National

Data: NCAA; Note: No games held in 2020; Chart: Rahul Mukherjee and Simran Parwani/Axios

Fairleigh Dickinson's stunning win against Purdue on Friday makes it the second No. 16 team to ever beat a No. 1 seed — after UMBC's 2018 victory over Virginia (charted above).

Zoom in: An Axios analysis of men's March Madness first-round matchups shows which seeds have pulled off the most upsets since 1985, when the tournament expanded to 64 teams.

A No. 12-seed pulls off an upset almost 50% more often than a No. 13-seed in the round of 64.

No. 10 and No. 11-seeded teams have about the same winning percentage as No. 12 seeds. All three won between 35 to 40% of first-round games.

Between the lines: Princeton's win on Thursday over No. 2 seed Arizona marks the third straight year a No. 15 seed has won a first-round game.

Charted: March Madness' biggest first-round upsets

Fairleigh Dickinson's stunning win over Purdue makes it the second No. 16 team to ever beat a No. 1 seed.

March Madness

NCAA

Fairleigh Dickinson&#x27;s stunning win against Purdue on Friday makes it the second No. 16 team to ever beat a No. 1 seed — after UMBC&#x27;s 2018 victory over Virginia (charted above).Zoom in: An Axios analysis of men&#x27;s <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="March Madness" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2023/03/15/ncaa-tournament-perfect-bracket-odds" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2023/03/15/ncaa-tournament-perfect-bracket-odds" target="_self">March Madness</a> first-round matchups shows which seeds have pulled off the most upsets since 1985, when the tournament expanded to 64 teams.

Shifts in technology and media are changing the way we play, watch and understand sports. Business models are adapting and social change is forcing those in charge of teams and leagues to reconsider decades-old practices.

Sports

Data: FiveThirtyEight; Chart: Rahul Mukherjee and Simran Parwani/Axios

The NFL's standings dramatically changed throughout the regular season — with the nine teams charted above in playoff purgatory for much of the year, according to FiveThirtyEight's odds.

The big picture: Many top teams — including the reigning champion Los Angeles Rams — saw their playoff window collapse as the season progressed.

Underdogs like the Jacksonville Jaguars, who finished last in 2021, were able to clinch a spot in the final weeks of the season.

Why it matters: We're transitioning between football eras. Many big names face the twilight of their careers and young stars are leading their teams.

It's made for exciting TV and helped put viewership at an all-time high.

Return to the playoffs: The Giants, Jaguars and Chargers all ended playoff droughts. Their last appearances were during the 2016, 2017, and 2018 seasons respectively.

Go deeper: Axios Sports previews the opening round

Charted: The NFL's roller coaster season

Top teams saw their playoff windows dramatically collapse as the season progressed.

National Football League (NFL)

The NFL&#x27;s standings dramatically changed throughout the regular season — with the nine teams charted above in playoff purgatory for much of the year, according to <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="FiveThirtyEight&#x27;s odds" data-vars-click-url="https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/2022-nfl-predictions/" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/2022-nfl-predictions/" target="_blank">FiveThirtyEight&#x27;s odds</a>.The big picture: Many top teams — including the reigning champion Los Angeles Rams — saw their playoff window collapse as the season progressed.

Rahul Mukherjee

Stories

Charted: March Madness' biggest first-round upsets

Charted: The NFL's roller coaster season