The heartbreak list
Belt games decided by 3 points or less350 belt games have come down to 3 points or less. These are the programs who got closest without taking it, and the holders who survived by a whisker.
So close: challengers
Lost a belt game by 3 or less
| Indiana | 8 |
| Maryland | 7 |
| Kansas | 5 |
| Iowa | 5 |
| Purdue | 5 |
| Kentucky | 5 |
| Michigan State | 4 |
| LSU | 4 |
| Duke | 4 |
| Wake Forest | 4 |
| Notre Dame | 4 |
| Wisconsin | 4 |
Lost it by a whisker
Holders beaten by 3 or less
| Duke | 9 |
| Louisville | 6 |
| Georgia Tech | 5 |
| UCLA | 5 |
| Syracuse | 5 |
| UConn | 5 |
| West Virginia | 4 |
| Houston | 4 |
| Clemson | 4 |
| Indiana | 4 |
| Notre Dame | 4 |
| NC State | 4 |
Escape artists
Holders who defended by 3 or less
| Duke | 11 |
| Michigan State | 11 |
| Louisville | 8 |
| North Carolina | 7 |
| Kentucky | 7 |
| Notre Dame | 6 |
| Ohio State | 6 |
| Indiana | 6 |
| Alabama | 5 |
| DePaul | 5 |
| Michigan | 5 |
| Kansas | 5 |
Latest nail-biters
| Feb 28, 2026 | Baylor beat UCF 87–86 | Title change |
| Feb 16, 2026 | Iowa State beat Houston 70–67 | Defense |
| Jan 26, 2026 | Arizona beat BYU 86–83 | Defense |
| Apr 7, 2025 | Florida beat Houston 65–63 | Title change |
| Apr 5, 2025 | Houston beat Duke 70–67 | Title change |
| Mar 14, 2025 | Louisville beat Clemson 76–73 | Title change |
| Mar 13, 2025 | Clemson beat SMU 57–54 | Defense |
| Nov 25, 2024 | Memphis beat UConn 99–97 | Title change |
| Mar 28, 2024 | Illinois beat Iowa State 72–69 | Title change |
| Mar 2, 2024 | Houston beat Oklahoma 87–85 | Defense |
| Jan 27, 2024 | Texas Tech beat Oklahoma 85–84 | Defense |
| Jan 6, 2024 | Kansas beat TCU 83–81 | Defense |
| Apr 1, 2023 | San Diego State beat Florida Atlantic 72–71 | Defense |
| Mar 26, 2023 | San Diego State beat Creighton 57–56 | Title change |
| Mar 11, 2023 | Arizona beat UCLA 61–59 | Title change |
| Jan 14, 2023 | Washington State beat Stanford 60–59 | Defense |
| Jan 5, 2023 | Arizona beat Washington 70–67 | Defense |
| Dec 11, 2022 | Tennessee beat Maryland 56–53 | Defense |
| Nov 24, 2022 | Kansas beat Wisconsin 69–68 | Defense |
| Apr 4, 2022 | Kansas beat North Carolina 72–69 | Defense |
| Mar 2, 2022 | Arkansas beat LSU 77–76 | Defense |
| Feb 26, 2022 | Arkansas beat Kentucky 75–73 | Defense |
| Jan 24, 2022 | Kansas beat Texas Tech 94–91 | Defense |
| Jan 22, 2022 | Kansas beat Kansas State 78–75 | Title change |
| Jan 18, 2022 | Kansas State beat Texas 66–65 | Defense |