in-a-generation run. The Hawkeyes haven’t reached the Sweet 16 since 1999 — 27 years. They’re a No. 9 seed, they beat the defending champs, and they’re not done. The entire state of Iowa is watching.
- St. John’s is back after 27 years. The Johnnies haven’t been to the Sweet 16 since 1999 either. Dylan Darling’s buzzer-beater over Kansas was one of the moments of the tournament, and the Red Storm are playing with nothing to lose in Washington D.C.
- Texas: First Four to Sweet 16. Texas started in the play-in game and has now beaten two teams to reach the final 16. They haven’t had a true NCAA Tournament run like this in years, and their upset of No. 3 Gonzaga is still sinking in.
- Cameron Boozer’s moment has arrived. Duke’s freshman centerpiece has been one of the best players in college basketball all year. With the Blue Devils as the No. 1 overall seed, Friday’s game against St. John’s in D.C. is Boozer’s biggest stage yet.
2026 Sweet 16 Schedule: Dates, Times & TV Channels
The 2026 NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 tips off Thursday, March 26 with four games starting at 7:10 p.m. ET, followed by four more on Friday, March 27. All games air on CBS and TBS/truTV. Here’s the complete schedule:
| Date | Time (ET) | Matchup | TV | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thu Mar 26 | 7:10 p.m. | #2 Purdue vs. #11 Texas | CBS | Toyota Center, Houston |
| Thu Mar 26 | 7:30 p.m. | #4 Nebraska vs. #9 Iowa | TBS/truTV | Toyota Center, Houston |
| Thu Mar 26 | 9:45 p.m. | #1 Arizona vs. #4 Arkansas | CBS | SAP Center, San Jose |
| Thu Mar 26 | 10:05 p.m. | #2 Houston vs. #3 Illinois | TBS/truTV | Toyota Center, Houston |
| Fri Mar 27 | 7:10 p.m. | #1 Duke vs. #5 St. John’s | CBS | Capital One Arena, D.C. |
| Fri Mar 27 | 7:35 p.m. | #1 Michigan vs. #4 Alabama | TBS/truTV | United Center, Chicago |
| Fri Mar 27 | 9:45 p.m. | #2 UConn vs. #3 Michigan State | CBS | Capital One Arena, D.C. |
| Fri Mar 27 | 10:10 p.m. | #2 Iowa State vs. #6 Tennessee | TBS/truTV | United Center, Chicago |
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2026 Sweet 16 FAQs
The 2026 Sweet 16 tips off Thursday, March 26 at 7:10 p.m. ET. Four games are scheduled Thursday and four on Friday, March 27, also starting at 7:10 p.m. ET.
Sweet 16 games air on CBS and TBS/truTV. CBS games can be streamed on Paramount+. TBS and truTV games stream on Max. All games are also available on the NCAA March Madness Live app.
The Sweet 16 teams are: Duke, Michigan, Arizona, Houston (1-seeds); Purdue, UConn, Iowa State, Alabama (2-seeds); Michigan State, Illinois, Tennessee (3-seeds); Nebraska, Arkansas, Alabama (4-seeds); St. John’s (5-seed); Tennessee (6-seed); Iowa (9-seed); Texas (11-seed).
Yes — No. 1 Florida, the defending national champion, was eliminated by No. 9 Iowa 73-72 in the second round on a buzzer-beating 3-pointer by Alvaro Folgueiras. It was the first No. 1 seed eliminated from the 2026 tournament.
No. 9 Iowa defeating No. 1 Florida 73-72 is widely considered the biggest upset. Iowa trailed with seconds remaining before Alvaro Folgueiras hit a game-winning 3-pointer. No. 11 Texas also pulled a notable upset, eliminating No. 3 Gonzaga 74-68 after coming through the First Four.
Cameron Boozer is Duke’s freshman center and one of the most hyped NBA prospects in the 2026 draft class. As the No. 1 overall seed’s centerpiece, Boozer’s performance in the Sweet 16 against St. John’s could define Duke’s national championship hopes.
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