Photo courtesy of Army 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 63
(8) Army vs. (9) TCU
Both Army and TCU were teams that ESPN’s Football Power Index and ncaagamesim.com’s rankings have differing opinions on.
Thankfully for Army, it caught TCU on a bad simulation. The question: will it be the difference?
TCU quarterback Max Duggan was 10-for-19 with 140 yards and a touchdown.
Running back Zach Evans only got two carries, but led all rushers with 88 yards and a touchdown.
Army quarterback Christian Anderson led the Black Knights in both passing and rushing yards.
Anderson was 4-for-7 passing with 69 yards. He ran for 78 yards on 12 carries.
The Black Knights combined for an additional 103 yards on its other 18 carries.
Army had to settle for too many field goals because it did not put itself in manageable enough fourth downs. TCU wins, 20-16.
In 100 simulations, TCU won 87 of them by an average margin of 32.8-17.1.
Winner’s Next Matchup: (1) Michigan
Tomorrow’s Matchup: (8) Washington vs. (9) Illinois
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
REMAINING TEAMS BY CONFERENCE:
American: 5/11 (highest remaining: 2. Cincinnati)
ACC: 9/14 (highest remaining: 1. Clemson)
Big 12: 8/10 (highest remaining: 1. Oklahoma, 1. Oklahoma State)
Big Ten: 9/14 (highest remaining: 1. Ohio State, 1. Michigan)
Conference USA: 3/14 (highest remaining: 6. Western Kentucky)
Independents: 2/7 (highest remaining: 1. Notre Dame)
MAC: 2/12 (highest remaining: 9. Toledo)
Mountain West: 4/12 (highest remaining: 5. Boise State)
Pac-12: 9/12 (highest remaining: 2. Utah)
SEC: 11/14 (highest remaining: 1. Georgia, 1. Alabama)
Sun Belt: 5/10 (highest remaining: 5. Appalachian State)