10 of the Sweet 16 teams left haven't won a national title. We rank their chances

Six teams still alive in the Men’s NCAA Tournament know what it’s like to hang a banner. Connecticut has won six national championships during the tournament era, most recently with a back-to-back run in 2024, to tie North Carolina for the third-most in Division I history. Duke has won five, most recently in 2015.

Michigan State has won a pair, including under current coach Tom Izzo in 2000 — still the most recent title for the Big Ten . Arizona (1997), Arkansas (1994) and Michigan (1989) have one. RE-SEEDING THE SWEET 16: Separating the contenders from pretenders That leaves 10 potential first-time champions in the Sweet 16 , including recent powerhouses such as Houston, historically successful programs such as Purdue and Illinois and some dark-horse underdogs, led by traditional football power Nebraska.

Looking at each team’s Sweet 16 matchup and what opponents could await in the Elite Eight and beyond, let’s rank which of these 10 contenders has the best chance of joining the champions club: 10. Texas (21-14) The West Region's 11-seed, Texas, has already won three tournament games to reach its second Sweet 16 since 2008. To keep going, the Longhorns would need to handle Purdue’s experience, potentially Arizona’s NBA-heavy roster just to reach the Final Four.

If so, they’d become the third team to go from the play-in round to the national semifinals. 9. Iowa (23-12) Iowa, the 9-seed in the South, is an underdog against the Cornhuskers and would be even bigger underdogs in a matchup with Houston or Illinois — let alone against the winner of a loaded East region in the Final Four.