Photo courtesy of Texas 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 26
(3) Texas vs. (14) Old Dominion
Old Dominion quarterback Hayden Wolff was picked off by the Longhorns on the Monarchs’ first two drives. Wolff would finish 23-for-37 with 223 yards, but those two interceptions really set Old Dominion behind early.
Texas converted both of those interceptions into Casey Thompson passing touchdowns. Those would be Thompson’s lone touchdowns on the day.
On the day, Thompson would go 18-for-24 with 251 yards.
After getting out to that early lead, running back Bijan Robinson was able to gash the Monarch defense. This allowed Texas to control the game.
Robinson had 172 rushing yards on 23 attempts, but it was running back Roschon Johnson who found the end zone three times on just 10 carries.
Receiver Xavier Worthy led the game in receiving yards with 101.
Thanks to early turnovers and Texas never looking back, the Longhorns take this one 44-13.
After simulating this one 100 times, Texas won 95 of them by a margin of 43.3-16.4.
Winner’s Next Matchup: Winner of (6) Western Kentucky vs. (11) Wyoming
Tomorrow’s Matchup: (4) Purdue vs. (13) Louisiana Tech
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
REMAINING TEAMS BY CONFERENCE:
American: 9/11 (highest remaining: 2. Cincinnati)
ACC: 13/14 (highest remaining: 1. Clemson)
Big 12: 9/10 (highest remaining: 1. Oklahoma, 1. Oklahoma State)
Big Ten: 14/14 (highest remaining: 1. Ohio State, 1. Michigan)
Conference USA: 7/14 (highest remaining: 6. Western Kentucky)
Independents: 4/7 (highest remaining: 1. Notre Dame)
MAC: 9/12 (highest remaining: 9. Toledo)
Mountain West: 9/12 (highest remaining: 5. Boise State)
Pac-12: 11/12 (highest remaining: 2. Utah)
SEC: 13/14 (highest remaining: 1. Georgia, 1. Alabama)
Sun Belt: 6/10 (highest remaining: 5. Appalachian State)