Transcript
Joey Cicini(Reporter): It’s been five years since the Syracuse Orange were in the tournament, but the hype is still real for March. Today marked the first day of March Madness 2026 and it’s safe to say not much attention will be paid in class these next couple days.
Jack Stankey: I’ve already been looking at my bracket, I have my group set up, I’m in a million and gazillion pools.
Joey Cicini: 36 million brackets are made for the tournament across major online platforms such as ESPN and CBS trying to cash in on some lucrative prizes, but for many like Alex Poll, it’s the magic March creates that captivates.
Alex Poll: The fact that like some teams that are much lower seeds kind of go in those roles and have a Cinderella story. Even if they only make it two rounds farther than people expected or even just one. It’s kind of fun to see teams you don’t expect to make it far get there.
Joey Cicini: March brings a little bit of everything. For freshman Sofia Draeger, March means tasty meals with family and friends.
Sofia Draeger: We would all gather at somebody’s house and kind of sit on the couch do wings and chips and you know call it a night.
Joey Cicini: How hard is it exactly to make a perfect bracket? Well experts say it’s a one in 9.2 quintillion chance. That’s 31 billion times harder than winning the lottery, but at the end of the day the tournament is all about camaraderie.
Draeger: My family friends back home from age like 10 to age 70, everybody makes a bracket. Honestly it’s just the bonding aspect of it. Even if we don’t talk throughout the year it’s an easy way to kind of text somebody being like oh your bracket, not looking so good or oh your going to win.
Joey Cicini: The whole country is invited to the big dance. In Syracuse. Joey Cicini, NCC News.
SYRACUSE, N.Y. (NCC NEWS) — Though it’s been five years since the Syracuse Orange men’s basketball reached the NCAA tournament, but the excitement around March Madness still remains as strong as ever on campus.
The 2026 tournament officially tipped off Thursday, bringing with it a familiar mix of distraction, competition and camaraderie. For many, the opening rounds signal a pause in productivity as brackets take priority.
“I’ve already been looking at my bracket,” said Syracuse student Jack Stankey. “I have my group set up. I’m in a million and a gazillion pools.”
Stankey is far from alone. Roughly 36 million brackets are filled out each year across major platforms like ESPN, Yahoo, and CBS, with participants chasing both bragging rights and potential prizes.
For others, the appeal of March Madness goes beyond competition, it’s the stories.
“Lower-seeded teams can go on those runs and have a Cinderella story.” said Syracuse student Alex Poll. “Even if they only make it one or two rounds farther than expected, it’s fun to watch teams you don’t expect get there.”
That unpredictability is a defining factor of the tournament, where underdogs often challenge powerhouse programs and shake up brackets overnight.
First-year student Sofia Draeger said the tournament is also about tradition and togetherness.
“My family all gather at somebody’s house, sit on the couch, have wings and chips and call it a night,” Draeger said. “It’s just something we always do.”
While millions try their luck each year, the odds of creating a perfect bracket remain astronomically low. The odds add up to 1 in 9.2 quintillion, often labeled as significantly more difficult than winning the lottery or being struck by lightning.
Still, perfection isn’t the point for all fans.
“It’s really about bonding,” Draeger said. “My family and friends back home, from age 10 to 70, everybody makes a bracket. Even if we don’t talk all year, it’s an easy way to text someone and check in.”
From classrooms to living rooms, March Madness continues to unite fans across the country. Proving that even without a hometown team in the field, the tournament’s reach remains undeniable.