March Madness Sweet 16 is set - and the Big Ten is taking over

The field is officially set for the Sweet 16 in the 2026 NCAA men’s tournament and one conference is stealing the spotlight.

After a dramatic second round filled with upsets, close finishes and standout performances, 16 teams are moving on in NCAA March Madness. And the Big Ten Conference is leading the way.

Big Ten leads the charge in March Madness

The Big Ten is sending six teams to the Sweet 16, the most of any conference, continuing a dominant start to the tournament.

Among the teams advancing are:

• Michigan Wolverines(No. 1 seed)
• Michigan State Spartans (No. 3 seed)
• Illinois Fighting Illini (No. 3 seed)
• Purdue Boilermakers (No. 2 seed)
• Iowa Hawkeyes (No. 9 seed)
• Nebraska Cornhuskers (No. 4 seed)

With at least one team in each region, the conference has positioned itself for a potential Final Four run, or even more.

Biggest results from the second round

Sunday’s action delivered some of the tournament’s most exciting moments so far.

The No. 9 Iowa Hawkeyes pulled off one of the biggest upsets of the tournament, knocking off the No. 1 Florida Gators with a late three-pointer.

Meanwhile, the No. 5 St. John’s Red Storm stunned the No. 4 Kansas Jayhawks on a buzzer-beating layup, adding another dramatic finish to the weekend.

Other notable winners included:

• Purdue Boilermakers beat Miami
• Iowa State Cyclones beat Kentucky
• Tennessee Volunteers beat Virginia
• Arizona Wildcats beat Utah State
• UConn Huskies beat UCLA
• Alabama Crimson Tide beat Texas Tech

Saturday’s games also helped shape the field, with top seeds Duke and Michigan advancing, along with the Houston Cougars and Illinois Fighting Illini.

Full list of 2026 Sweet 16 teams

Here are the 16 teams still in contention for a national title:

• Duke Blue Devils
• Michigan Wolverines
• Houston Cougars
• Arizona Wildcats
• UConn Huskies
• Purdue Boilermakers
• Iowa State Cyclones
• Alabama Crimson Tide
• Michigan State Spartans
• Illinois Fighting Illini
• Tennessee Volunteers
• Arkansas Razorbacks
• Nebraska Cornhuskers
• St. John’s Red Storm
• Iowa Hawkeyes
• Texas Longhorns

When is the Sweet 16?

The Sweet 16 is set to begin later this week, with games scheduled for Thursday and Friday at regional sites across the country.

With powerhouse programs, Cinderella stories and a surging Big Ten all in the mix, the race for the national championship is wide open heading into the second weekend.

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