Photo courtesy of Allen Sharpe/South Carolina 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 62
(8) UAB vs. (9) South Carolina
On Thursday, we wrote about Marshall running 86 offensive plays en route a 23-14 victory.
Sometimes, a game can have a similar amount of points with significantly less plays called.
For example, UAB and South Carolina combined for 83 offensive plays and combined for only seven points fewer than Marshall and Nevada.
Of the 83 plays, UAB’s DeWayne McBride accounted for 30 carries. He finished with his 131 rushing yards and touchdown.
UAB quarterback Dylan Hopkins was efficient through the air. Hopkins was 11-for-16 with 168 yards and a touchdown.
A majority of those yards went to tight end Gerrit Prince, who finished with four receptions and 98 yards.
South Carolina quarterback Luke Doty was 16-for-24 with 189 yards, a touchdown, and an interception.
Running back Kevin Harris never was able to get anything going. He led the Gamecocks in rushing yards with 31 on eight carries.
South Carolina was never able to establish itself offensively. As a result, UAB was able to bleed this one away. UAB wins, 20-10.
In 100 simulations, South Carolina actually won a majority of the games — 58. It won those 58 by an average margin of 24.3-20.1.
With South Carolina’s loss, the Big 12 becomes the last conference to have lost two or fewer teams.
Winner’s Next Matchup: (1) Oklahoma
Tomorrow’s Matchup: (8) Army vs. (9) TCU
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
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: 3/7 (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)