Barack Obama’s annual March Madness picks were released Wednesday and the former commander in chief has picked the sixth-seeded Gators to be bounced in the second round by Texas Tech, a three-seed out of the Big 12.
The Red Raiders (24-9, 11-7) are led by senior guard Keenan Evans, the Big 12’s second-leading scorer, and a stingy defense that gives up just 64.7 points per game, fewer than any SEC team.
Florida (20-12, 11-7 SEC) has made the NCAA Tournament for six of Obama’s eight brackets, and for the most part his predictions as to how the Gators would fare in the field of 68 have been accurate.
In 2010, he correctly chose BYU over UF in the opening round. Then-freshman guard Kenny Boynton’s 27 points weren’t enough to hold off Jimmer Fredette (37 points) and the Cougars, who won 99-92 in double overtime.
The next season, Florida kicked off the first of three straight Elite 8 runs.
In 2011 they avenged their first-round loss to BYU from the previous year, winning 83-74 in overtime in the Sweet 16. Florida fell to eventual NCAA runner-up Butler in the Elite 8, where Obama predicted UF’s tourney run would end.
The next season Obama picked Florida to lose in the first round. Instead, the Gators trounced Virginia, Norfolk State and Marquette before losing 72-68 to Louisville in their second Elite 8 appearance in as many years.
In 2013 Obama picked UF to lose to Indiana in the Final Four. The Gators were stopped a game short by Michigan, stumbling 79-59 to the Wolverines in the Elite 8.
The next season would bring Obama’s most accurate UF prediction to date. He correctly anticipated wins over Albany, Pittsburgh and UCLA in Rounds 1 and 2, and in the Sweet 16. His predictions in the Elite 8 were partially right. Florida played Dayton, not Kansas, in the Elite 8 and Connecticut, not, Michigan State, in the Final Four. But as his bracket read, the Gators won in the Elite 8 and dropped their Final Four matchup with the Huskies, who went on to win the NCAA Championship.
The Gators missed the Big Dance in 2015 and 2016. Obama was just a round off when filling out Florida’s portion of his bracket when they returned in 2017.
He correctly picked UF over East Tennessee State in the first round and Virginia in the second round. He expected Florida to lose in the Sweet 16, though, and he was almost right. Florida took down Wisconsin 84-83 thanks to Chris Chiozza’s walk-off three-pointer in overtime. The Gators lost 77-70 to South Carolina in the Elite 8.
Breakdown of Obama’s predictions/actual results
2010: Lose Round 1/Lost Round 1
2011: Lose Elite 8/Lost Elite 8
2012: Lose Round 1/Lost Elite 8
2013: Lose Final Four/Lost Elite 8
2014: Lose Final Four/Lost Final Four
2015: N/A
2016: N/A
2017: Lose Sweet 16/Lost Elite 8
2018: Lose Round 2/???
Follow Andrew Huang on Twitter @AndrewJHuang and contact him at ahuang@alligator.org.
Former President Barack Obama unveiled his 2018 March Madness bracket on Wednesday.
