Final Four 2019: Odds and Predictions for Teams Seeking NCAA Title Game Berth

Early during March Madness, the NCAA tournament was dominated by the higher-ranked teams. Many of the top seeds were winning, and there weren't any of the huge upsets that this time of year has become known for.

Things changed during the Sweet 16 and Elite Eight rounds, though, as few could have predicted the four schools that will be playing in the Final Four, which starts at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis on Saturday night.

All four teams are playing well right now, which should provide some exciting matchups as we near the conclusion of college basketball season.

Bracket

Final Four Schedule, Odds (All Times ET)

Saturday

No. 5 Auburn vs. No. 1 Virginia (-5), 6:09 p.m., CBS

No. 3 Texas Tech vs. No. 2 Michigan State (-2.5), 8:49 p.m., CBS

Monday

National championship game, 9 p.m., CBS

Predictions

Auburn over Virginia

Charlie Riedel/Associated Press

Auburn has been playing so well over the past few weeks, why can't it knock off another No. 1 seed?

The Tigers had a subpar regular season, but they've peaked at the right time, winning the SEC tournament championship and having an impressive run to the Final Four.

So far during the NCAA tournament, they've notched wins over No. 12 seed New Mexico State, No. 4 seed Kansas, No. 1 seed North Carolina and No. 2 seed Kentucky.

Auburn beat North Carolina by 17 points in the Sweet 16 and then avenged two previous losses to Kentucky by beating the Wildcats 77-71 in overtime in the Elite Eight.

Now, the Tigers will have to take down Virginia in their first Final Four appearance in program history. But if Auburn can make its outside shots and Bryce Brown has a big night, then an upset is quite possible.

According to AL.com, Tigers coach Bruce Pearl said:

"My approach is going to try to be to just do what we do, keep it the same. We've been to the SEC Tournament in Nashville, and that had a real atmosphere to it, and the first and second round in Utah, in the regional finals in Kansas City, and I just think the routine that we try to keep, the pace we try to keep from when we practice, the media, the hotels—you know, you're busy, and the kids are busy. You just kind of grind like you do all season long."

Michigan State over Texas Tech

Patrick Semansky/Associated Press

Auburn and Texas Tech have never previously been to the Final Four, while Virginia hasn't been here since 1984. But Michigan State has a much richer program tradition.

The Spartans last made the Final Four in 2015, and they're the only program in this year's national semifinals that have previously won a national championship, in 1979 and 2000. Michigan State coach Tom Izzo has been with the team since 1995, so he's experienced plenty of success.

It's that leadership from Izzo that will guide Michigan State back to the national championship game for the first time since 2009.

The Spartans are coming off their biggest win of the season, as they took down No. 1 overall seed Duke in the Elite Eight on Sunday. Junior guard Cassius Winston led the way with 20 points and 10 assists in the 68-67 victory.

"At the end, we made some winning plays," Winston said, according to The New York Times. "That's what it's all about this time of year."

And that's what Michigan State will do again to take down Texas Tech.