Mark Titus and Tate Frazier make their wise and enlightened NCAA Tournament picks
Name a better NCAA Tournament bracket-picking duo.
We'll wait.
On Monday morning, less than a day after Selection Sunday, Mark Titus and Tate Frazier were up early – probably rocking some Ohio State and UNC gear – and getting ready to reveal their 2021 NCAA Tournament picks to the world.
Now, first-round upsets are the greatest gift March can give (some of) us, those moments when underdogs bring their A-games and topple the cream-of-the-crop squads. Both Titus and Tate picked a few early shockers, beginning with a West region matchup between 4-seed Virginia and 13-seed Ohio.
"This is one we both are on the same page," Tate said. "It's the upset. ... The best Bobcats in basketball. I think Ohio is going to have the best player on the floor [in junior guard Jason Preston]. ... I think most Virginia fans know what's coming."
In the East region, the pair think 5-seed Colorado could be put on blast when it faces Big East champion Georgetown.
Said Titus: "Colorado vs. Georgetown, another game that jumps out to us – which Georgetown team is going to show up?"
Shout-out to the Michigan State fans on social media for having enough power to sway Titus' opinion. He picked the Spartans to beat UCLA before taking down BYU in the first round in the East Region.
"Michigan State has scared me into submission ... Congratulations haters, you won this one."
Traveling to the South region, Titus and Tate are following the masses in picking 12th-seeded Winthrop to knock off an injury-riddled, fifth-seeded Villanova squad.
The pair also has 11-seed Syracuse pulling the rug out from under 6-seed San Diego State in the Midwest region.
In the second round, 6-seed USC vs. 3-seed Kansas was a point of contention for Titus and Tate, as Titus stuck with the blue blood, while Tate threw his support behind the Trojans and freshman stud Evan Mobley in the West.
When it comes to the Sweet 16, Iowa is a favorite for Titus and Tate, and with senior superstar Luka Garza leading the way, both believe it's the Hawkeyes' time to shine.
"Iowa is an unfinished-business team," Titus said. "They need something. This, to me, is their trophy. They are going to the Elite Eight."
As the Elite Eight comes into focus, even Garza can't stop the top-ranked Zags, according to both Titus and Tate.
"It is not a fluke at all," Tate said. "It's hard to talk yourself into someone beating Gonzaga."
From there, the duo's brackets took distinctly different paths, as Titus chose his Buckeyes to make it all the way to the title game until running into the buzzsaw that is Gonzaga.
"If we are playing Gonzaga in the national title game, we are going to fight valiantly. We are going to show America that we belong. But we are going to lose. Gonzaga is my national champion."
FOX Sports college basketball analyst Andy Katz also has Gonzaga as the tournament victor.
Meanwhile, Tate has a different squad winning it all – a Big Ten team, but not Ohio State.
"We are playing a mickey mouse Big Ten tournament. ... Any other year, I'd pick Gonzaga in the national championship ... We are playing in Big Ten country, and this is the year Illinois gets redemption."
Last but certainly not least, the most important voice spoke up and gave his picks: Titus' dog, Moses.