Florida Gulf Coast became the first 15-seed ever to reach the Sweet 16 with one of March Madness's most electrifying runs

Five years after UMBC, Fairleigh Dickinson defeated Purdue to become the second-ever 16-seed to beat a 1 seed.

Five years after UMBC shocked Virginia, FDU pulled off an even more improbable upset. Ranked last out of all 68 tournament teams and a 23.5-point underdog, the Knights stunned Big Ten champion Purdue 63-58.

Relive the best moments from March Madness 2025

Florida won its first national title since 2007, beating Houston 65-63 in a tournament where all four No. 1 seeds reached the Final Four for only the second time in history.

See what makes a team a Cinderella—the term for an underdog that goes on an unexpected March Madness run

Fox Sports Research analyzed past Cinderella runs and found that most share a dynamic duo of players, strong conference tournament momentum, and an offense and defense that both rank in the top 80 nationally.

What is the NCAA First Four?

March Madness's play-in games—known as the First Four—whittle down the field from 68 to 64. This resource from the NCAA breaks down the history of the First Four, which began in 2011. The gears were in motion long before that, though, thanks to the addition of the Mountain West Conference to Division I, which necessitated more than 64 teams for the March Madness field.

Ranking ten of the best March Madness buzzer-beaters

There is nothing like the thrill of an NCAA March Madness buzzer-beater–particularly if it's a Cinderella upsetting a top-ranked team. This SI.com article ranks 10 heart-stoppers, going back to 1981. Relive Keith Smart's 1987 dagger, Bryce Drew's prayer in 1998, Kris Jenkins' 2016 title-winner, Lorenzo Charles' 1983 dunk, and, of course, "the Shot" in 1992.

Butler made back-to-back national championship games as a mid-major underdog

A 5-seed from the small Horizon League, Butler reached the 2010 title game against Duke—where Gordon Hayward's half-court heave at the buzzer narrowly missed. They returned as an 8-seed in 2011, losing to UConn. The runs launched Hayward into the NBA lottery and coach Brad Stevens to the Boston Celtics.

Exploring the Larry Bird punch that almost changed March Madness

The forgotten Larry Bird punch that almost changed everything

Larry Bird biographer Keith O'Brien argues March Madness as we know it today began in 1979, with an electric, raucous game that's largely been forgotten. Thankfully, he's dredged up the details (and the footage) to help us relive it.

The SEC is a powerhouse conference with 16 teams and a rich Southern football tradition

Formed in 1933 after splitting from the Southern Conference, the Southeastern Conference began with 13 schools. It has since grown to 16 members, defining college football with numerous national championships and rabid regional rivalries.

Gatorade was first designed for college football players in Florida heat

To help replenish crucial chemicals football players were losing fast to their profuse sweat in southern heat, researchers at the University of Florida developed a drink blended with salts and sugars that were easy to absorb. The drink, Gatorade, took its name from the school's mascot.

ESPN’s College GameDay show has been a Saturday staple since 1987

Debuting in 1987, College GameDay has become college football’s premier pregame show—broadcasting live from campuses nationwide, featuring spirited fan signs, and setting the stage for the day’s biggest matchups.

San Diego’s first Comic-Con was held in a basement

The first San Diego Comic‑Con—then called San Diego's Golden State Comic-Minicon—took place on March 21, 1970, in the basement of the US Grant Hotel and drew just 145 fans.

George Blanda was the first fantasy football draft pick

The first pick in the Greater Oakland Professional Pigskin Prognosticators League was future Hall of Famer George Blanda, then an Oakland Raider. Blanda played quarterback and kicker. Because of his dual role, the GOPPPL allowed him to be drafted twice, by two separate competitors.

Only 156 players secure a PGA Tour Card each year

Automatic eligibility is granted to past PGA Championship winners, while newcomers must win a PGA-approved tournament, rank in the top 70 of the FedEx Cup standings, or finish in the top 30 of the Korn Ferry Tour finals.

In early 2026, Fremont, California, topped the list of happiest cities in the US

WalletHub's annual happiest city rankings are based on 29 key indicators of happiness, including depression rates, income growth, and average daily leisure time.

One roadside attraction invented modern mini-golf

Garnet Carter and his wife Frieda owned and operated Fairyland, a roadside attraction on Lookout Mountain in Georgia. While other mini-golf courses tried to mimic the regal courses of its parent game, the Carters built obstacles and decorations from items they had around Fairyland, effectively inventing the leisure-minded version of the game.

Texas’ 1,600-pound longhorn mascot Bevo charged at Georgia’s Uga, a small bulldog, at the Sugar Bowl

During a pregame photo op at the 2019 Sugar Bowl, Bevo broke through a barrier and charged toward Uga, creating a chaotic scene that instantly became one of college football’s most viral mascot moments. Luckily, Bevo was stopped before reaching Uga.

Ann Meyers Drysdale was the first female athlete to receive a full sports scholarship

In 1974, Ann Meyers Drysdale earned a full ride to play basketball at UCLA. It was historic, but only the beginning of her pioneering life, which included a Silver Medal at the 1976 Summer Games and a contract with an NBA team in 1979.

See images of the spring break scene of the '80s

Guess US city populations via bracket-style game

The US Census Bureau's data visualization team created a game—laid out like a March Madness basketball bracket—where you try to decide which metro area of two has the greater population. Test your knowledge of relative city populations and see...

Gulf nations produce about 40% of the world's desalinated water

According to a 2023 report, six Gulf states produced 1.9 trillion gallons of freshwater across more than 400 desalination plants along their coasts. These plants create water suitable for human consumption by boiling saltwater and collecting steam or using high-pressure pumps to push seawater through a filter that only allows water molecules through.

Teen who walked 6 miles to graduation receives college scholarship on the spot

Xavier Jones, a 14-year-old boy, set out to attend his eighth-grade graduation ceremony at Harris-Stowe State University, walking six miles in the hot sun. Inspired by his perseverance, LaTonia Collins Smith, the university's president, awarded him...

Seed funding is often the first round of capital that a startup raises

Early-stage startups often try to secure seed funding from investors in order to take their idea from concept to reality.

The first recorded American Mardi Gras was in Alabama

French explorers observed celebrations in what would become the United States in the late 1600s, but the first recognized modern American Mardi Gras took place in Mobile, Alabama, on New Year's Eve, running from 1830 into 1831. By 1840, the town had incorporated costumes, masks, and themes into its parade. After the Civil War, Mobile's Mardi Gras was moved to the more traditional date of Fat Tuesday. By 1850, a group from Mobile migrated to New Orleans, bringing the city's traditions with it.

The history of credit cards begins with the 'Fresno Drop.'

On a 1958 morning in Fresno, California, about 60,000 people woke up to find a strange rectangular piece of plastic on their doorstep without explanation. Those chosen for the "Fresno Drop" didn't know it yet, but Bank of America was behind the credit card delivery stunt.

Falcon 9's first stage is able to land within a 30-foot diameter target consistently

SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket releases its reusable first stage hundreds of miles above the Earth's surface as it travels thousands of mile per hour. The stage often then lands on an autonomous ocean drone in the middle of the sea.

The US first hosted the World Cup in 1994, a tournament that lives in soccer infamy for its poor planning and the murder of Colombian player Andres Escobar, who'd accidentally scored on his own net.

When caught in the mouths of cardinal fish, seed shrimp release glowing, bioluminescent chemicals, which alert predators of the cardinal fish, prompting the shrimp's ejection.

For centuries, Niagara Falls has been a magnet for daredevils seeking to conquer one of nature's most powerful wonders, with its 200-foot drop and water rushing at 32 feet per second with 280 tons of force.

Hotels in Cannes, the glamorous city on the French Riviera, hire hawks to ward off seagulls during the city's famous film festival.

A 2019 Facebook event called on attendees to "Storm Area 51, They Can't Stop All of Us," resulting in countless memes, the creation of a music festival, and eventually the arrests of those who did try to approach the area.

Play the role of a student in a game where you try to navigate college and remain debt-free, selecting different income levels, high school experience, race, ethnicity, and more.

The first horror movie is believed to be George Méliès' 1986 short 'The Haunted Castle,' which pioneered the use of special effects

Up to a million Girl Scouts sell about 200 million cookie boxes every spring, generating $800 million, largely because refusing a child is frowned upon

A researcher recently discovered an interview from 1967 between groundbreaking journalist Joan Didion and the Grateful Dead, years before the band became an institution.

See how Ebola tore through Guinea, Sierra Leone, and Liberia in 2014-2016.

Georgia O'Keeffe's flower paintings are often assumed to be sexual, though the artist claimed she was simply interested in highlighting the beauty of flowers that most people neglect

Venture capital is a form of funding provided to early-stage companies with high growth potential, typically in exchange for an equity (or ownership) stake

Artificial coral reefs have been 3D printed from nontoxic, biodegradable terracotta clay, which coral polyps have used as a foundation for rebuilding marine ecosystems.

Gerrymandering works through two techniques: cracking opposing voters across districts to dilute their power, and packing them into a few to waste their votes in lopsided majorities.

Domino's Pizza's 30-minute delivery guarantee was responsible for the chain's 1980s surge, but it was discontinued after the company was found liable for delivery driver accidents.

In 1963, a basement renovation in Turkey revealed a passageway to a hidden, multilevel underground city that once housed as many as 20,000 people

Explore fun facts from the USPS, including unique post office buildings, a stamp that traveled past Pluto, and more.

The Nasdaq's 'Magnificent 7' companies are responsible for roughly 40% of the Nasdaq 100 index's gains, while the remaining 93 companies account for the other 60%.

Jimmy Carter signed a 1978 bill that legalized home brewing, a move credited with kick-starting the craft beer industry.

The United States is one of only around two dozen countries with a fully federal system of government, in which power is divided between national and state governments.

See how fireworks are made and learn how metals like magnesium and copper are responsible for different colors.

Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps is independent of Iran's regular army and is one of the most powerful and influential military-political organizations in the Middle East.

Louisiana's 'Cancer Alley' is infamous for having some of the highest industrial pollution, toxic air emissions, and cancer risks in the US.

Electrical grids worldwide must double their power delivery capacity by 2050 to meet surging demand from AI and electric vehicles.