Photo courtesy of Oregon 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 96
(4) Oregon vs. (5) Kansas State
How Oregon Got Here: 44-6 win over (13) Buffalo
How Kansas State Got Here: 41-21 win over (12) Northwestern
Much like in Oregon’s win over Buffalo, Anthony Brown was the quarterback that Oregon needed him to be.
Brown was 19-for-26 passing with 242 yards and a touchdown. He also added 56 rushing yards and two touchdowns on the ground.
Running back Travis Dye ran for 90 yards and a touchdown on 14 touches.
Kansas State quarterback Skylar Thompson was 18-for-31 with 203 yards and three touchdowns. Running back Deuce Vaughn had 116 yards on 21 carries, but did not find the end zone.
Brown and Oregon get past Kansas State in a game that looked closer than the performances would’ve indicated. Oregon wins it by two scores, 31-21.
In 100 simulations, Oregon won 56 of them by an average margin of 27.3-23.7.
With Kansas State’s loss, the Big 12 is now the last conference to fall to 50% of teams remaining.
Winner’s Next Matchup: (1) Ohio State
Tomorrow’s Matchup: (4) UCLA vs. (5) Florida
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
REMAINING TEAMS BY CONFERENCE:
American: 3/11 (highest remaining: 2. Cincinnati)
ACC: 3/14 (highest remaining: 1. Clemson)
Big 12: 5/10 (highest remaining: 1. Oklahoma, 1. Oklahoma State)
Big Ten: 6/14 (highest remaining: 1. Ohio State, 1. Michigan)
Conference USA: 0/14 (last remaining was No. 6 Western Kentucky, eliminated Day 89)
Independents: 2/7 (highest remaining: 1. Notre Dame)
MAC: 0/12 (last remaining was No. 13 Kent State, eliminated Day 94)
Mountain West: 2/12 (highest remaining: 5. Boise State)
Pac-12: 3/12 (highest remaining: 2. Utah)
SEC: 7/14 (highest remaining: 1. Georgia)
Sun Belt: 3/10 (highest remaining: 5. Appalachian State)