There are many ways to fill out yourMarch Madness bracket. Team color. Mascots. Geography. Maybe even basketball knowledge.
We offer an alternative: famous alumni.
We looked at all 68 schools to see which one had the most notable alumni (or at least attended the universities) and used the bracket to see which team would advance all the way to the national championship.
EAST
First round
No. 1 Duke vs No. 16 Siena
On the bench:Melinda Gates (philanthropist, ex-wife of Bill Gates), Jared Harris (actor)
Silveris in his 12th year as NBA commissioner after serving eight years as David Stern's deputy. He was lauded as Sports Illustrated's Executive of the Year, Time's 100 Most Influential People and Fortune's 50 Greatest Leaders in his first few years on the job, but has had some up-and-down moments since. Don't we all? … You knowJeongfrom NBC sitcom "Community" and as Leslie Chow in "The Hangover" trilogy…Retta(Marietta Sireleaf) starred on another NBC sitcom, "Parks and Recreation" as Donna. "Treat yo self!" She also starred in NBC's dramedy "Good Girls"…Downsplayed Abbi's love interest in Comedy Central's "Broad City" and stars and is co-creator of HBO's hit comedy "Hacks", which earned him an Emmy for Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series…Storkwas "The Bachelor" in Season 8, and America fell in love with the hunky doctor. His bachelorette pick didn't work out, and they were broken up a week after the finale aired. But he turned that 15 minutes of fame into a daytime talk show "The Doctors" which ran from 2008-22.
Monizwas Dinah Marley on "Guiding Light" for five seasons and had a 22-episode run on "Nash Bridges". Folks will most likely know her for her role as Governor Lynelle Perry opposite Kevin Costner in "Yellowstone"… One of the nation's most vocal gun lobbyists,LaPierreserved as NRA president from 1991-2024…Fishmade his pro wrestling debut in 2002 and paid his dues in lower tiers before getting his break in WWE's NXT in 2017 as a member of Undisputed Era. He was a two-time NXT tag team champion…Henryhas worked at CNN and Fox News, serving as White House correspondent for the latter, and now works for Newsmax… OK, so OliviaBensonis fictional, but Mariska Hargitay's character in "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" attended Siena, and she's fantastic. We'll take it.
Winner: Duke. I didn't have to resort to fictional characters.
No. 8 Ohio State vs No. 9 TCU
On the bench:Jim Jinkins ("Doug" creator), Kirk Herbstriet (ESPN), Patricia Heaton (actress, "Everybody Loves Raymond")
WhileKnightbecame an icon at Indiana, it all started at Ohio State, where he played point guard from 1959-62. The General won three national titles at IU and finished his coaching career with a 902-371 record (.709)… Arguably the greatest track athlete of all-time,Owensowned the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin, basically giving Adolph Hitler the finger the whole time. Owens won four gold medals (100m, 200m, long jump, 4x100 relay) and became an international superstar… If you read books in elementary and middle school, you probably know whoR.L. Stineis. He's authored more than 100 books but is known for his "Goosebumps" and "Fear Street" series. "Night of the Living Dummy" was a guaranteed nightmare… A Columbus, Ohio native,Nicklausis among the greatest golfers of all time, winning 117 pro events. His 18 majors are a record, which includes six Masters wins... The current U.S. vice president,Vancewas born and raised in Middletown, Ohio. He served in the Marines in a non-combat role and attended Ohio State on the G.I. Bill, graduating summa cum laude. In 2016, his book, "Hillbilly Elegy" was published, ascending to the New York Times' bestseller list (it was later adapted into a movie). He served as a U.S. Senator for two years before being tabbed as Donald Trump's running mate.
Others on the bench:Sue Monk Kidd ("Secret Life of Bees" author), LaDanian Tomlinson (former NFL running back), Sammy Baugh (Pro Football Hall of Famer)
A national politics reporter/anchor for CBS,Schiefferhad a near 25-year run on "60 Minutes" and was moderator of "Face the Nation" from 1991-2015. He's also moderated plenty of presidential debates...Kleinwill always be known for his role as Chris "Oz" Ostreicher from "American Pie." He starred alongside Mel Gibson in the Vietnam film "We Were Soldiers"... "Come on down! You're the next contestant on the "Price is Right!" Roddy was the show's announcer from 1986 until his death in 2003. He was known for his loud outfits nearly as much as his booming voice. He also announced the classic game show "Press Your Luck." No whammy, no whammy ...Lovejoyis minister at The First Church of Springfield on "The Simpsons" and attended TCU before moving to Springfield. Don't believe me? Google it ...VanSentenstarred as Quinn on "One Tree Hill" and featured in three seasons of Apple+ must-see drama "For All Mankind".
Winner: Ohio State. As much as I loved "The Price is Right", the Buckeyes are the pick here.
No. 5 St. John's vs No. 12 Northern Iowa
On the bench:Mark Jackson (NBA), Ron Artest (NBA), Chris Mullin (NBA), Ron Silver (actor), Mario Cuomo
A pioneer in hip-hop,McDaniels, or "D.M.C.", was a founding member of platinum-selling rap group Run-D.M.C. Among the first mainstream rap acts, Run-D.M.C. was the first hip-hop group nominated for a Grammy and among Rolling Stone's Top 50 musical artists of all-time… Sticking with the rap game,J. Colewas a magma cum laude graduate of St. John's and actually tried as a walk-on for the Red Storm's basketball team. This Jay-Z protege has won two Grammy awards and has released seven studio albums…Francesais one of the most successful sports radio talk show hosts ever with his near 30-year run on New York's WFAN with "Mike and the Mad Dog" with Chris Russo. He had an on-again, off-again relationship with WFAN afterwards and now hosts his own podcast… The 2011 PGA Championship winner,Bradleywon nine college events before turning pro. He has eight PGA Tour wins, is ranked No. 7 in the world as was Team USA's Ryder Cup captain in 2025…McGuire, who captained St. John's 1951 team, is one of the more beloved college basketball coaches of all-time. He finished his 12-year run at Marquette with the 1977 NCAA championship and then retired from coaching to serve as vice chairman of a sporting goods company. His legacy grew as he became a popular TV analyst for CBS Sports, calling games up until 2000.
NORTHERN IOWA
On the bench:Chuck Grassley (U.S. Senator), Darian DeVries (Indiana coach), Nick Nurse (NBA coach), David Johnson (NFL running back), Bryce Paup (former NFL pass rusher)
Warner's story from Piggly Wiggly stock boy to Super Bowl hero is well-documented. They even made a movie about it, "American Underdog". Much of that story got started at Northern Iowa where he was the conference's offensive player of the year as a senior…Steinesappeared on celebrity gossip show "Entertainment Tonight" from 2004-12, and co-hosted the Hallmark Channel's "The Home and Family Show" from 2012-18…Waller's "The Bridges of Madison County" was the best-selling novel of 1993 and made into a movie starring Clint Eastwood and Meryl Streep. He received his bachelor's and Master's degrees at Northern Iowa… An award-winning TV journalist,Pettitworked as a correspondent for NBC News more than three decades. Dispatched to Dallas after the John F. Kennedy assassination, Pettit was standing six feet away when Jack Ruby shot Lee Harvey Oswald and it's Pettit's voice that we hear yelling, "He's been shot! Lee Oswald has been shot!"… A power forward for UNI's women's basketball from 1979-83,Bludercoached Iowa women's basketball team from 2000-24, which finished with the Caitlin Clark years. Those Hawkeyes went to back-to-back national championship games. Bluder was a three-time Big Ten Coach of the Year and won 889 games in her career, which included stops at St. Ambrose and Drake.
Winner: St. John's. It's not tricky, regardless of what Run D.M.C. says.
No. 4 Kansas vs No. 13 Cal Baptist
On the bench:Mandy Patinkin (actor, "Criminal Minds" and "Homeland"), Rob Riggle (comedian), Scott Bakula (actor, "Quantum Leap" and "Necessary Roughness")
One of the greatest basketball players ever,Chamberlainwas a four-time NBA MVP and led the NBA in scoring for seven straight seasons (1960-66) and led the league in rebounding 11 times… Crockett on "Miami Vice",Johnsonowned the late 80s. In the 90s he was "Nash Bridges" and was Kevin Costner's rival in "Tin Cup"… Marvel's "Ant-Man",Ruddhas starred in comedies such as "Anchorman", "The 40-Year-Old Virgin" and "Knocked Up"…Glaseris among the most popular stand-up comedians today and hosted the past two Golden Globe Awards… You may knowKiserby another name, Bernie. As in "Weekend at Bernie's." Man played a dead guy for nearly two whole movies. He attended Kansas on football and drama scholarships.
CAL BAPTIST
Kutzleis the bassist and cellist for pop rock band OneRepublic, joining the group in 2007. OneRepubic has sold nearly 20 million records worldwide… Miss California in 2005,Konzelmanfeatured in Season 10 of CBS' reality competition show "The Amazing Race", finishing in fourth place. She returned for "Amazing Race: All Stars" in 2007 and finished runner-up… The Buffalo Bills hiredFigueroaas the first woman as a full-time NFL athletic trainer. She was on the staff credited with saving Damar Hamlin's life when he underwent cardiac arrest on the field Jan. 2, 2023… TheWarrensco-founded Saddleback Church, the sixth-largest evangelical megachurch. Kay and Rick are also both published authors. That's all I've got.
Winner: Kansas. Jayhawks' JV team would have won in a walkover.
No. 6 Louisville vs No. 11 South Florida
On the bench:Tom Jackson (ESPN), Sue Grafton (author), Wes Unseld (NBA)
Unitaswas the standard for quarterbacks in the 1950s and 60s and held many Colts franchise records prior to Peyton Manning… Despite Unitas' exploits,Jacksonis the only Louisville player to win the Heisman Trophy. He's spent his entire pro career with the Baltimore Ravens and won NFL MVP in 2019 and 2023… In 1965,Elbertled the team of engineers that invented AstroTurf, which they originally called ChemGrass. Good job, marketing team on the rename… The longest serving Kentucky senator in history,McConnellhas been in the Senate since 1985. A prominent Republican and longtime Senate Majority/Minority Leader, the 84-year-old announced he won't seek another term in 2026…Neuhauserwon the first National Spelling Bee in 1925 as an 11-year-old with the word 'gladiolus'.
SOUTH FLORIDA
On the bench:Grace Gealey (actress, "Empire")
Who is ready to smash some watermelons! Folks in the front rows ofGallagher's comedy shows needed ponchos as the comic would rely on his "Sledge-O-Matic" for quick laughs…Hogestynattended USF on a baseball scholarship and graduated with degrees in microbiology and applied sciences. He used that to good effect as John Black on a 36-year run on NBC soap opera "Days of our Lives"… Sticking with soap operas,Consuelosplayed Mateo Santos on ABC's "All My Children" from 1995-2002. He also starred in CW's "Riverdale" and is married to Kelly Ripa, with whom he co-hosts a talk show with…MandviIs known for his role as a correspondent on Comedy Central's "The Daily Show" from 2006-15. He's appeared in many other shows, including CBS' "Evil" and "Blue Bloods"…La Russagot his degree from USF after suffering a shoulder injury. He spent most of his playing career in the minor leagues, but was one of the most successful major league managers in his era, winning three World Series and was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2014.
Winner: South Florida. John Black stood by Marlena through her devil possession. That's worth something.
No. 3 Michigan State vs No. 14 North Dakota State
MICHIGAN STATE
A 12-time NBA All-Star, five-time NBA champion and three-time MVP,Johnsonwas the premier attraction for the Showtime Lakers of the 1980s. He's part owner of the LA Dodgers, LA Sparks, LAFC, Washington Commanders and Washington Spirit… Nominated for an Oscar for his role as Brian Piccolo in "Brian's Song" and Sonny Corleone in "The Godfather",Caanwas tortured by Kathy Bates in "Misery" and driven crazy by Will Ferrell in "Elf"… Director of the cult classic "Evil Dead" movies,Raimialso directed the "Spider-Man" trilogy (2002-07) and Marvel's "Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness"… A reality TV star,Gheeslingwon the 10thseason of CBS's popular show "Big Brother" and was runner-up on the show's 14thseason. He also appeared on Peacock's reality show "Traitors"…Whiteearned a theatre degree at MSU and gained popularity for his role in the "Matrix" sequels opposite Keanu Reeves. He's appeared in a number of TV shows, including CBS comedy "Ghosts", ABC drama "Big Sky" and HBO comedy "Silicon Valley".
NORTH DAKOTA STATE
The No. 2 overall pick in the 2016 NFL Draft,Wentzled the Bison to two straight FCS national titles as starting QB (during a stretch of five-straight for NDSU). He led the Eagles to an 11-2 record during their 2017 Super Bowl year, but was injured in Week 14 and saw Nick Foles bring it home. After five seasons in Philly, he bounced around with stops in Indianapolis, Washington, Los Angeles, Kansas City and spent last season in Minnesota… Inducted in the WWE Hall of Fame in 2013,Backlundhad a 30-year career in pro wrestling, including two stints as WWF champion, the titles coming 16 years apart… An outspoken critic of President Trump,Omarhas served in Congress since 2019. She earned a degree in political science and international studies at NDSU… Awarded the Bronze Star after his part in the Battle of the Bulge,Schjeldahlbegan a long career with plastics, which culminated with a personal favorite of mine, plastic-lined airsickness bags,…Schaferfounded the Gold Seal Company, which created "Mr. Bubble" bubble bath.
Winner: Michigan State. As important as those airsickness bags are for someone who hates flying...
No. 7 UCLA vs No. 10 UCF
On the bench:Gabrielle Union (actress), Dax Shepard (actor), Heather Locklear (actress), Mayim Bialik (actress), The Doors (band), Mila Kunis (actress)
A star-studded group, as one would expect just eight miles from Hollywood.Blackgot his start in acting when another UCLA alum, Tim Robbins, cast him in the 1992 film "Bob Roberts". Black stood out in "High Fidelity" and was the star in "School of Rock" in 2003. He's voiced Po in the "Kung Fu Panda" franchise and starred in the "Jumanji" and "Anaconda" remakes…Cage, the nephew of acclaimed director Francis Ford Coppola, attended UCLA film school, and got his breakthrough in 1986's "Peggy Sue Got Married", followed by "Raising Arizona" and "Moonstruck" in 1987. He had a nice run in the mid-90s with action flicks "The Rock", "Con Air" and "Face/Off" and will star as John Madden in the bio pic of the former Raiders coach… We mentionedRobbinsbefore, and the UCLA Film School grad starred in two of my all-time favorite films ("Bull Durham" and "Shawshank Redemption"), so he makes the cut. He won a best supporting actor Oscar for his role in 2003's "Mystic River"… The new "it" girl in Hollywood,Sweeneybroke out in her role on HBO drama "Euphoria" and starred opposite Glen Powell in the rom-com "Anyone but You"…Liu, who studies psychology at UCLA, won two gold medals in figure skating (individual and team) and was the breakout star of the 2026 Winter Olympics.
On the bench:Brian France (NASCAR CEO), David Blue (actor)
Hines' most popular role is that of Larry David's wife in "Curb Your Enthusiasm". She's the real-life wife to RFK Jr., U.S. health secretary… A comedian,Toshhosted "Tosh.0" on Comedy Central from 2009 to 2020 and now hosts a podcast, aptly named "Tosh Show"… A four-time All-American at UCF,Akerswon the Hermann Trophy in 1988, given to the nation's top soccer player. She was a member of the first U.S. women's national team in 1985 and played 155 times for her country, including the 1991 World Cup where she scored both goals in the final to give U.S. a 2-1 win over Norway and its first World Cup title…Porterplayed injured quarterback Jason Street on "Friday Night Lights" and more recently as Mayor Paul Randolph in Netflix's "Ginny and Georgia". He also competed in Season 11 of "The Masked Singer", finishing runner-up as Gumball…Stokesis among the main characters on Netflix hit "Outer Banks", playing John B.
Winner: UCLA. The Bruins' star-studded lineup will be a tough out.
No. 2 UConn vs. No. 15 Furman
On the bench:Sue Bird (WNBA), Ray Allen (NBA)
A Fairfield, Connecticut native,Ryanstudied journalism at UConn. She's known for her work in rom-coms, notably "When Harry Met Sally…", "You've Got Mail" and "Sleepless in Seattle"…Mobyworked at the college radio station and began DJing at local bars. In the mid-90s, he had eight top-10 hits, including "Move (You Make Me Feel So Good)". He's sold more than 20 million records worldwide…Moynihanwas a fixture on "Saturday Night Live' from 2008-17. He's voiced a number of animated roles, including King George in the recently released Pixar film, "Hoppers"… We couldn't have a UConn list without a women's basketball star. We went with Taurasi, a three-time WNBA champion, 2009 WNBA MVP and 11-time WNBA All-Star. She won three NCAA titles in Storrs and was a two-time National Player of the Year…Toddstarred in the 90s horror film "Candyman", has appeared in all the Final Destination movies and was great in "The Rock" as one of Ed Harris' henchmen.
Others on bench:Billy Napier (college football coach), Sam Wyche (former NFL coach), Brad Faxon (PGA Tour), Dottie Pepper (former LPGA Tour champion, golf commentator), Bear Rinehart (singer, Needtobreathe)
Part of WWE's New Day,Woodsgraduated from Furman with degrees in psychology and philosophy. Woods has been with WWE in 2010, pairing with Kofi Kingston as one of the company's more successful tag teams…Jacksonattended Furman on a gymnastics scholarship before transferring to Auburn. She was a "Saturday Night Live" cast member from 1986-92 and had roles in 1980s comedy classics "Baby Boom" and "UHF"…Dempsey, or Deuce as we like to call him, brought a certain flair and edge to the U.S. men's soccer national team. He played 141 times for USMNT, scoring 57 goals. He was one of the more successful Americans to play in the English Premier League, which included a strong run with Fulham and then a stint with the world's greatest team, Tottenham Hotspur…Grantstarted college at Furman before transferring to Vanderbilt. A Christian pop singer, she hit No. 1 with "The Next Time I Fall" in 1986 and "Baby Baby" in 1991. She's sold more than 30 million albums and has six Grammy Awards… The man behindLay's potato chips, Lay attended Furman on an athletic scholarship. His H.W. Lay & Company merged with Frito to become Frito-Lay corporation , the country's largest selling snack food company.
Winner: UConn. This is a vote for Meg Ryan's role in "Courage Under Fire".
SECOND ROUND
Duke vs. Ohio State: The General beats the Commish. Ohio State wins.
St. John's vs. Kansas: Don't need Wilt to score 100 to win this one. Kansas wins.
South Florida vs. Michigan State: Spartans have Magic, but there's something magical about smashed watermelons. USF wins.
UCLA vs. UConn: Meg Ryan and Tim Robbins starred together in "I.Q.", but you don't need to be Einstein to pick this one. UCLA wins.
Ohio State vs. Kansas: This was a tough one. But Jesse Owens and The Golden Bear are better than an Ant-Man and a dead man. Ohio State wins.
South Florida vs. UCLA: Gallagher's act gets stale. UCLA wins in a blowout.
ELITE EIGHT
UCLA vs. Ohio State: Despite how awful "Ghost Rider" was, Nic Cage is a still a "National Treasure". UCLA wins it.
SOUTH
No. 16 Prairie View A&M vs No. 16 Lehigh
PRAIRIE VIEW A&M
A member of the school's dance team, Panther Dolls,Meg Thee Stallionstarted to gain popularity at Prairie View A&M with her rap battles going viral on social media. That recognition helped land her a record deal, and she had three No. 1 songs in 2020. She's won three Grammy Awards and was the second woman rapper to win Best New Artist (Lauryn Hill)...Mr. Twas on a football scholarship at Prairie View A&M but was expelled after his first year and became a military police man for the Army. He tried out for the Green Bay Packers, but his playing career was derailed by injury. He then became a bouncer at Chicago nightclubs and then a celebrity bodyguard. Sylvester Stallone saw Mr. T on a televised bouncer competition and cast him in "Rocky III" as Clubber Lang in 1982. That launched his career and he starred as B.A. Bracus in "The A-Team"… A stand-up comedian and runner-up on "Star Search" in 2003,Loveco-hosted the daytime talk show "The Real" and is a recurring judge on "RuPaul's Drag Race"…Lewiswas a founding member of the R&B group En Vogue, which had some jams like "Free Your Mind" and "Don't Let Go"…Cooperplayed 17 years in MLB, 11 for Milwaukee and six for Boston. He was a five-time All-Star, a two-time Gold Glove winner and led the American League in RBIs in 1980 and 1983. He managed the Houston Astros from 2007-09, winning one more game than he lost (171-170).
On the bench:Robert Serber (Manhattan Project), Marty Baron (former Washington Post editor), Stephanie Ruhle (MSNBC host), Paul Guilfoyle (actor, "CSI")
I titan of the automobile industry,Iacoccawas an executive at Ford who developed the Mustang and Pinto before joining Chrysler and reviving that brand. His autobiography was a bestseller in 1984-85. He considered a run for U.S. president but was talked out of it…Engelbertmay not be the most popular commissioner in sports, but the WNBA boss has led the league since 2019. She walked on to Lehigh's women's basketball under former Notre Dame coach Muffett McGraw and became a team captain. Get a deal done, Cathy!…Renoinvented the escalator. I grew up terrified of escalators (the Atlanta airport, I'm looking at you), but they sure beat stairs… 'The Captain',Penske's race team owned the Indy 500 with 20 wins at the Brickyard. Now, he actually owns the thing, as owner of the IndyCar Series and Indianapolis Motor Speedway…McCollumwas a two-time Patriot League Player of the Year for Lehigh and was drafted No. 10 overall in 2013 by the Portland Trail Blazers. He spent nine seasons in Rip City before stops in New Orleans, Washington and Atlanta. He's averaged 19.6 points per game over his 800+ career games and may be one the NBA's better players not to make an All-Star Game.
Winner: Prairie View A&M. I pity the fool who had to go up against Mr. T. And did I mention I was petrified of escalators?
No. 1 Florida vs No. 16 Prairie View A&M
On the bench:Jesse Palmer (NFL quarterback, "The Bachelor" host), Laura Rutledge (ESPN), Ryan Lochte (Olympic swimmer)
Andrewshas been among the top sideline reporters over the past 25 years, breaking through at ESPN before joining Fox in 2012. A member of Florida's Dazzlers dance team, Andrews also co-hosted "Dancing With the Stars" from 2014-2019…Collinsworthwas a standout receiver for the Gators (1977-81) before earning three Pro Bowls with the Cincinnati Bengals. Now an accomplished broadcaster, Collinsworth has been the primary analyst for NBC's "Sunday Night Football" since 2009… A "Saturday Night Live" veteran,Hammondhas appeared in more than 300 episodes and gained attention for his impersonations of Bill Clinton, Dr. Phil and everyone's favorite "Celebrity Jeopardy!" contestant Sean Connery…Turner, known as Tobuscus, is a popular YouTuber with more than 6 million subscribers to his primary channel and nearly 14 million subscribers overall…Wambachis among the greatest women's soccer players in U.S. history and is USWNT's all-time leading goal scorer. She was named 2012 FIFA Women's Player of the Year.
Winner: Prairie View A&M. In our first shocker of the tournament. Meg Thee Stallion gets the best of Erin Andrews in a dance off.
No. 8 Clemson vs No. 9 Iowa
On the bench:Nikki Haley (former South Carolina governor)
Miss South Carolina in 1987,O'Dellgraduated summa cum laude from Clemson in 1990 before embarking on a broadcast TV career. She hosted "Access Hollywood" from 1996-2009 and has been the host of my mom's favorite show "Entertainment Tonight" from 2011-19…Lundgrenstudied chemical engineering at a few schools, including Clemson. But his biggest role involved getting his face bashed in. He'll always be Ivan Drago from "Rocky IV" — which to this day has the best film soundtrack ever. He was He-Man in "Masters of the Universe" and Frank Castle in 1989 version of "The Punisher"… An actor/comedian,Huebelstudied marketing at Clemson before joining the Upright Citizens Brigade. He's appeared in a number of films and TV shows, including Amazon Prime's "Transparent"… A member of the Clemson Athletics Hall of Fame,Clarkwas a two-time Super Bowl champion and is known for "The Catch" in the 1981 NFC Championship game when he appeared out of nowhere at the back of the end zone to haul in a Joe Montana pass to beat the Dallas Cowboys…Bricehas had eight songs reach No. 1 on the country music charts and attended Clemson on a football scholarship, serving primarily as a long snapper.
On the bench:Tom Brokaw (NBC News), Jake Johnson (actor, "New Girl"), Mildred Wirt Benson ("Nancy Drew")
Clarkjust might be the biggest star in sports right now. She became a phenomenon while becoming the all-time scorer in Division I basketball with the Hawkeyes. She's now the face of the WNBA, pushing the league to all-time highs in popularity…Kutcherattended Iowa as a biochemical engineering major with hopes of finding a cure for his twin brother's cardiomyopathy, but he dropped out after gaining attention as a male model. He starred on TV hits "That 70s Show" and "Two and a Half Men" and went from playing a moron in "Dude, Where's My Car?" to a genius Steve Jobs in the 2013 biopic "Jobs". What range… The star of "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory", "Young Frankenstein" and "Blazing Saddles",Wilderalso played opposite Richard Pryor in some of the greatest buddy comedies… So why is the "Field of Dreams" in Iowa?Kinsellawrote the book "Shoeless Joe", which the film as adapted from, earned his Master's degree in English from Iowa… A native Iowan,Arnoldwent into stand-up comedy after studying business administration and writing. Roseanne Barr hired Arnold as a writer for her sitcom "Roseanne", divorced her husband, married Arnold and wrote him into the show. They eventually divorced, too. His role in "True Lies" alongside Arnold Schwarzenegger is outstanding.
Winner: Iowa. Too many Caitlin Clark deep 3s.
No. 5 Vanderbilt vs No. 12 McNeese
On the bench:Ron Daniel (director, "Teen Wolf"), Brandt Snedeker (PGA Tour), Mack Brown (college football coach)
Of course a Nashville school will have a country music flavor to its roster.Bentleygraduated from Vandy in 1997 and has produced multiple platinum and gold albums, which have included 18 songs that reached No. 1 on the country charts…Stapletonattended Vandy with the intention of studying biomedical engineering. He engineered plenty of hits for other musicians as a songwriter before making it on his own as a solo artist in 2015. He's won 11 Grammy Awards and 15 CMA Awards… A Nashville native,Pageattended Peabody College, which later became part of Vanderbilt. She's often referred to as the "Queen of Pin-Ups" as a model in 1950s…Cutlerwas the SEC Offensive Player of the Year in 2005 and led the Commodores to their first win over Tennessee since 1982. He played 12 years in the NFL, including eight with the Chicago Bears where he holds franchise records for passing yards, passing touchdowns and believe it or not, wins… Another Nashville native,Travisgraduated from George Washington University before returning to Nashville for Vanderbilt Law School. An avid SEC football fan, he wrote a book about it ("Dixieland Delight") and worked at Deadspin. He founded OutKick and was hired by Fox as a college football personality. He has more than 1.3 million Twitter followers and was among those invited by President Trump to this month's Saving College Sports roundtable.
On the bench:Douglas Fournet (Medal of Honor recipient)
Dumarsgraduated as the 11thleading scorer in NCAA history after a four-year career at McNeese and was elected to the Basketball Hall of Fame. A two-time NBA champion with Detroit, he spent his entire 14-year career with the Pistons, earning All-Star honors six times… A member of the Louisiana Music Hall of Fame,Kershawhas produced 15 solo albums as a fiddle player/singer after graduating from McNeese with a degree in mathematics…Richardsonreceived her two Master's degrees from McNeese and served as president of the NAACP from 1992-95. One fellow civil rights activist said, "Rupert Richardson was in many ways the conscience of the NAACP"… A Lake Charles native,Simpsonis known her role in BET soap opera "The Oval" but also appeared in "Grey's Anatomy" and "The Bold and the Beautiful"…Johnsonearned a Master's from McNeese's writing program and put that to good use, winning a Pulitzer Prize in 2012 for his novel, "The Orphan's Master's Son".
Winner: Vanderbilt. Even the Bears fan in me won't let me pick against Jay Cutler.
No. 4 Nebraska vs No. 13 Troy
On the bench:Shelley Smith (ESPN)
Carsonattended Nebraska after serving in the Navy and started his career in radio before the explosion of TV. Carson initially declined NBC's offer to host "The Tonight Show", but eventually agreed and took over in 1962. That was the start of a 30-year run that changed late night TV… Daniel Whitney, akaLarry the Cable Guy, was raised on a pig farm in Pawnee City, Nebraska and picked up his Southern accent from his roommates while attending Baptist University in Macon, Georgia. He transferred back to Nebraska but dropped out his junior year to pursue comedy. He hit it big with the "Blue Collar Comedy Tour" and turned his persona into a film career… An Omaha native,Buffettstudied at the prestigious Wharton School of Business at Penn before returning home to Nebraska, graduating with a degree in Investment Management. Yeah, that worked out. He's known as one of the best investors ever and ranks among the 10 richest people in the world… Long credited with inventing TV dinners,Thomasnever actually ate them. He came up with the idea while working for Swanson, but after his death, the Swanson family tried to take credit for the invention. Pinnacle Foods, which owns Swanson, still gives Thomas credit. Good enough for us… Another Nebraska native,Williamsis the co-founder of Twitter, serving on its board from 2007-19. Per Forbes, he's worth $2 billion. Matt Rhule may want to send him a DM.
Wyatt, a former WWE wrestler, played football at Troy as Windham Rotunda. In addition to Bray Wyatt, he wrestled under other names including The Fiend and Husky Harris. He won the WWE title once and tag team titles with Randy Orton and Matt Hardy. He died of a heart attack in 2023… If you want to win "Survivor", go to Troy. It'll enhance your chances.Towerywon "Survivor: Marquesas", the fourth season of the reality show now in its 50thseason. Troy also is alma mater of popular Survivor contestantThomas, who won Season 18, "Survivor: Tocantins". Thomas became just the second contestant to win the show by unanimous vote… In addition to "Survivor" winners, Troy can produce some NFL pass rushers.Wareis in the Pro Football Hall of Fame after making the Pro Bowl in nine of his 12 NFL seasons, finishing his career with 138.5 sacks, tied for 13thall-time… Not as prolific as Ware,Umenyiorastill had a productive 11-year NFL career with 85 sacks and two Pro Bowl trips.
Winner: Nebraska. There's no surviving this one for Troy.
No. 6 North Carolina vs No. 11 VCU
NORTH CAROLINA
On the bench:Dan Cortese (actor), Stuart Scott (ESPN), Caleb Bradham (invented Pepsi), Andy Griffith (actor)
The greatest basketball player of all-time,Jordanfinally cracked the billionaire's club this year. A principal owner of the Charlotte Hornets, His Airness' greatest contribution might have been "Space Jam"... A comedian and social critic,Blackcame to prominence with appearances on "The Daily Show" with his intelligently crafted rage. He was perfectly cast as the voice of Anger in Pixar's "Inside Out"...Hammis arguably the greatest women's soccer player of all-time. She helped UNC win four national titles in five years and was ACC Player of the Year three years in a row. She played in four Women's World Cups and three Olympics for USWNT… The 11th President of the United States,Polkwas called "easily our least-known consequential president" by Newsweek. However, he added Texas, California and the Southwest during the Mexican-American War and took Oregon from Great Britain. He served only one term and died three months after leaving office…Cruduphas starred in a number of films everyone should see, such as "Almost Famous", "Big Fish" and "Spotlight". He's also one of the main characters in Apple+ drama "The Morning Show" starring opposite Reese Witherspoon.
Om the bench:Rama Duwaji (New York City First Lady), Debbie Matenopoulos (former co-host "The View"), Iron and Wine (musician), Chad L. Coleman (Cutty on "The Wire")
One of my favorite authors,Baldaccihas written many bestsellers, including "Absolute Power" and "The Camel Club" series. He's sold more than 130 million books worldwide… Flounder in "Animal House",Furstgraduated from VCU, not Faber College…Adams'life was the subject of a Robin Williams movie bearing his name. He is known for dressing up as a clown to cheer up young patients and creating the Gesundheit! Institute…Pharoahbriefly attended VCU before getting a degree from Tidewater Community College, but we're taking it. He was a "Saturday Night Live" cast member from 2010-16 and hosts Fox's game show, "The Quiz With Balls"…GWARis the heavy metal band full of characters — literally. From Nippleus Erectus to Beefcake The Mighty, GWAR got its start in Richmond in 1984 and immediately began scaring the (expletive) out of parents. The band still tours and plays dress-up.
Winner: North Carolina. We picked up the Southwest and Pacific Northwest under Polk's presidency. Sorry, Beefcake The Mighty.
No. 3 Illinois vs. No. 14 Penn
Others on the bench:Taylor Rooks, Tony Khan (AEW promoter), Shel Silverstein
A Joliet native,Offermangraduated from Illinois in 1993 and began his career in Chicago theater. He got his big break as Ron Swanson in NBC's "Parks and Recreation". Swanson's love for Bob Knight means we're running a motion offense and man-to-man defense with this squad… Steven Chen and Jawed Karim, two of the three founders ofYouTube, attended Illinois before meeting third co-founder Chad Hurley while working at PayPal. The second-most visited website in the world sold for $1.65 billion to Google, the most visited website in the world… Playboy's creator and editor-in-chief,Heffnergraduated from Illinois in 1949 after serving in the Army writing for the military newspaper… After serving in the Marines,Hackmanattended Illinois on the G.I. Bill. He had some iconic roles during his illustrious film career, Lex Luthor in "Superman", Norman Dale in "Hoosiers" and Popeye Doyle in "The French Connection"… A video game programmer,Booncreated "Mortal Kombat" which I sunk quite a few hours in during middle school.
The wealthiest person on Earth,Muskgot degrees in physics and economics from Penn in the 90s. The Tesla, SpaceX and X CEO was the largest donor for another Penn grad's presidential run in 2024 and even served as a senior advisor to the president...Trumpgot a degree in economics from Penn's Wharton School and began work at his dad's real estate company. Trump took over the family business in 1971 and was among the world's premier real estate moguls, building skyscrapers and golf courses across the globe. His book, "The Art of the Deal" was a New York Times bestseller and he gained even more fame from his NBC reality show "The Apprentice" from 2004-15. He won the 2016 presidential election over Hillary Clinton, lost to the 2020 race to Joe Biden, and then won again in 2024, making him just the second president to serve non-consecutive terms (Grover Cleveland)…Banksgraduated magna cum laude with a degree in communications. She got her big break in 2001 comedy "Wet Hot American Summer". She played Betty Brant in the "Spider-Man" trilogy and was Effie in "The Hunger Games" movies…Legendenrolled at Penn when he was just 16 and graduated magna cum laude. He's released 10 studio albums, winning 13 Grammy Awards. His songs "All of Me" and "Ordinary People" hit No. 1 on the charts and he's sold over 10 million albums…Povichgot a degree in TV journalism from Penn and is known for his talk show "Maury", which ran from 1991 to 2022. "You are the father!"
Winner: Illinois. Another tough one, but it boils down to YouTube > Twitter. "Finish him."
No. 7 Saint Mary's vs No. 10 Texas A&M
SAINT MARY'S
On the bench: Tony Martin,Jennifer Chambliss Bertman (author), Tom Candiotti (former MLB pitcher)
Aliis the headliner here. He played Remy in Netflix political drama "House of Cards" and won two Academy Awards for his roles in "Moonlight" and "Green Book". He also starred in the latest Jurassic Park alongside Scarlett Johansson… The 2021 NL Cy Young award winner,Burnesis a four-time All-Star and led the NL in strikeouts in 2022…Goldenstarted 82 games at guard for the Gaels basketball team between 2004-08. Now, Florida's head coach, he's looking to guide the Gators to back-to-back national championships…Dieneris credited with helping rebuild the nearby Napa Valley as wine hub after Prohibition… Bill Murray's younger brother, you knowDoyle-Murrayfor his roles in "Caddyshack" and "Groundhog Day" alongside his brother, but also as Jack Ruby in Oliver Stone's "JFK" and Noah Vanderhoff in "Wayne's World".
On the bench:Johnny Manziel (Heisman Trophy winner), PC Principal ("South Park"), Rick Perry (former Texas governor)
A two-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year (including last season),Garrettis an absolute game-wrecker. Cleveland made him the No. 1 overall pick in the 2017 NFL draft and Garrett has provided 125.5 sacks, including an NFL single-season record of 23 last season…Tornis perhaps best known for his role as Artie on "The Larry Sanders Show," which earned him six Emmy nominations. He's appeared in a number of comedies, including as Zed in "Men in Black" and Patches O'Houlihan in "Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story." ... A fixture on the country music scene,Lovetthas won four Grammy Awards, but is really remembered for shockingly marrying Julia Roberts in 1993. They divorced less than two years later but imagine all the heartbreak songs that came from it...Menchacagraduated from A&M with a degree in English. He's appeared in shows such as HBO's "Generation Kill", Amazon Prime's "Jack Ryan", Showtime's "Homeland" and Netflix's "Ozark". Not a bad list… You may not knowBroski's name, but you likely know her face. She's the "Kombucha girl" meme. Did it taste good? No. Maybe. Yes. No. She graduated magna cum laude from A&M and has more than 7 million followers on TikTok.
Winner: Saint Mary's. No offense to Kombucha Girl, but I had to use Kombucha Girl to fill out A&M's roster.
No. 2 Houston vs. No. 15 Idaho
On the bench:Chamillionaire (rapper), Randy Quaid (actor), Brent Spiner (Data in "Star Trek")
Parsonsplayed theoretical physicist Sheldon Cooper in CBS' "Big Bang Theory" for 12 seasons. His character was so popular, CBS created a spinoff called "Young Sheldon"...Nantzgolfed for the Cougars (Fred Couples was his roommate) and majored in broadcasting. He joined CBS in 1985 and became the face of the network's sports coverage, calling The Masters, Final Four and NFL…Quaidhas an impressive filmography that includes "Breaking Away," playing Jerry Lee Lewis in "Great Balls of Fire!", Jim Morris in "The Rookie" and Sam Houston in "The Alamo."...Lil Waynegot his GED and attended Houston before dropping out because of his busy schedule. It worked out. He's gone on to become one of the most successful rappers of his generation and one of the world's best-selling artist. He surpassed Elvis Presley as the male musician with most Billboard Hot 100 hits (he has 109)… A country music icon,Rogershad plenty of hits too and sold more than 100 million albums. But to me at Kramer, he'll always be known him for some damn fine rotisserie chicken...
On the bench:Kristin Armstrong (three-time gold medal cyclist), Bill Stoneman (MLB pitcher, former Angels GM), Bob Dillinger (MLB third baseman), Tom Cable (former NFL coach), Mark Schlereth (former NFL lineman, TV analyst)
A Twin Falls, Idaho native,Feltworked at the FBI from 1942 to 1973, and in 2005 he revealed he was "Deep Throat" in the Watergate scandal who provided leaks to Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein… The former governor of Alaska,Palinwas thrust into the national spotlight when she was added as John McCain's running mate in the 2008 presidential campaign. If she could see Russia from her house, it almost makes sense she went to a college in Moscow (Idaho, that is)… A defensive and offensive lineman for the Vandals,Fagerbakkeis known for his role as "Dauber" in ABC's 90s football sitcom "Coach". Perhaps more importantly, he voices Patrick Star in "SpongeBob SquarePants"… The reigning decathlon world champion,O'Brienwas supposed to be one of the poster boys for 1992 Barcelona Olympics with plenty of Reebok commercials but failed to qualify at the U.S. trials. He rebound in the 1996 Summer Olympics, winning a gold medal in Atlanta… A member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame,Kramerplayed both ways for the Vandals before being drafted by Green Bay in 1957. He won five NFL championships (pre-Super Bowl) and the Packers' Super Bowl I and II title teams. He was named to the NFL's 50thAnniversary All-Time team and his number 64 is retired at Idaho.
Winner: Houston. Felt ruined one presidency and Palin prevented another.
SECOND ROUND
Prairie View A&M vs. Iowa: Gene Wilder goes "Stir Crazy". Iowa wins.
Vanderbilt vs. Nebraska: The Cornhuskers git-r-done. Nebraska wins.
North Carolina vs. Illinois: The folks in Chicago are conflicted because of Jordan's greatness. But an entire generation only know about it by watching YouTube highlights. Illinois wins.
Saint Mary's vs. Houston: Sheldon Cooper comes up with the right equation. Houston wins.
Iowa vs. Nebraska: "Is this heaven?" "No, it's Iowa." Hawkeyes win.
Illinois vs. Houston: As Kenny Rogers sang, "You've got to know when hold 'em. Know when to fold 'em. Know when to walk away. And know when to run." It's time for the Cougars to run. Illinois wins.
ELITE EIGHT
Iowa vs. Illinois: Went to the actor-played-football coach tiebreaker. Dennis Quaid played Ben Schwartzwalder in "The Express". Gene Hackman played Jimmy McGinty in "The Replacements". It wasn't even his best coaching role. Illinois wins.
Midwest
First Four
No. 16 UMBC vs No. 16 Howard
On the bench:Jonathan Schaech (actor, "That Thing You Do!)
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Turnerearned a degree in fine arts from UMBC in 1977, the same year she made her TV debut in the NBC soap opera "The Doctors". She's known for her role opposite Michael Douglas in "Romancing the Stone" (1984) and "Peggy Sue Got Married" (1986). Turner also voiced Jessica Rabbit in "Who Framed Roger Rabbit… The "Ace of Cakes,"Duffman's custom cake shop in Baltimore is the basis for the popular Food Network reality TV show. The show lasted 10 seasons. Duffman made the cake for President Obama's second inauguration…Halkiasfinished a few credits short of graduating, but he's doing alright for himself as a stand-up comic. He also co-hosts a podcast, with most of his material is NSFW. He's also starred on Netflix comedy "Tires" alongside Shane Gillis…Mazino's breakout role was as Paul Cho in the Netflix comedy "Beef". He also starred in the second season of HBO's zombie drama "The Last of Us"…Seissis the "IKEA TikTok" guy, producing hilarious videos pretending to be a customer service rep who doesn't give a flip. He turned that popularity into a role in "Cocaine Bear".
On the bench:Kamala Harris (former U.S. vice president), Roberta Flack (singer), Toni Morrison (author, "The Color Purple"), Phylicia Rashad (actress, "Cosby Show"), Nick Cannon (TV host, actor), Marlon Wayans (comedian, actor)
Bosemanplayed Jackie Robinson in "42" and Vontae Mack in "Draft Day".Vontae Mack, no matter what.He was the title character in Marvel's "Black Panther". He died in 2020 at just 43 years old from colon cancer… One of Boseman's role was to play fellow Howard alum ThurgoodMarshallin the biopic about the nation's first Black Supreme Court justice. Marshall served on the Supreme Court from 1967 to 1991…Andersonattended Howard but left without graduating. He returned nearly 30 years later, earning a degree from the Chadwick A. Boseman College of Fine Arts. Anderson has been in plenty of comedic roles, including a starring role in ABC sitcom "Black-ish"…Hensonwas nominated for an Oscar for her supporting role in "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button", but she's known for her role as Cookie Lyon in "Empire". She also was great in "Hidden Figures"…Johnsonplayed baseball at Howard, and has to make this list for his contributions to March Madness as a broadcaster. He works for Fox now, so no more, "The glass still fits!"
Winner: Howard. I'm not trying to hurt Gus Johnson's feelings.
No. 11 Miami Ohio vs No. 11 SMU
MIAMI (OHIO)
On the bench:Chris Rose (sports announcer), Ben Roethlisberger (NFL quarterback), Bill Hemmer (Fox News)
Combshosted "Family Feud" from 1988-94…Emrick, who received his Masters from Miami, was among the best hockey play-by-play announcers of his generation. He retired in 2020 after a nearly 50 year-run and was the first media member elected to the United States Hockey Hall of Fame…Lacheyburst onto the scene with boy band 98 Degrees and went solo before going into reality TV with "Newlyweds: Nick and Jessica" with then-wife Jessica Simpson. He's hosted a number of shows since, including Netflix's "Love is Blind" with wife Vanessa Minnillo… Known for her role as Ginger in "Gilligan's Island",Louisealso made plenty of cameos in shows like "Dallas", "Knight Rider", "Roseanne" and "Married… with Children"… The United States' 23rdpresident,Harrisonserved just one term (1889-1893). He served in the Union army during the Civil War and is the grandson of Benjamin Harrison, who was the ninth U.S. president. The building that houses Miami's political science department was renamed Harrison Hall in his honor.
On the bench:Jim Irsay (former Colts owner), Stephen Tobolowsky (Ned Ryerson in "Groundhog Day"), Powers Boothe (actor), Whitney Wolfe Herd (co-founder of Tinder)
Bateswon an Oscar for her chilling portrayal of the feet-smashing kidnapper in "Misery" and has appeared in countless other films. We won't forget her role as Bobby Boucher's mother in "The Waterboy"… Kevin from "The Office",Baumgartnergraduated from SMU in 1995. He was one of the unsung heroes of one of the greatest sitcoms of our generation… The former First Lady of the United States,Bushgraduated with an education degree from SMU in 1968, nine years before meeting her future husband and 43rd President George W. Bush, She is among the more popular First Ladies, dedicating her time to causes such as education and women's health…Graham, who received her master's in acting from SMU was the lead role the WB's "Gilmore Girls" which enjoyed a seven-year run. She played a main role in NBC drama "Parenthood"… Among his 200-plus producer credits are hits like "Charlie's Angels", "The Mod Squad" and "Beverly Hills 90210",Spellingwas a cheerleader during his days at SMU.
Winner: SMU. The 19th president of the United States is no match for Kevin from "The Office".
First Round
No. 1 Michigan vs No. 16 Howard
On the bench:Lucy Liu (actress), Gilda Radner (comedian), Mike Wallace ("60 Minutes"), Ann B. Davis (Alice in "The Brady Bunch")
Jonesattended Michigan with hopes of becoming a doctor but soon found theater more interesting. He also served in the school's ROTC and served in the Army during the Korean War. The voice of Mufasa, Darth Vader and CNN, Jones' booming voice is unmistakable... Arguably the greatest quarterback of all-time, no one predicted that forBradyahead of the 2000 NFL draft. The 199thoverall pick that year, Brady won seven Super Bowls, three MVPs and holds the NFL records for career passing TDs and yards…Madonnaattended Michigan on a dance scholarship but dropped out and moved to New York. She then went on to become one of the most iconic pop stars in music history… A Detroit-born actor/comedian,Grierrose to prominence for his work on Fox's sketch comedy show "Living Color." He also appeared in "Boomerang," "Blankman" and "Jumanji"... A neurosurgeon with two degrees from Michigan,Guptais CNN's chief medical correspondent and has multiple Emmy Awards and gave the U-M commencement speed in 2012.
Winner: Michigan. Papa don't preach. The maize and blue move on.
No. 8 Georgia vs No. 9 Saint Louis
On the bench:Goldberg (wrestler), Josh Holloway (actor, "Lost"), Parvati Shallow ("Survivor" contestant), Kim Basinger (actress)
Growing up in Atlanta,Seacrestand I attended the same elementary school (Austin Elementary in Dunwoody, Ga.; not at the same time) and at that very school on career day,Johnsonstopped by to tell us about his blossoming TV career and to hand out signed cards. I remember it vividly. Seacrest has rode the "American Idol" wave to fame and Johnson was perfect as "Inside the NBA" ringleader…Knightis known primarily for his role as irrational postman Newman on "Seinfeld". He also was gobbled up by dinosaurs in "Jurassic Park"… All four members ofR.E.M. met at UGA and got their start in the Athens music scene. The band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and sold more than 90 million albums… Coach Eric Taylor on the TV-version of "Friday Night Lights",Chandlerhas also starred in Netflix drama "Bloodline" and will portray superhero Green Lantern in a new HBO series later this year.
SAINT LOUIS
On the bench:Robert Guillaume (actor, "Sports Night")
Director of the "Guardians of the Galaxy" franchise,Gunnalso wrote and directed the 2025 version of "Superman"… The one-armed man in "The Fugitive",Katsulaswas also known for his role in sci-fi shows "Babylon 5" and "Star Trek: The Next Generation"… Ed Harris portrayedKranzin "Apollo 13", which told the story of how Kranz led Misson Control's efforts to return the crew home safely after a failed mission. He also led the Apollo 11 mission, the first lunar landing with Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin.,, A comic book writer and editor,O'Neilis known for his work with Green Lantern and Batman. O'Neil's version of Batman was darker and the inspiration for Christopher Nolan's version in his Batman films…McBridewas a two-time All-American soccer player at SLU and played 96 times for the U.S. national team, including at three World Cups, and scored 30 goals for USMNT.
Winner: Georgia. "Clear eyes. Full hearts. Can't lose."
No. 5 Texas Tech vs No. 12 Akron
On the bench:G.W. Bailey (actor, "Police Academy"), John Hardwick (voice of Dale on "King of the Hill), Scott Pelley (CBS News, "60 Minutes")
Denver, who studied architecture at Texas Tech, recorded roughly 300 songs and sold more than 33 million albums worldwide during his career. He's one of the most iconic folk/country singers with hits like "Take Me Home, Country Roads", "Rocky Mountain High" and "Thank God I'm a Country Boy"… Runner-up on "Survivor: The Australian Outback" in 2001,Donaldsonhas appeared in three more seasons of the reality TV show, including this year's 50thseason…Eadsis best known for his role as Nick Stokes on CBS drama "CSI", appearing in 323 episodes from 2000-15. He also starred in the "MacGyver" reboot for three seasons…Lelandfeatured in "Friday Night Lights" the movie and the TV show. In the NBC drama, Leland starred as Buddy Garrity, Dillon's biggest booster. He also appeared in six episodes of HBO's "Veep" as Senator Bill O'Brien…Mahomesled the NCAA with 5,052 passing yards in 2016 and was taken No. 10 in the 2017 NFL draft by Kansas City. He's led the Chiefs to three Super Bowls, won two NFL MVPs and led the NFL in passing TDs twice.
On the bench:Jason Taylor (NFL)
Brownstarred as Shirley on NBC sitcom "Community" and before that was Helen on Nickelodeon's "Drake & Josh". She's also lent her voice to plenty of animated shows/films… A former Akron cheerleader,Bliss(born Alexis Kaufman in Columbus, Ohio) is one of the more popular female wrestlers in WWE. She's won multiple titles and was featured on the ninth season of "The Masked Singer"… A gold medalist at the 1996 Olympics as a member of USA gymnastics' team win,Moceanuattended Akron after her Olympic exploits and runs the Dominique Moceanu Gymnastics Center in nearby Medina, Ohio…The Black Keysrock group originated in Akron with Dan Auerbach (guitarist) and Patrick Carney (drummer), who grew up in same neighborhood and attended Akron before dropping out…Wallace, the Black comedian not the segregationist politician, enrolled at Akron as part of Firestone Tire's tuition reimbursement program. Despite not being that George Wallace, he still had a role in politics, playing The Mayor in "Batman Forever", Mayor Randolph in "Little Nicky" and Mayor Benson in "Hubie Halloween".
Winner: Akron. Personal preference, Black Keys over John Denver.
No. 4 Alabama vs No. 13 Hofstra
On the bench:Justin Thomas (PGA Tour golfer), Harper Lee (author, "How to Kill a Mockingbird)
Before he was "Broadway Joe",Namathled the Tide to a national title in Tuscaloosa. A member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, he backed up his Super Bowl III guarantee with an MVP performance leading the Jets past the Baltimore Colts…Gumpalso played for the Tide, "Run, Forrest, Run." While the fictional character attended Alabama, so did the man who wrote the book, Winston Groom…Russellis credited with inventing the sweatshirt and founded what became the Russell Athletic brand…Daviswas raised in Muscle Shoals, Alabama, and got his start in TV at a local Tuscaloosa station. He joined ESPN in 1995 and is now the one of the network's stars, hosting "College GameDay"… Another TV host,Collins'star has risen from starting at The Daily Caller as an entertainment reporter to being CNN's chief White House correspondent with a primetime slot, too.
On the bench:Madeline Kahn (actress, "Blazing Saddles"), Peter Dante (actor, "Grandma's Boy", "The Waterboy"), Peter Friedman (actor, "Succession"), Bernie Madoff, Katie Nolan (sports personality, podcast host)
The amount of familiar faces on Hofstra's alumni list is staggering. You may not know them all by name, but you most certainly know their faces. We'll start with the headliners:WalkenandCoppola. Walken attended for a year, studying dance. And now that Fatboy Slim music video makes all the sense in the world. He won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor in "The Deer Hunter". He's been in too many movies to count, but some of my favorites would be "Pulp Fiction", "Suicide Kings" and "King of New York"… Considered one of the greatest directors of his era, Coppola is a five-time Oscar winner and directed classics like "Apocalypse Now" and "The Godfather" trilogy…Starr's filmography includes "Goodfellas", "Uncle Buck" and "The Bodyguard", but he'll always be Joe Mentalino ("Gas man") from "Dumb and Dumber", the guy stuck in the middle of the front seat between Lloyd and Harry: "Want to hear the most annoying sound in the world?"…Mortonis another name you may not know, but you know his work. He was Dr. Miles Bennett Dyson in "Terminator 2", Mac in "Speed" and Silas Stone in the "Justice League" movies. He also won a Primetime Emmy for his role in ABC drama "Scandal"… Noticing a theme? How about one more character actor?Daviwas in "Goonies" and "Die Hard". That's instant inclusion.
Winner: Hofstra. I had more fun looking up Hofstra alumni than any other school.
No. 6 Tennessee vs No. 11 SMU
On the bench:Deanna Carter (country music singer), Logan Marshall-Green (actor), Cormac McCarthy (actor), Al Gore (former vice president)
Manningwon two Super Bowls, five MVPs and was voted to 14 Pro Bowls. He's arguably the greatest quarterback over the past quarter century. He's also one helluva "Saturday Night Live" host and pitchman… A billionaire booster for Tennessee athletics,Haslamis the founder of Pilot Flying J convenience stores and gas stations. The UT business school bears his name. His son, Jimmy, owns the Cleveland Browns, and his other son, Bill, is Tennessee's governor… Love him or hate him,Finebaumis one of ESPN's top college football voices. An unapologetic SEC homer, Finebaum's call-in radio show is a staple in the South…Tillman, known as Seth on Apple+ hit "Severance", graduated summa cum laude from Jackson State before becoming the first Black man to earn a Master of Fine Arts at Tennessee. He starred in the latest "Mission: Impossible" film and will play Ghost of Christmas Present in the upcoming film "Ebenezer: A Christmas Carol", starring Johnny Depp…Belairwas an All-American in track for the Volunteers and used her athletic background to launch a career in pro wrestling. She's among WWE's top female stars on its rosters, winning multiple championship belts.
Winner: Tennessee. My boss is a Tennessee grad. This is about self-preservation.
No. 3 Virginia vs No. 14 Wright State
On the bench:Don Shula (NFL coach), Boyd Tinsley (Dave Matthews Band), Sean Patrick Thomas (actor)
One of the funniest women around,Feywas fantastic on "Saturday Night Live" and NBC sitcom "30 Rock", which she created. She also created "Mean Girls", which holds personal significance to me because I proposed to my wife while she was watching it (take notes, gentlemen)…Couricenjoyed a 15-year run on NBC's "Today Show" and now hosts a podcast… At UVA to study ancient and modern languages,Poeattended the school in just its second year of existence (1826). A poet and author, Poe's work was often steeped in mystery and darkness, like his most notable works, "The Raven" and "The Tell-Tale Heart"… The co-founders ofReddit, Alexis Ohanian and Steve Huffman were roommates at Virginia. It's one of the most-visited websites in the world and you can cater it to any rabbit hole you want to go down… The originalDr. Pepper, he got his degree in medicine from UVA. One of Pepper's employees, Wade Morrison, later invented a soft drink named Waco in the 1800s, but renamed it Dr. Pepper to make it sound healthier.
WRIGHT STATE
On the bench:Vitaly Potapenko (former NBA player)
Scherzingerled the pop group Pussycat Dolls, which became one of the world's best-selling female groups. She won Buzz Aldrin's season of "Dancing With the Stars" and has been a judge on "The X Factor", "The Sing Off" and "The Masked Singer"…McClintockwas a regular on SyFy's "Warehouse 13," which had a six-yar run, and USA action drama "Shooter". He's appeared in "Modern Family", "Desperate Housewives" and "Bones"… An actor/comedian,Sherwoodwas a regular on the improv comedy show "Whose Line Is It Anyway?", popped up on VH-1 shows "I Love the 70s", "I Love The 80", "I Love the 90s", and even had a 20-episode run as a guest announcer on "The Price is Right"…Pollardis the founder, lead singer and only omnipresent member of Guided By Voices, a Dayton, Ohio indie rock band, which broke up a few times and has made up a few times...Beachlerwas the first Black Oscar winner in Best Production Design for her work on "Black Panther". She also worked on the Rocky sequel "Creed" and most recently "Sinners", where she's once again nominated for an Oscar.
Winner: Virginia. Dr. Pepper is my official drink. Wright State stood no chance.
No. 7 Kentucky vs No. 10 Santa Clara
Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone
On the bench:Michael Eaves (ESPN), Harry Dean Stanton (actor), Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (NBA), Tom Hammond (NBC Sports)
Big Blue Nation's superfan,Juddstarred in films such as "Kiss the Girls", "A Time to Kill" and "Double Jeopardy". She's been active in humanitarian work and as an activist for women's rights… A four-time Olympic gold medalist,McLaughlin-Levroneis the world record holder in the 400 meters. She set multiple records in her lone season at UK and is in the school's athletics hall of fame…Rileywas SEC Player of the Year in 1966 and led the Wildcats to the national title game, which ended with that famous loss to Texas Western. He had a meh pro career as a player but became one of the most-accomplished coaches in NBA history, winning five titles with the Showtime Lakers and the Miami Heat. He's added two titles with the Heat as an executive and is a member of the Basketball Hall of Fame…Kotche, the drummer for Grammy-winning band Wilco, received the Distinguished Alumnus Award from Kentucky's College of Fine Arts…Scopeswas charged with teaching evolution in Tennessee in 1925, a no-no back then. The trial drew national publicity, becoming the first to be nationally broadcast via radio. You were probably taught about it in high school.
SANTA CLARA
On the bench:Julie Ertz (women's soccer), Jerry Brown (former California governor), Khaled Hosseini (author, "The Kite Runner"), Mike Carey (NFL referee)
Nashled the Broncos to a first-round upset of No. 2 seed Arizona in the 1993 NCAA Tournament and led Santa Clara to two more NCAA trips before going No. 15 in the 1996 NBA draft. After two seasons in Phoenix, he was traded to Dallas before returning to Phoenix in 2004. He won back-to-back MVPs, was an eight-time All-Star and is fifth on the league's all-time assists list… The former San Francisco mayor,Newsomis in his second term as California governor and is expected to run for the Democratic nomination for president in 2028…Chastaintransferred to Santa Clara from California and led the Broncos to back-to-back College Cup appearances. She played 192 times for the U.S. women's national team, scoring 30 goals. Her penalty kick that won the 1999 World Cup over China – and subsequent shirt-shedding celebration – is one of the most iconic moments in American women sports history… The star of "S.W.A.T.",Mooreattended Santa Clara on baseball scholarship as a pitcher/outfielder and got a minor in Theater Arts. His breakthrough role was as Malcolm Winters in CBS soap opera, "The Young and the Restless"… A former NFL referee,Pereirawas promoted to NFL supervisor of officiating and joined Fox Sports as rules analyst in 2010. He's usually the one who tells you whatever you thought about a penalty or fumble is wrong.
Winner: Santa Clara. Steve Nash is a Tottenham fan. Have I mentioned they're the greatest team in the world?
No. 2 Iowa State vs No. 15 Tennessee State
On the bench:Thomas Harris MacDonald (father on interstate highways), Carrie Chapman Catt (women's suffrage leader)
The first Black student at Iowa State,Carverstudied botany and agriculture and as an elementary school student, you're taught about his 100 different ways to use peanuts. He was also big on sweet potatoes and soybeans… A member of the Candy Hall of Fame,Stoverstudied chemistry at ISU and his name is synonymous with Valentine's Day chocolate…Haliburtonnearly pushed the Indiana Pacers to their first NBA championship last season before suffering a torn Achilles in Game 7. A two-time All-Star, he'll miss the entire 2025-26 season, but will hope to get Indiana back on track next year… Sanderson went 159-0 as an Iowa State wrestler and went on to win gold in the 2004 Athens Olympics. He coached three seasons at his alma mater before heading to Penn State and has turned the Nittany Lions into an absolute dynasty, winning 12 team national championships since 2010…Soulesappeared on the 10thseason of "The Bachelorette" but was friend-zoned in the final three. But he won over enough fans to be brought back as "The Bachelor" in season 19. (Spoiler alert: It didn't work out.) He's also appeared on "Dancing with the Stars".
TENNESSEE STATE
On the bench:Chandra Cheeseborough (Olympic gold medalist), Young Buck (rapper)
Oprahis a good place to start. One of the most influential women in the world and a billionaire, "The Oprah Winfrey Show" ran for 25 years and was the gold standard for daytime TV talk shows, winning 19 Daytime Emmys. She launched her own network and has been active in philanthropy and politics…Rudolphwon three gold medals in the 1960 Rome Olympics (100m, 200m and 4x100m relay), becoming the first American woman to win three gold medals in one Olympics…Barnettwas inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 2024. Well overdue. A three-time All-American at Tennessee State, he led the team to three straight NAIA national titles, becoming the first historically Black college to win an integrated men's basketball title. He played 14 seasons of pro basketball, was a two-time NBA champion with the New York Knicks (1970 and 1973) and has his No. 12 jersey retired… A dominant force for the Monsters of the Midway,Denthunted quarterbacks for the vaunted 1985 Chicago Bears defense and won Super Bowl XX MVP honors. He played 15 seasons in the NFL, finishing with 137½ sacks and 37 forced fumbles. When he retired, only Bruce Smith and Reggie White had more career sacks… At 6-foot-9,Jonesattended TSU on a basketball scholarship but quit to play football instead. A two-time All-American, he was the first player from a historically Black college to be drafted No. 1 overall when the Dallas Cowboys took him with the first pick in 1974. The gigantic defensive end was a three-time Pro Bowler and he helped the Cowboys win Super Bowl XII.
Winner: Tennessee State. Iowa State gave us peanut butter and chocolate, but Tennessee State gave me the only Chicago Bears Super Bowl MVP in history.
SECOND ROUND
Michigan vs. Georgia: Newman was a greater villain than Darth Vader. Georgia wins.
Akron vs. Hofstra: Just too many character actors for Akron to handle. Hofstra wins.
Tennessee vs. Virginia: Reddit is great for college football and history rabbit holes. This is no contest. Virginia win.
Santa Clara vs. Tennessee State: Too tall? Too much for Santa Clara. Tennessee State wins.
Georgia vs. Hofstra: I got a fever, and the prescription is more Hofstra. Hofstra wins.
Virginia vs. Tennessee State: "You get a car! You get a car!" And at some point, we had to use the Oprah card. Tennessee State wins.
ELITE EIGHT
Hofstra vs. Tennessee State: We're going to forget "Godfather III" was ever made. Hofstra wins.
West
First Four
No. 11 Texas vs No. 11 NC State
On the bench:Robert Rodriguez (director), Michael Dell (computers), Scottie Scheffler (PGA Tour), Wes Anderson (director)
McConaugheygraduated from UT in 1993 and can often be spotted on the sidelines of big Longhorns games. He got his big break in "Dazed and Confused" and won an Academy Award for best actor in 2013 for "Dallas Buyers Club". He's generally great in all his roles, including personal favorites "Interstellar" and "Contact"… Zellweger also starred in "Dazed and Confused", which was directed by Texas alum Richard Linklater, but got her big break as Tom Cruise's love interest in "Jerry Maguire". She also starred as the lead in "Bridget Jones's Diary" and the subsequent sequels… Powell spent one year at Texas — "the greatest year of my entire life" — but re-enrolled in hopes of finishing his degree by next spring.Powellis one of the new "it" actors, starring in "Top Gun: Maverick", "Twisters", "The Running Man" remake and the Hulu comedy "Chad Powers"… Whether it's in "Zoolander", "Wedding Crashers" or "Meet the Parents",Wilsonhas done a great job making us laugh, but he also made us cry in "Marley and Me"… The star of "Charlie's Angels",Fawcettstudied microbiology at Texas before getting her start in modeling when she was named among the campus' 10 most beautiful co-eds. The rest is history after that…
On the bench:Spud Webb (NBA), Terry Gannon (golf announcer), Lara Trump
Burr, who attended NC State for two semesters before headed back to his home state of Massachusetts, is one of the most popular stand-up comedians right now and has appeared in numerous films and TV shows, including recurring roles in "Breaking Bad" and "Chapelle Show"... A Wilkesboro, N.C. native,Galifianakisattended, but didn't graduate from NC State. A comedian with bit roles early in his career, he gained fame for his role as Alan in "The Hangover" trilogy… The daughter of Nature Boy Ric Flair,Flairhas had a successful pro wrestling career of her own. A 14-time WWE champion, Flair's 2019 match against Becky Lynch and Rhonda Rousey was first time a women's match headlined a WrestleMania… A former co-host of "Entertainment Tonight" and sportscaster,Teshis also an accomplished pianist, whose greatest achievement was providing us "Roundball Rock," better known as the NBA on NBC theme song in the 90s – which has made a comeback… A linebacker and team MVP his senior year for the Wolfpack,Cowherwas mostly a special teams player during his five-year NFL playing career. As a coach, Cowher led the Steelers to the Super Bowl title in 1995 and he retired with a 161-99-1 coaching record before joining CBS' football coverage.
Winner: Texas. Alright, alright, alright. Longhorns in a romp.
First round
No. 1 Arizona vs No. 16 LIU
On the bench:Savannah Guthrie ('Today Show' host), Jerry Bruckheimer (director/producer), Geraldo Rivera (TV host).
Kinneargot his start with E!'s "Talk Soup" and was nominated for an Oscar for his role opposite Jack Nicholson in "As Good As It Gets." He's been in a bunch of other stuff, including playing Dick Vermeil in "Invincible"… A "Saturday Night Live" mainstay from 2005-12,Wiigbroke out on the big screen with the hilarious "Bridesmaids"… No one had a better run of movies in the 80s/early 90s thanHughes. He either wrote or directed the following: "National Lampoon's Vacation", "National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation", "The Breakfast Club", "Ferris Bueller's Day Off", "Weird Science", "Pretty in Pink", "Home Alone", "Uncle Buck" and "The Great Outdoors", among many others…Nelsonwill always be known for his role in "Coach" as Hayden Fox leading the Minnesota State Screaming Eagles (and later Orlando Breakers). Other notable roles included Steve Freeling in "Poltergeist", Coach Nickerson in "All the Right Moves", voice for Mr. Incredible in Disney's "The Incredibles" and Zeek in "Parenthood"… The socialite and reality TV star,Kardashianbegan college at SMU before finishing at Arizona, earning a degree in Theatre Arts.
LONG ISLAND
On the bench:Brian Kilmeade (Fox News), Denise Vasi (actress, "All My Children")
Lequizamohas an impressive filmography, including "Carlito's Way" "Romeo + Juliet", "Spawn" and "Crash." He played Luigi in the 1993 version of "Super Mario Bros" and provides the voice for Sid the Sloth in the "Ice Age" films…Jackeeplayed Sandra in the 1980s sitcom "227" and Lisa in the WB comedy series "Sister, Sister." She also featured alongside Rodney Dangerfield in a personal favorite "Ladybugs"…Meyeris best known for her role in "Starship Troopers" but also had starring roles in the "Saw" horror film series and "Star Trek: Nemesis"…Dobyattended LIU on a basketball scholarship but signed to play baseball with the Newark Eagles of the Negro National League three months into his LIU stint. He joined the Navy during World War II and returned to baseball after the war. He was the second Black player to reach Major League Baseball, and the first to join from the Negro League. A center fielder for Cleveland, Doby went to seven straight All-Star games and finished second in the AL MVP vote in 1954 after leading the league with 32 home runs and 126 RBIs. He was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1998… A former journalist with the AP and New Yorker Magazine,Pileggiwrote the non-fiction books that were the basis for iconic mob movies "Goodfellas" and "Casino."
Winner: Arizona. John Hughes didn't miss in the 80s. The Wildcats don't miss here.
No. 8 Villanova vs No. 9 Utah State
On the bench:Jim Croce (musician), Jill Biden (former First Lady), Tim Donaghy (former NBA referee)
Born and raised in Oklahoma,Keithattended Villanova from 1979-1980 in hopes of becoming a petroleum engineer. He returned to Oklahoma and was a member of the Sooners' football team, but never actually played. One of country music's most successful artists, Keith sold more than 40 million albums worldwide and received an honorary degree from 'Nova… The first American pope, Robert Francis Prevost – nowPope Leo XIV– attended Villanova received a bachelor's degree in mathematics in 1977 and was awarded an honorary doctor of humanities in 2014… The King of the Flat Top,Longplayed 13 years for the Raiders in his Hall of Fame career before transitioning to TV as part of Fox's "NFL Sunday" crew. He's also tried his hand in acting with roles in "Broken Arrow" and "Firestorm"… A political science major at Villanova,Bellowas nominated for a best actress Golden Globe for her role in "A History of Violence" and played Kevin James' wife in "Grown Ups" and "Grown Ups 2". She appeared in the Amazon series "Goliath" opposite Billy Bob Thornton and was a regular on CBS drama "NCIS"…Rubin, who attended Villanova for a semester, is the founder and CEO of Fanatics and has made billions selling sports team gear.
A Clearfield, Utah native, Bushnell was named among Newsweek's "50 Men Who Changed America". I'm assuming it had more to do with him establishing Atari and less Chuck E. Cheese, though he founded both. A member of the Video Game Hall of Fame, he began at Utah State before finishing at Utah and getting an MBA at Stanford… Baldwin attended BYU then Utah State and Stanford, getting a degree in electrical engineering. He's credited with inventing headphones, which anyone sitting next to kid playing on their iPad on a plane can very much appreciate…Edwardsplayed football at Utah State before becoming one of the most-successful college football coaches of his era. He led BYU to 257 wins from 1972-2000, including the 1984 national championship…Lovethrew more than 8,500 yards in his three seasons at Utah State and was drafted in the first round by the Green Bay Packers in 2020 as Aaron Rodgers heir apparent. After three years as Rodgers' understudy, Love got his chance and has thrown 80 touchdowns over the past three seasons and signed a $220 million contract in 2024…Hemsleyco-founded Crumbl Cookie while attending Utah State. And now the company is worth nearly $2 billion – and helping BYU keep its coach from the likes of Penn State.
Winner: Utah State. Hard to pick against the Pope. But Atari? His Holiness will understand.
No. 5 Wisconsin vs No. 12 High Point
On the bench:Dan "Big Cat" Katz (Barstool Sports), Drew Binsky (travel vlogger), Bud Selig (former MLB commissioner), Anders Holm ("Workaholics")
Lindberghdropped out in the middle of his sophomore year at Wisconsin before pursuing a career in aviation, which included the first solo flight across the Atlantic Ocean as well as 50 combat missions over the Pacific… Speaking of "Fly Like an Eagle",Millerheadlined the aptly named "Steve Miller Band", which also had hits "The Joker" and "Take the Money and Run"…Hallis the video game designer behind "Doom" and "Wolfenstein 3D". IYKYK…Cusackhas appeared in more than 50 movies, starting in 1980. Among her best films, "My Blue Heaven", "Working Girl", "Grosse Pointe Blank" and "In & Out". She's also the voice of Jessie in the "Toy Story" movies… No matter what role he plays,Scottwill always be known as Stiffler from "American Pie." That said, he was great as Doug the Thug in hockey comedy "Goon".
The 2018 Daytona 500 winner,Dillonhas nearly 450 NASCAR races under his belt over 16 years. He has six NASCAR Cup Series wins and 85 top 10s. He also competed in the Little League World Series in Williamsport, Pennsylvania…Smithattended High Point after having a basketball scholarship offer from Maryland rescinded. He was all-conference his senior year at High Point and got his coaching start at high schools. His first college head coaching job was at Tulsa, before moving on to Georgia and then Kentucky where coached from 1997-2007. He won the NCAA title in 1998 and led the Wildcats to five SEC titles. He also coached at Minnesota, Texas Tech and Memphis before finishing his career at his alma mater from 2018-22. His career record was 642-369 (.635)… A novelist and non-fiction writer,Pricehas published books on the Civil War, American Revolution and the Wild West…Fargohad a few top 10 hits on the country music charts in the 1970s, including , "The Happiest Girl in the Whole USA" and "Funny Face". She won one Grammy and five Academy of Country Music Awards…Allenplayed eight Major League seasons, exclusively as a relief pitcher. He spent seven years with Cleveland, who drafted him out of High Point in the 23rdround of the 2011 MLB draft. He had a career 24-31 record with 153 saves and 3.14 ERA in 481 games.
Winner: Wisconsin. Since "Fly Like an Eagle" was playing on the radio when I drove my wife to the hospital while she was in labor in a snowstorm, Badgers win.
No. 4 Arkansas vs No. 13 Hawaii
On the bench:Pat Summerall (longtime football broadcaster), Tyson Gay (Olympic sprinter), Ben Rector (musician).
We couldn't do an Arkansas list and leave off a Walton. Samuel RobsonWaltonis the billionaire heir to the family fortune and was Walmart chairman from 1992-2015. He's worth an estimated $145 billion and owns the Denver Broncos… Another NFL owner,Joneswas an offensive lineman and co-captain on the 1964 national championship team. He struck it rich in oil and gas and bought the Dallas Cowboys in 1989. Dallas has won three Super Bowls under his ownership, however the team has just two playoff wins over the past 10 years…Johnsonwas a teammate of Jones in Fayetteville and was hired to coach the Cowboys in 1989 and led America's Team to back-to-back Super Bowl titles (1992-93). He then coached the Dolphins for four seasons before going into TV and was a fixture on Fox's pregame show…Dalyburst onto the scene winning the 1991 PGA Championship. Known for drinking beers and smoking cigarettes on the course, and his I-don't-give-a-blank attitude, Daly added a British Open title in 1995. He won five times on the PGA Tour… An inventor and physicist,Kellerdesigned and owns the patent for first implantable atrial synchronous heart pacemaker.
On the bench:Kolten Wong (baseball player), Ken Niumatalolo (college football coach)
Midleris the headliner here. I may or may not have danced with my mom at my wedding to "You Are the Wind Beneath my Wings". Midler has won four Golden Globes, three Grammy Awards, was awesome in "Hocus Pocus" and "The First Wives Club"… "Aloha means goodbye," wasBiel's home run catchphrase on ESPN's "SportsCenter". Appropriate considering Biel graduated from the island university…Elamspent 15 of his 17 years in the NFL with the Denver Broncos, winning two Super Bowls and earning three Pro Bowl trips. In 1998, he tied the NFL record for longest field goal, hitting one from 63 yards out. That record has since been broken. He's eighth in NFL history with 1,983…Inouye, who received a Medal of Honor for heroism during World War II, was a US senator from Hawaii from 1963 to his death in 2012. Heckuva run. When Hawaii was named a state, he was its first member of the US House of Representatives. The airport in Honolulu bears his name…Obama Sr.was born in Kenya and was Hawaii's first African foreign student in 1959. He met his wife there and in 1961, she gave birth to Barack Obama II, who would later become US president.
Winner: Arkansas. Despite my appreciate for Bette Midler, John Daly won the PGA Championship two miles from my front door.
No. 6 BYU vs No. 11 Texas
On the bench:Mitt Romney (politician), Steve Young (Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback, analyst), Stephanie Meyer ('Twilight' author).
Jenningsset a "Jeopardy!" record with 74 straight wins, claiming $2.5 mullion in prize money during the streak. After Alex Trebek's death, Jennings split hosting duties with Mayim Bialik before being made full-time host in 2023…Eckhart's acting credits include coach Nick Crozier in "Any Given Sunday", Harvey Dent in "The Dark Knight" and President Benjamin Asher in "Olympus Has Fallen"…Heder's filmography is less impressive than Eckhart's but his role as the title character in "Napoleon Dynamite" was a cultural phenomenon. He also appeared in "The Benchwarmers" and "Blades of Glory"… An inventor,Farnsworthwas granted the first patent for the television in 1927 and commercially produced fully functioning TVs. According to an interview with his wife, Farnsworth wasn't sure about his invention's value until they saw Neil Armstrong walk on the moon. "This has made it all worthwhile." … Another inventor,Fletcheris credited with creating the first electronic hearing aid.
Winner: Texas. It's so hard to pick against the TV. But Texas has stars on the big screen.
No. 3 Gonzaga vs No. 14 Kennesaw State
On the bench:Carl Pohland (former Minnesota Twins owner)
An American icon,Crosbywas the nation's top singing and acting star for 20 years (1934-54) and in the mid-1940s, the American public declared him the "most admired man alive" — ahead of the Pope. How big was Crosby? He has three stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame… The NBA's all-time assists and steals leader,Stocktonwas a 10-time All-Star, member of the 1992 U.S. Dream Team and is in the Pro Basketball Hall of Fame… In 1978,Wickwirebecame the first American to reach the summit of K2, the world's second-highest, and perhaps most dangerous mountain… Gonzaga dropped its football program in 1941, but still managed to produce two Pro Football Hall of Famers inCanaedoandFlaherty. A running back and defensive back, Canaedo played his entire career with the Packers, who retired his No. 3. Flaherty, a three-time NFL champion (once as a player and twice as a coach), had his number retired by the Giants (No. 1) and is credited with inventing the screen pass in 1937.
KENNESAW STATE
Born Bronson Rechsteiner,Breakkeris the son of WWF Hall of Famer Rick Steiner. Breakker played football at Kennesaw State and signed with Baltimore as an undrafted free agent. Football didn't work out, but Breakker is one of the top WWE stars right now and has won multiple titles. His signature spear move is basically textbook tackle form and is devastating…Burkeis known for her role in "Saints & Sinners", a soap opera that aired on Bounce TV from 2016-2022. She's also starred in "The Vampire Diaries" and CBS' new soap opera "Beyond the Gates"…ReeseTeesahas 3.3 million TikTok followers thanks to her "Who TF Did I Marry" 50-part series. The series focused on her husband's deception and fabricated identity and it was announced a TV adaptation was in the works…theRadBrad, Bradley Colburn, is a YouTuber with nearly 14 million subscribers. He provides video game tips and walkthroughs. Basically what the GamePro magazine used to do. Cheat codes…Nelsonwon 10 times on the PGA Tour, including three majors (1981, 1987 PGA Championship and 1983 US Open). He won 19 times on the Champions Tour and is a member of the World Golf Hall of Fame.
Winner: Kennesaw State. Just trying to avoid getting speared by Breakker.
No. 7 Miami vs No. 10 Missouri
MIAMI (FL.)
On the bench:Jeff Garlin (actor/comedian), Gene Roddenberry ("Star Trek" creator), Gianmarco Soresi (comedian/podcaster), Drew Rosenhaus (sports agent)
Johnson, formerly The Rock, played football for Miami, winning a national title in 1991. He turned to wrestling and became a star. He made the crossover to film and has been one of Hollywood's leading men the past decade. They'll be rolling him out for "The Fast and the Furious 53" in no time…Liottawill forever be remembered for his role as Henry Hill in "Goodfellas", but he was awesome as Shoeless Joe Jackson in "Field of Dreams" too…Stalloneattended, but never graduated from Miami, but he was awarded a bachelor of fine arts degree in 1999. He gave us "Rocky," "Rambo," "Cliffhanger" and "Don't Stop or my Mom Will Shoot"… The lead singer of the Miami Sound Machine,Estefangraduated from Miami in 1979 with a degree in psychology. She's sold more than 120 million records worldwide and won five Grammy Awards… A social media influencer,Earlehas 8.3 million followers on TikTok, was on the latest season of "Dancing with the Stars" and is reportedly dating Tom Brady.
On the bench:George C. Scott (actor, "Patton"), Andrew Cherng (founder of Panda Express), Samuel M. Walton (founder of Walmart)
Team heartthrob with Pitt and Hamm.Pittleft weeks before finishing a degree to move to L.A. It worked out. Among the most recognizable actors of the past 30-plus years, Pitt has two Academy Awards and his performance as Billy Beane in "Moneyball" makes it one of the most rewatchable sports films… A St. Louis native,Hammtransferred to Missouri after a hazing incident at Texas. He started acting in 1995 but got his big breakthrough as Don Draper in AMC drama "Mad Men" (2007-15), which earned him Golden Globe, Emmy and SAG awards… A folk singer with a music education degree from Mizzou,Crowhas sold more than 50 million albums worldwide and has won nine Grammy Awards… An Oscar winner for best supporting actor ("Adaptation"),Cooperhad standout roles in "American Beauty", "The Patriot" and "A Time To Kill"…Berengeris on this list solely for his role as Jake Taylor in "Major League" – the greatest sports movie of all-time.
Winner: Missouri. There's some real star power in this matchup, but Brad Pitt is still at the top of his game. "F1" was awesome.
No. 2 Purdue vs No. 15 Queens
On the bench:Elwood Mead (oversaw Hoover Dam construction), Drew Brees (NFL quarterback), Robert C. Baker (invented the chicken nugget)
The first man to walk on the moon,Armstronghas a statue on Purdue's campus, celebrating his achievement and school's aeronautical prowess… A Chesterton, Indiana native,Gaffiganattended Purdue for a year before transferring to Georgetown. A former Purdue football walk-on, Gaffigan went into comedy/acting and is a popular pitchman… At Purdue,Redenbachercompeted in track, performed in marching band and graduated with a degree in agronomy. He developed his famous popcorn in Valparaiso, which still hosts an annual popcorn festival in Redenbacher's honor… Before he was building a dynasty at UCLA,Woodenwon a national title as a player with the Boilermakers in 1932 (prior to the advent of the NCAA tournament). He won 10 more titles in a 12-year span as a coach with the Bruins, giving birth to the Wizard of Westwood legend… We're cheating a little here withBrown, who studied via Purdue's online university. But since "Stranger Things" is set in fictional Hawkins, Indiana, we'll let it slide.
Best known for playing Oliver Hampton on ABC drama "How to get Away with Murder",Ricamorahas also appeared in Broadway musicals, including "The King and I" and was nominated for a Tony Award and two Grammy Awards for Best Musical Theater Album. His film acting credits include the DMV officer in "Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby"…Wheelerstarred in the Olsen twins-led comedy "Two of a Kind". She played Mary-Kate and Ashley's babysitter. She's also had cameo's in "Spin City", "As the World Turns", "Guiding Light" and "Blue Bloods"… Charlotte's mayor since 2017,Lylesgot a political science degree from Queens… An author and comic book writer,Wendigis best known for his "Star Wars: Aftermath" trilogy…Aspdenwon two gold medals swimming at the 2020 Paralympic Games (100 backstroke and 4x100 relay).
Winner: Purdue. Boilers' bench would have won this one.
SECOND ROUND
Arizona vs. Utah State: Was leaning Utah State, but those $10 cookies ain't for me. Arizona wins.
Wisconsin vs. Arkansas: "Goon" is too good to let Jerry Jones advance. Wisconsin wins.
Texas vs. Kennesaw State: McConaughey was so good "Interstellar". Texas wins.
Missouri vs. Purdue: The man who walked on the moon or the man who starred in "Major League"? Missouri wins.
Arizona vs. Wisconsin: Again, you can't understate John Hughes' filmography. And Craig T. Nelson was great in "Troop Beverly Hills". Arizona wins.
Texas vs. Missouri: The hearthrob matchup. McConaughey & Powell vs. Hamm & Pitt. They cancel each other out. Owen Wilson is the wild card. Texas wins.
ELITE EIGHT
Arizona vs. Texas: We haven't had to lean into Farrah Fawcett yet. Now's the time. Texas wins.
Final Four
Illinois vs. UCLA: My mom went to Illinois, but that's not enough to tip the scales here. UCLA's star power overcomes my appreciation for Ron Swanson. UCLA wins it.
Texas vs. Hofstra: Hofstra's Cinderella run ends here. While the character actors helped get them here, their lack of name recognition catches up to the Pride. Texas wins it.
NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP
UCLA vs. Texas: As cool as Alyssa Liu was in Milan, the Bruins stick the landing here. And a deep bench of Mila Kunis, The Doors, Sean Astin, Dax Shepard, Heather Locklear, Gabrielle Union and Ben Stiller helps push UCLA to the title. Sorry, I went Hollywood. UCLA wins it.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:March Madness celebrity bracket: Which school has most famous alumni
There are many ways to fill out yourMarch Madness bracket. Team color. Mascots. Geography. Maybe even basketball knowledg...
