Mondays are better here

The GIST: Even if there are no upsets when the national championship takes the court tomorrow, this year’s tourney is already a testament to the sport’s rising parity. Case in point: Hawaii — who’s ranked fifth nationally and appeared in the last four national title games — failed to make the bracket. There’s chaos in the air, so witness it all unfold on the NCAA.com livestream.

No. 1–seed UCLA Bruins vs. No. 8 Fort Valley State Wildcats, 2 p.m. ET: UCLA is the reigning national champ, a longtime powerhouse, and the nation’s No. 2 team. But the Division II (DII) Wildcats have already made history as the first HBCU to compete for the natty — could more history be in store?

No. 4 UC Irvine Anteaters vs. No. 5 Penn State Nittany Lions, 4:30 p.m. ET: The Anteaters join UCLA as one of the teams needing at-large bids to make the bracket, but UC Irvine is far from an underdog. Leading the nation in kills per set, their berth to the semifinals hinges on whether Penn State can contain their vicious attack at the net.

No. 2 Long Beach State Beach vs. No. 7 Belmont Abbey Crusaders, 8 p.m. ET: The Crusaders are the bracket’s other DII team, and they have their work cut out for them against the Beach: LBS tops the national rankings, has lost only two games this season, and hosts the natty in their bizarre, pyramid-shaped home stadium.

No. 3 Grand Canyon Antelopes vs. No. 6 Ohio State Buckeyes, 10:30 p.m. ET: The ’Lopes are riding high after upsetting UCLA 3-2 in the MPSF Championship for their first conference tournament title. That momentum could be hard to challenge, but the Buckeyes, who’ve won seven of their last eight, have a running start of their own.

The GIST: While Thursday’s first round had all the hype, the second and third days of the NFL Draft saw even more NCAA superstars’ dreams come true. Now that all seven rounds are done and dusted, here’s the 2024 NFL Draft by the numbers:

4: Days until some draftees must check in at Friday’s rookie mini-camps, while other teams begin their mini-camps the weekend after next. Undrafted free agents can also attend and fight for a place on their squad’s roster. No pressure.

6: How many times now-retired Alabama head coach (HC) Nick Saban had 10 or more players selected in a single draft, more than any other HC. Still adding to his laundry list of accomplishments three months after hanging up the whistle? Impressive.

11: The number of Texas alumni drafted this weekend, a program record. Yet another sign that the Longhorns are officially back in college football’s top tier as they prepare for a move to the SEC.

13: How many players from Michigan’s national championship squad heard their name called this weekend, three short of former HC Jim Harbaugh’s record-breaking prediction. Still good for most of any other school this year, though!

85: The number of schools that saw at least one player drafted, including 27 Group of Five or mid-major programs. More proof that the Power Five ain’t everything.

129: How many days until the NFL’s regular season kicks off and many of these former collegiate stars make their pro debuts. Can’t hardly wait.

257: The last pick of the draft, which the NY Jets used to select Alabama safety Jaylen Key, crowning him 2024’s Mr. Irrelevant. But nabbing that title isn’t so bad — just ask San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy.