The No. 11 seeded Drake Bulldogs have been a popular pick for a potential Cinderella run in the NCAA Tournament this year. While they're set to face a tough No. 6 seed Missouri Tigers team on Thursday, they reportedly have the support of three-time Super Bowl champion Travis Kelce of the Kansas City Chiefs.
Drake is an intriguing team. Not only did they win 30 games this season, but they did it with a roster made up of Division II talent. Head coach Ben McCollum is a four-time champion from his time at the Division II level, and he brought four of his starters from his former school to Drake when he took the job, including their best player, Bennett Stirtz.
On the latest episode of the "New Heights" podcast alongside his brother, Jason Kelce, Travis Kelce had high praise for Drake, highlighting their story as a team made up of Division II products as a "fun story."
"Drake University, they have a fun story," Kelce said. "Their coach, at least four of their players, are from Division II. They've got some guys who can play, although I think Missouri is a really good team, and that's going to be a tough game for them."
He added, "That's like my Cinderella team this year. I'm rooting for them."
Both Kelce brothers attended the University of Cincinnati, and while they often stick to their roots for Ohio-based teams, being from Cleveland Heights, the Bearcats fell short of an NCAA Tournament berth this season.
This allowed Travis to call his shot for another team, and after a fast start for Drake on Thursday night against Missouri, they may just end up proving him right as this year's Cinderella in March Madness.
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This story was originally published March 20, 2025 at 9:37 PM.