NCAA Bracket 2012 Predictions: Dark Horses for the Final Four

In the past few years more than ever, Cinderella teams have taken over March Madness and created countless heroic moments in the NCAA Tournament. 

After a bizarre second round of tournament action, an incredible nine double-digit seeds remain in the 32 team field. 

Two No. 2 seeds falling on Friday has left the door open for once-forgotten teams to assert their presence and make a run to the Final Four in New Orleans. 

Let's take a look at a few teams that could shred the brackets of millions and make the Final Four.

(7) Florida Gators

Florida is surprisingly a 7-seed after being ranked in the top-15 for much of the season. The Gators are ready to make some damage after their 71-45 victory over Virginia on Friday, which was the largest margin of victory yet in this year's tournament. 

They have a favorable matchup against 15-seed Norfolk State and are in the West region with arguably the weakest No. 1 seed, Michigan State.

Lightning quick guards Kenny Boynton and Erving Walker have the experience from last year's Elite Eight run to make pressure shots. All-around force Brad Beal has a future in the NBA, but is all-in on this year's tournament. 

Big man Patric Young can size up with the best post players in the game when he's determined to do so. 

Florida's stifling defense against the Cavaliers could be a sign that this team is hitting their stride at the right time. 

(4) Wisconsin Badgers

Wisconsin has been forgotten about in a wide-open West region, and don't think the Badgers aren't using that as motivation.

The Badgers' suffocating defense is among the best in the field, which helped them shut down hot Montana. All-American point guard Jordan Taylor is exactly the type of player you want leading your team in March: Experienced, talented in every facet of the game and poised beyond his years. 

Taylor's ability to penetrate and create a pick-and-pop for forwards Ryan Evans and Mike Bruesewitz adds flair to their offense. 

Look for Wisconsin to knock off sharp-shooting Vanderbilt and make a run in an interesting West past the Fab Melo-less Syracuse Orange. 

(12) VCU

Should we even be surprised that Virginia Commonwealth made this list?

Shaka Smart's fiesty group captivated the hearts of millions in their historic 2011 Final Four run, but we wrote them off once again when they didn't dominate the regular season and entered with a daunting second-round matchup against Wichita State.  

It seems that, yet again, Smart has a focused group of Cinderellas ready to bust our brackets.

Virtually everybody on the floor for VCU can shoot the deep ball, which is undoubtedly the prized possession of any tournament game. They have uncanny athleticism at every position. 

Confidence is everything in the NCAA Tournament, and South region foes Kentucky and Indiana are far from lacking in that department. But the Rams have defied all reality once, and we'd be dumbfounded to deem them incapable of doing so again.