Barack Obama puts Iowa State in Final Four, predicts Arizona title

Barack Obama’s annual NCAA Tournament bracket is out, and this year he’s putting Iowa State among the last teams standing though he ultimately sees Arizona winning it all.

According to The Des Moines Register, the former president shared his picks on social media ahead of the tournament, continuing a March Madness tradition that regularly draws national attention.

Obama’s men’s Final Four includes Iowa State, Duke, Arizona and Illinois, where he launched his political career. He projects Arizona to defeat Iowa State in the national semifinals and then beat Duke in the championship game.

Elsewhere in the bracket, Obama picks Iowa to open with a win over Clemson before falling to top-seeded Florida in the second round. Northern Iowa, meanwhile, is projected to exit in the first round against St. John’s.

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On the women’s side, Obama selected all four No. 1 seeds UCLA, South Carolina, Texas and UConn to reach the Final Four. His bracket has Iowa advancing to the Sweet 16 before losing to TCU, while Iowa State is picked to fall to UConn in the second round.

Obama’s bracket reveal has become a staple of the tournament buildup, with his selections often fueling conversation particularly when teams like Iowa State are positioned as deep contenders.

Source: The Des Moines Register; Barack Obama social media posts

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