Nearly two years after the last NCAA Tournament concluded, March Madness is officially back. The field of 68 teams for the 2021 Big Dance is set, and the teams are making their way to Indianapolis, Indiana, for what will be a unique conclusion to a season played amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
If there's anything we've learned over the past year it's that predictions are hard to make. That's especially true for a single-elimination basketball tournament that thrives on its unpredictability.
But our team of writers here at CBS Sports has been keeping a close eye on the action all season and has come up with a cheat sheet of takes to consult as you formulate your NCAA Tournament bracket.
Time will reveal some of these picks comical, but perhaps you'll find a morsel that persuades you not to bet on a team just because of its name brand. After all, this season has been a struggle for the blue blood programs. Kentucky and Duke aren't even in the field of 68, and schools like Virginia, Villanova, Michigan State, UCLA and Kansas have a ton of questions to answer as the first round action draws near.
So without further ado, here's a quick cheat sheet of how we're feeling about some important topics ahead of the 2021 NCAA Tournament.
The field is set, now fill out your bracket! Pick against friends or play solo to compete for a college basketball dream trip. Get in the action today.
Gary Parrish
- Team destined for early exit: Colorado
- Final Four team no one picked right: UConn
- Final Four team everyone picked right: Gonzaga
- Last mid-major standing: Loyola-Chicago
- Elite team that almost loses in Round 1: Arkansas
- Everyone's favorite first-weekend player: Jalen Suggs (Gonzaga)
- Highest scoring average of the tournament (min. two games): Luka Garza (Iowa)
- Player who hits the most absurd game-winner: Mac McClung (Texas Tech)
- Coach who gets his own unforgettable highlight: Juwan Howard (Michigan)
Matt Norlander
- Team destined for early exit: Michigan
- Final Four team no one picked right: USC
- Final Four team everyone picked right: Gonzaga
- Last mid-major standing: San Diego State
- Elite team that almost loses in Round 1: West Virginia
- Everyone's favorite first-weekend player: Andrew Jones, Texas
- Highest scoring average of the tournament (min. two games): Luka Garza, Iowa
- Player who hits the most absurd game-winner: MJ Walker, Florida State
- Coach who gets his own unforgettable highlight: Craig Smith (Utah State)
Chip Patterson
- Team destined for early exit: Villanova
- Final Four team no one picked right: Purdue
- Final Four team everyone picked right: Gonzaga
- Last mid-major standing: Ohio
- Elite team that almost loses in Round 1: Iowa
- Everyone's favorite first-weekend player: Mac McClung, Texas Tech
- Highest scoring average of the tournament (min. two games): Cam Thomas, LSU
- Player who hits the most absurd game-winner: Ayo Dosunmu, Illinois
- Coach who gets his own unforgettable highlight: Josh Pastner (Georgia Tech)
Get every pick, every play, every upset and fill out your bracket with our help! Visit SportsLine now to see which teams will make and break your bracket and see who cuts down the nets, all from the model that nailed 15 of the 26 double-digit upsets the last four tournaments!
Kyle Boone
- Team destined for early exit: Iowa
- Final Four team no one picked right: Arkansas
- Final Four team everyone picked right: Gonzaga
- Last mid-major standing: Morehead State
- Elite team that almost loses in Round 1: Florida State
- Everyone's favorite first-weekend player: Bones Hyland
- Highest scoring average of the tournament (min. two games): Ayo Dosunmu, Illinois
- Player who hits the most absurd game-winner: Cade Cunningham, Oklahoma State
- Coach who gets his own unforgettable highlight: Eric Musselman (Arkansas)
David Cobb
- Team destined for early exit: Virginia
- Final Four team no one picked right: Oklahoma State
- Final Four team everyone picked right: Gonzaga
- Last mid-major standing: Ohio
- Elite team that almost loses in Round 1: Kansas
- Everyone's favorite first-weekend player: Ron Harper Jr., Rutgers
- Highest scoring average of the tournament (min. two games): Luka Garza, Iowa
- Player who hits the most absurd game-winner: Chris Duarte, Oregon
- Coach who gets his own unforgettable highlight: Mike Boynton (Oklahoma State)
