Photo courtesy of Michigan 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 126
(1) Michigan vs. (1) Oklahoma
How Michigan Got Here: 20-7 win over (16) Temple, 58-23 win over (9) TCU, 37-10 win over (5) Mississippi State, 34-16 win over (6) Coastal Carolina
How Oklahoma Got Here: 52-7 win over (16) New Mexico, 38-20 win over (8) UAB, 36-21 win over (5) Houston, 31-28 win over (3) Arkansas
The final matchup of the Elite Eight, the Michigan Wolverines and the Oklahoma Sooners played a hotly contested game.
Let’s skip ahead and reveal that each team won 50 of the simulations, with Michigan having a minor scoring advantage of 25.7-25.5 points per game. This matchup was truly as even as it gets. But what did the first simulation say?
It was a big day for offense. The leading rusher on the game was Oklahoma’s Kennedy Brooks, who ran for 144 yards on 17 carries.
Michigan showcased its dual-back system, with running backs Hassan Haskins and Blake Corum combining for 227 yards and three touchdowns on 44 carries. Haskins also finished with two catches for 40 yards and a receiving touchdown. His three all-purpose touchdowns made him the only multi-touchdown scorer of the game.
Michigan quarterback Cade McNamara was 18-for-30 with 320 yards, a touchdown, and an interception. In contrast, Oklahoma quarterback Caleb Williams was not quite as effective at gaining chunks of yards. He went 17-for-31 with 248 yards and four touchdowns.
The Michigan defense thrived just a little more as far as “bending but not breaking” is concerned.
Thanks to a Jake Moody field goal as the clock struck 0:00, Michigan takes the victory in this one, 37-34.
Much like the actual College Football Playoff, the semifinals will come down to Georgia vs. Michigan.
Oklahoma losing also means that the Big 12 has been eliminated from playoff contention. All that remains are two SEC teams, a Big Ten team, and a Pac-12 team.
Winner’s Next Matchup: (1) Georgia
Tomorrow’s Matchup: (1) Georgia vs. (1) Michigan
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 University, Indiana, Louisville, Georgia Tech, East Carolina, West Virginia, Central Michigan, Missouri, Syracuse, Tulsa, Western Michigan, Utah State, Liberty, UTSA, Boston College, Nevada, South Carolina, Army, Washington, Air Force, Virginia Tech
ROUND 2
Toledo, Alabama, Illinois, TCU, UAB, Marshall, USC, San Diego State, California, UCF, Washington State, Pittsburgh, Oregon State, Florida State, Baylor, NC State, Louisiana, Ole Miss, Michigan State, Auburn, SMU, Wake Forest, Miami, Western Kentucky, Purdue, Arizona State, Hawaii, Kentucky, Kent State, Kansas State, UCLA, Appalachian State
ROUND 3
Iowa, Florida, Ohio State, Mississippi State, Houston, Boise State, Oklahoma State, BYU, Iowa State, LSU, North Carolina, Fresno State, Wisconsin, Georgia State, Virginia, Memphis
ROUND 4
Penn State, Texas Tech, Texas A&M, Coastal Carolina, Arkansas, Notre Dame, Cincinnati, Clemson
ROUND 5
Texas, Maryland, Oregon, Oklahoma
REMAINING TEAMS BY CONFERENCE:
American: 0/11 (last remaining was No. 2 Cincinnati, eliminated Day 120)
ACC: 0/14 (last remaining was No. 1 Clemson, eliminated Day 121)
Big 12: 0/10 (last remaining was No. 1 Oklahoma, eliminated Day 125)
Big Ten: 1/14 (highest remaining: 1. Michigan)
Conference USA: 0/14 (last remaining was No. 6 Western Kentucky, eliminated Day 89)
Independents: 0/7 (last remaining was No. 1 Notre Dame, eliminated Day 119)
MAC: 0/12 (last remaining was No. 13 Kent State, eliminated Day 94)
Mountain West: 0/12 (last remaining was No. 7 Fresno State, eliminated Day 109)
Pac-12: 1/12 (highest remaining: 2. Utah)
SEC: 2/14 (highest remaining: 1. Georgia)
Sun Belt: 0/10 (last remaining was No. 6 Coastal Carolina, eliminated Day 117)