March Madness: From chalk to chaos — ranking the best Final Four possibilities

With 16 teams still alive in the NCAA men’s tournament, there are 256 potential Final Four combinations left. Here’s a look at 16 compelling ones, some chosen for basketball reasons and others chosen for reasons scarcely related to basketball at all.

1. Chalk Final Four: Duke, Houston, Arizona, Michigan

This Final Four would feature three No. 1 seeds and the highest-rated No. 2. Reigning national champion Florida’s stunning second-round loss to Iowa this past Sunday ensured that all four No. 1 seeds would not make the Final Four for the second straight year.

2. Chaos Final Four: St. John’s, Iowa, Texas, Tennessee

Could a chalky opening weekend give way to a chaotic second week? This quartet is difficult to fathom, but St. John’s is the double Big East champion, Tennessee obliterates opponents on the offensive glass, Texas is peaking at the right time and Iowa will go into single-elimination games confident it can out-scheme any opponent.

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3. The Brainiac Final Four: Duke, Illinois, Texas, Michigan

According to U.S. News and World Report, Duke (7), Michigan (20), Texas (30) and Illinois (36) are the highest-rated academic institutions in their regions.

4. The Party School Final Four: Michigan State, Illinois, Arizona, Alabama

Alabama (6) is the NCAA tournament’s top remaining party school, according to Niche.com. There’s also no shortage of fun to be had at Illinois (13), Michigan State (23), Michigan (24), Iowa (26), Texas (33) and Arizona (39).

Nebraska wasn’t even ranked heading into the season. Now, the Cornhuskers are in the Sweet 16. (Shane Bevel/NCAA Photos via Getty Images)

(Shane Bevel via Getty Images)

5. The nobody believed in us Final Four: Michigan State, Nebraska, Texas, Tennessee

Texas, Nebraska and Iowa are the only three programs that began the season unranked yet advanced to the Sweet 16. The Huskers weren’t even among the “others receiving votes” in the preseason AP poll. Tennessee began the season No. 18, while Michigan State was the AP’s preseason No. 22.

6. The mascot fight to the death Final Four: Duke, Houston, Arizona, Iowa State

Advantage, Iowa State Cyclones. A catastrophic weather event capable of leveling buildings is going to be tough to beat.

7. Final Four guaranteed to capture an NBA audience: Duke, Houston, Arkansas, Tennessee

There is at least one future lottery pick on each of these rosters. Duke’s Cameron Boozer is a projected top-three pick this June, while Arkansas’ Darius Acuff, Houston’s Kingston Flemings and Tennessee’s Nate Ament should come off the board soon afterward.

8. Final Four guaranteed to have NBA fans changing the channel: Michigan State, Nebraska, Purdue, Iowa State

These teams are winning without surefire NBA talent. There isn’t a clear-cut first-round pick on any of these rosters, though don’t be surprised if Iowa State’s Joshua Jefferson and Tamin Lipsey find their way onto an NBA roster. Same with Nebraska sharpshooter Pryce Sandfort, Purdue playmaker Braden Smith and the Michigan State duo of Coen Carr and Jeremy Fears Jr.

9. New blood Final Four: St. John’s, Nebraska, Iowa State, Texas

None of these teams have ever won an NCAA title before. Iowa State has never reached a Final Four. Nebraska famously had never won an NCAA tournament game prior to last week.

10. All-Big Ten Final Four: Michigan State, Illinois, Purdue, Michigan

Here’s one way for the BIg Ten to guarantee that it will end its 26-year national title drought. The conference is sending a record six teams to the Sweet 16 and is guaranteed to have at least one team in the Elite Eight with Iowa and Nebraska facing each other.

11. The ‘when’s spring practice?’ Final Four: Michigan State, Nebraska, Texas, Alabama

Two SEC juggernauts and former power Nebraska make up this football-themed potential Final Four. Michigan State is the party crasher from an East Region loaded with basketball schools.

12. The walk it up the court Final Four: UConn, Iowa, Purdue, Tennessee

A 10-point deficit would feel like 20 at this Final Four. Iowa plays at the fifth-slowest tempo of any team in college basketball this season. Houston, UConn, Purdue and Tennessee don’t play much faster.

13. Elite point guard Final Four: Michigan State, Iowa, Arkansas, Iowa State

Choosing between Purdue’ Braden Smith, Arkansas’ Darius Acuff and Arizona’s Jaden Bradley is a nightmare in the point guard-rich West region.

BUFFALO, NEW YORK - MARCH 19: Head Basketball Coach Tom Izzo of the Michigan State Spartans reacts to a call during the first half of a 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament first round game against the North Dakota State Bison at KeyBank Center on March 19, 2026 in Buffalo, New York. (Photo by Aaron J. Thornton/Getty Images) — Tom Izzo may be 71, but he’s got Michigan State in the Sweet 16 for the 17th time in his tenure. (Photo by Aaron J. Thornton/Getty Images)

(Aaron J. Thornton via Getty Images)

14. 65-and-over coaches Final Four: Michigan State, Houston, Arkansas, Tennessee

Who says old guys can’t get it done in the era of NIL payouts and unrestricted transfers? Tom Izzo, Kelvin Sampson, John Calipari and Rick Barnes are each at least 68 years old and have piloted their teams to the NCAA tournament’s second weekend.

15. Coaches who were ballers in their day Final Four: Duke, Nebraska, Texas, Iowa State

Jon Scheyer (Duke), Fred Hoiberg (Nebraska) and Sean Miller (Texas) are former standout Division I players who were easy choices in their respective regions. TJ Otzelberger (Iowa State), a two-year captain at UW-Whitewater, gets the nod over Nate Oats in the Midwest region.

16. My Final Four: Duke, Houston, Arizona, Michigan

All four of my original picks survived the opening weekend, no great feat in a year where most of the favorites have advanced. I’ll stick with Michigan over Duke in the national title game. I think the Wolverines’ ceiling game is better than anyone else’s.

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