The first two times of the 2013 NCAA tournament have gone and come, however, not without leaving a critical bruise on brackets round the country. If 14th-seeded Harvard's surprising upset of No. 3 New Mexico on Thursday was not enough to shake things up, then No. 15 Florida Gulf Coast's remarkable win over No. 2 Georgetown on Friday evening in Philadelphia certainly was. With two nationwide championship favorites already going home after the round of 64, it is time we reassess the tournament bracket and highlight three groups with the easiest path to the Ultimate Four in Atlanta this April. No. 1 Louisville Cardinals, Midwest Place Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images There might have already been only 1 disappointed in the Midwest Region in the 2nd round, with No. 12 Oregon beating No. 5 Oklahoma State, but that does not alter the fact that top total seed Louisville features a relatively easy road to Atlanta in comparison to the rest of the place. Ralph Pitino's scorching-hot Cardinals will require on among the nation's best rebounding groups in Colorado State on Saturday. But that game will be performed in Lexington, where a sea of Louisville fans will ensure it is seem similar to a property game. Plus, regardless of whether Louisville faces No. 4 Saint Louis or No. 12 Oregon in the Sweet 16, the Cardinals would probably have the benefit of accepting No. 2 Duke or No. 3 Michigan State following the two groups have just enjoyed each other. The champion of the potential Midwest Regional semifinal would be beat up and have only one day of rest entering an Elite Eight showdown with Louisville. Vegas made the Cardinals the favorite to achieve Atlanta prior to the contest began. And despite deficiencies in madness in the Midwest, Louisville, winner of 11 straight, seems to be on a straight-line road to its second straight Final Four. No. 2 Ohio State Buckeyes, West Place Jason Miller/Getty Photographs There's a strong chance the Buckeyes would not have to face a single-digit seed until the West Regional final and a good opportunity that Ohio State reaches the Final Four without even playing a group seeded more than ninth. The West Region was full of upsets in the round of 64, as No. 3 New Mexico, No. 4 Kansas State and No. 5 Wisconsin were all knocked from the match. Ohio State will play 10th-seeded Iowa State on Sunday and then a success of No. 6 Arizona versus No. 14 Harvard in the Sweet 16 possibly. Although the Wildcats are massive favorites in that game, the Crimson's power to knock down threes at a higher percentage and keep a slow rate gives them an excellent chance to land the disappointed. Plus, if No. 1 Gonzaga drops ahead of the West Regional closing, Ohio State will face either a No. 9, No. 12 or No. 13 seed in the Elite Eight for a trip back to the Final Four. If you believed the Buckeyes' road to Atlanta was easy on Selection Sunday, then you've surely got to enjoy their odds following a second round. No. 3 California Gators, South Area Ronald Martinez/Getty Photos With No. 2 Georgetown going out to 15th-seeded Florida Gulf Coast in the round of 64 on Friday, the door has opened up for Billy Donovan's Florida Gators to roll in to the Elite Eight. The Gators, have been the favorite to win the South Region prior to the match started, will need on No. 11 Minnesota on Sunday and then the champion of No. 7 San Diego State versus. No. 15 Florida Gulf Coast in the Sweet 16, assuming they beat the Golden Gophers. If the Cinderella Eagles pull off yet another upset within the Aztecs, then, like Ohio State, Florida would not need to confront a single-digit seed before final. Even when the Hoyas were still in the picture, you'd have to like Florida's odds of addressing Atlanta. This is a team with a great deal of NCAA competition expertise, a two-time national champion mind coach in Donovan and a team effective at owning on the defensive end of the floora'as evidenced in Friday's conquer Northwestern State, in which Florida used the country's highest-scoring team to just 15 second half points. Follow Bleacher Statement Featured Columnist Patrick Clarke on Twitter.
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