The 128 Team Playoff, Day 85: Auburn vs. Coastal Carolina

Photo credit: Todd Van Emst/Auburn 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 86

(3) Auburn vs. (6) Coastal Carolina

How Auburn Got Here: 51-6 win over (14) South Alabama

How Coastal Carolina Got Here: 37-22 win over (11) Indiana

The legend of Bo Nix is an interesting one that we don’t have nearly the time or word count to get into.

But he was 24-for-39 with 344 passing yards and five total touchdowns in the first round vs. No. 14 South Alabama.

Too bad for Auburn fans that he was 18-for-28 with 180 yards in this game.

Thankfully for Auburn fans, Coastal Carolina quarterback Grayson McCall was only 18-for-30 for 234 yards and a touchdown. It’s still a better day than Nix, but not demonstrably better.

The biggest issue for Auburn in this one was stopping Coastal Carolina receiver Javion Heiligh. Heiligh finished with 112 receiving yards and a touchdown on nine receptions.

Auburn struggles to create enough scoring drives. Coastal Carolina wins a close one, 24-13.

In 100 simulations, Auburn won a surprisingly high amount — 80 — by an average margin of 37.2-25.

Winner’s Next Matchup: (2) Wisconsin

Tomorrow’s Matchup: (3) Arkansas vs. (6) SMU

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, BaylorNC State, Louisiana, Ole MissMichigan State, Auburn

REMAINING TEAMS BY CONFERENCE:

American: 4/11 (highest remaining: 2. Cincinnati)

ACC: 5/14 (highest remaining: 1. Clemson)

Big 12: 6/10 (highest remaining: 1. Oklahoma, 1. Oklahoma State)

Big Ten: 7/14 (highest remaining: 1. Ohio State, 1. Michigan)

Conference USA: 1/14 (highest remaining: 6. Western Kentucky)

Independents: 2/7 (highest remaining: 1. Notre Dame)

MAC: 1/12 (highest remaining: 13. Kent State)

Mountain West: 2/12 (highest remaining: 5. Boise State)

Pac-12: 4/12 (highest remaining: 2. Utah)

SEC: 8/14 (highest remaining: 1. Georgia)

Sun Belt: 4/10 (highest remaining: 5. Appalachian State)