Photo courtesy of Virginia athletics
Introduction
We’ve created a 130-team bracket using ESPN’s FPI as our ranking system.
“But, anyone can create a bracket, how will the games be simulated?” Great question; NCAA Game Sim was used.
For each game on the bracket, the matchup was simulated once and every day a write-up will be done.
For the matchup, player statistics will be simulated and included in the write-ups.
Finally, thanks to the NCAA Game Sim premium membership, we’ll show the results of doing 100 simulations all at once. This is to see if a given result was more towards the expected side or if a given result was more towards the upset or luckier side.
All of the results have been simulated and tabulated, so at the time of writing the introduction, the results are already in.
This is designed to be fun, so please enjoy.
From Georgia to Massachusetts, here’s the 130-team bracket:
Match 49
(6) Virginia vs. (11) Georgia Tech
This was a matchup that took place in the fall. Virginia won that game, 48-40.
Virginia quarterback Brennan Armstrong was the player of the game this fall and in this simulation.
Armstrong was 27-for-41 with 349 yards and five touchdowns. He also had 51 rushing yards on six attempts.
Receiver Dontayvion Wicks had six catches for 144 yards and a touchdown — a very similar stat line to his numbers vs. Georgia Tech this past fall.
The biggest difference in this simulation was Virginia’s ability to slow down Georgia Tech running back Jahmyr Gibbs.
Gibbs had 132 rushing yards and a touchdown on 13 carries in the fall. In the simulation, Gibbs only had 54 rushing yards on nine carries. He was Georgia Tech’s leading receiver this time around with 63 yards on five receptions.
Georgia Tech quarterback Jeff Sims struggled to stay ahead of the chains. Sims was 20-for-40 with 242 yards and two touchdowns.
Virginia out-executed Georgia Tech en route to a 35-28 victory.
In 100 simulations, Virginia won 67 of them by a margin of 36.6-27.6.
Winner’s Next Matchup: (3) Ole Miss
Tomorrow’s Matchup: (6) Louisiana vs. (11) East Carolina
Updated Bracket
Teams Lost, In Order:
PLAY-IN
Massachusetts, Connecticut
ROUND 1
Akron, New Mexico State, Florida International, Temple, New Mexico, Bowling Green, Rice, Vanderbilt, Louisiana-Monroe, Texas State, Arkansas State, Charlotte, Southern Mississippi, Ohio, Kansas, Duke, UNLV, Georgia Southern, UTEP, South Alabama, San Jose State, South Florida, Arizona, Old Dominion, Louisiana Tech, Ball State, Minnesota, Navy, Nebraska, Buffalo, Troy, Colorado State, North Texas, Eastern Michigan, Northwestern, Northern Illinois, Florida Atlantic, Stanford, Tulane, Colorado, Wyoming, Middle Tennessee, Rutgers, Miami (OH), Indiana, Louisville, Georgia Tech
REMAINING TEAMS BY CONFERENCE:
American: 7/11 (highest remaining: 2. Cincinnati)
ACC: 11/14 (highest remaining: 1. Clemson)
Big 12: 9/10 (highest remaining: 1. Oklahoma, 1. Oklahoma State)
Big Ten: 9/14 (highest remaining: 1. Ohio State, 1. Michigan)
Conference USA: 4/14 (highest remaining: 6. Western Kentucky)
Independents: 4/7 (highest remaining: 1. Notre Dame)
MAC: 5/12 (highest remaining: 9. Toledo)
Mountain West: 6/12 (highest remaining: 5. Boise State)
Pac-12: 9/12 (highest remaining: 2. Utah)
SEC: 13/14 (highest remaining: 1. Georgia, 1. Alabama)
Sun Belt: 5/10 (highest remaining: 5. Appalachian State)