1. This is a 12-team tournament, using bowls for the first two rounds to get from 12 to 8 to 4.
2. The champions of the ACC, Big 12, Big Ten, SEC, and Pac-12 receive automatic bids.
3. The champions of the AAC, CUSA, MAC, MWC, and Sunbelt receive automatic bids if any finish in the top 16 of the RPI rankings, which replaces the BCS and has mathematical values that multiple mathematicians can determine and cannot be finagled in any way by football politicians in a back room. For this experiment, we are using an average of the top college ratings, including the PiRate Ratings.
4. We then select the two to seven highest RPI-ranked teams (to fill the bracket at 12 total) not automatically selected and give them berths in the tournament.
5. We then seed the teams by RPI ranking from 1-12. The top 4 teams would receive a first round bye as a reward for being one of the top four, while seeds 5-12 would face off in the first round.
This year, there were six automatic qualifiers and six at-large selections. Florida St., Baylor, Michigan St., Auburn, and Stanford satisfy the #2 criteria above, whereas Central Florida satisfies #3. The six at-large teams are: Alabama, Missouri, Ohio St., South Carolina, Oregon, and Oklahoma.
If this were next year, there would be a gross miscarriage of justice to the teams that are not number four. Florida St., Auburn, and Alabama would definitely be three of the teams chosen. Baylor, Michigan St., Stanford, Ohio St., Missouri, South Carolina, and Oregon would all have reason to be that fourth team, and only one of this seven would be chosen. Now, the first team out is Clemson, not quite as deserving as any of the seven above, all of whom now make the 12-team tournament.
For this computer simulation, games were simulated on a simulator located on a major university campus.
Here are the teams, seeded 1-12
1. Florida St.
2. Auburn
3. Alabama
4. Stanford
5. Michigan St.
6. Missouri
7. Ohio St.
8. South Carolina
9. Baylor
10. Oregon
11. Oklahoma
12. Central Florida
The top four seeds received first round byes, while teams 5-12 played at neutral site bowls in round one.
In the first round, which can be viewed at:
https://piratings.wordpress.com/2013/12/20/1555/
South Carolina, Oregon, Missouri, and Michigan St. advanced to the quarterfinal round.
Today’s quarterfinal games look like this:
#1 Florida St. vs. #8 South Carolina
#4 Stanford vs. #5 Michigan St.
#2 Auburn vs. #10 Oregon
#3 Alabama vs. #6 Missouri
#1 Florida St. vs. #8 South Carolina
We had our first major upset in the tournament, as the Gamecocks came from behind in the fourth quarter thanks to an incredible defensive effort.
Final Score: South Carolina 18 Florida St. 16
|
FSU |
Team |
Scar |
|
|
|
|
18 |
FD |
15 |
|
|
|
|
31-84 |
Rushing |
42-161 |
|
|
|
|
214 |
Passing |
146 |
|
|
|
|
19-37-2 |
Passes |
13-21-0 |
|
|
|
|
68 |
Play |
63 |
|
|
|
|
298 |
Yards |
307 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
F |
|
FSU |
7 |
6 |
3 |
0 |
16 |
|
Scar |
0 |
3 |
3 |
12 |
18 |
#4 Stanford vs. #5 Michigan St.
In a match of the two teams headed to the Rose Bowl in reality, the Cardinal dominated the game for four quarters to advance to the semifinals.
Final Score: Stanford 20 Michigan St. 10
|
Stan |
Team |
MSU |
|
|
|
|
16 |
FD |
12 |
|
|
|
|
39-144 |
Rushing |
33-128 |
|
|
|
|
191 |
Passing |
152 |
|
|
|
|
17-27-0 |
Passes |
16-28-1 |
|
|
|
|
66 |
Play |
61 |
|
|
|
|
335 |
Yards |
280 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
F |
|
Stan |
3 |
3 |
7 |
7 |
20 |
|
MSU |
0 |
0 |
10 |
0 |
10 |
#2 Auburn vs. #10 Oregon
In a nip and tuck offensive explosion, the Ducks wiped out the other top seed, preventing the actual national championship contenders from advancing to the semifinals.
Final Score: Oregon 52 Auburn 49
|
Aub |
Team |
Ore |
|
|
|
|
26 |
FD |
23 |
|
|
|
|
55-297 |
Rushing |
43-224 |
|
|
|
|
223 |
Passing |
309 |
|
|
|
|
19-29-1 |
Passes |
21-34-0 |
|
|
|
|
84 |
Play |
77 |
|
|
|
|
520 |
Yards |
533 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
F |
|
Aub |
14 |
21 |
7 |
7 |
49 |
|
Ore |
10 |
14 |
21 |
7 |
52 |
#3 Alabama vs. #6 Missouri
Alabama mounted a huge 2nd half comeback to force overtime, but a missed extra point cost the Tide and the Tigers advanced to the semis.
Final Score: Missouri 24 Alabama 23 ot
|
Ala |
Team |
Mo |
|
|
|
|
|
16 |
FD |
21 |
|
|
|
|
|
34-126 |
Rushing |
55-211 |
|
|
|
|
|
233 |
Passing |
160 |
|
|
|
|
|
19-30-0 |
Passes |
14-22-1 |
|
|
|
|
|
64 |
Play |
77 |
|
|
|
|
|
359 |
Yards |
371 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
OT |
F |
|
Ala |
0 |
3 |
0 |
14 |
6 |
23 |
|
MO |
0 |
7 |
10 |
0 |
7 |
24 |
The Semifinal Round is now set. Here are your Final Four Match-ups:
#4 Stanford vs. #8 South Carolina
#6 Missouri vs. #10 Oregon
In the years we have simulated these playoffs, this is the lowest total of seeded teams ever to make the semifinals. Check back on New Year’s Eve to see which two teams advance to the 2014 Simper Bowl.
The Pi-Rate Ratings 