College Football Pretend Playoffs – Semi Finals

Teams Remaining
#4 TCU
#1 Alabama
#2 Texas
#6 Boise State

The four teams to survive our first round of the pretend college football playoffs were #1 Alabama, #2 Texas, #4 TCU and #6 Boise State. The playoffs now move to the home sites of the two remaining top seeded teams which means #6 Boise State will travel to Tuscaloosa to take on the top seeded Crimson Tide while #4 TCU travels to Austin for an instate showdown with the Longhorns. Who doesn’t think that would be fun?

	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	Total
#6 Boise State Broncos	0	16	3	0	19
#1 Alabama Crimson Tide	7	17	10	16	50

Boise began their season with a major upset over the eventual Pac 10 champion Oregon Ducks but they'd be no match for the SEC champions at the end of the season. Mark Ingram runs wild through the Broncos' defense in leading Bama to a rout and punching a ticket to Pasadena for the college football championship game.

	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	Total
#4 TCU Horned Frogs	7	0	6	0	13
#2 Texas Longhorns	0	7	0	3	10

Austin becomes upset city as the Horned Frogs kick their way to Pasadena to face the Tide. After playing to a draw in the first half TCU kicks two third quarter field goals to stun the Longhorns and the college football world.

Pretend NCAA Division I Playoffs, Semifinal: Texas vs. Florida

After running the last two game simulations it is clear that Oklahoma, USC, Florida and Texas are separated only by a slim margin in the “mind” of the computers. First OU beats USC in an overtime game that I dubbed as the best yet of our pretend playoffs and now Texas and Florida go to two overtimes to settle who would face the Sooners in our pretend championship game.

Florida arrived to the Rose Bowl to take on the Longhorns by beating Texas Tech 42-28 and Texas is in Pasadena after handling Utah 35-24. With Oklahoma waiting on the winner you can just imagine the hype that would be around this game. If Florida wins they will face their 3rd consecutive Big 12 opponent in a row when facing OU for the championship and if the Longhorns advance then the Red River Rivalry gets it biggest stage ever.

This game would live up to the hype as well. After swapping field goals in a ho-hum first half, Florida’s Percy Harvin scored on a 9 yard pass from Tim Tebow and Emmanuel Moody scored on a 42 yard run to take a 17-6 lead at the end of three. Just as the third quarter was good for the Gators, the fourth was every bit as good for the Longhorns. First, Vondrell McGee would score on a 38-yard run and then Colt McCoy would hit Jordan Shipley for a 22 yard strike. The Longhorns would fail on a two-point conversion attempt following their first touchdown but convert on the next one to give them a 20-17 lead. Florida added a late field goal and the game was headed to overtime!

The two teams would swap field goals again in the first overtime but after Hunter Lawrence missed from 41 yards out the stage was set for Percy Harvin once again. Florida’s All World back dashed into the end zone from 11-yards out to end what has truly been the greatest game in our pretend playoffs.

Florida: 30
Texas: 23

Texas Stats
Passing
Colt McCoy – 15/22, 244 yards, 1 touchdown
Rushing
Vondrell McGee – 15 carries, 72 yards, 1 touchdown
Chris Ogbonnaya – 10 carries, 43 yards
Colt McCoy – 15 carrier, 41 yards
Receiving
Jordan Shipley - 5 receptions, 110 yards. 1 touchdown

Florida Stats
Passing
Tim Tebow – 8/11, 152 yards, 1 touchdown
Rushing
Emmanuel Moody – 9 carries, 80 yards, 1 touchdown
Jeffery Demps – 10 carries, 57 yards
Percy Harvin – 10 carries, 41 yards
Tim Tebow – 18 carries, 32 yards
Receiving
Deonte Thompson – 2 receptions, 61 yards

The Other Semifinal
#5 USC 24, #1 Oklahoma 27

Consolation BCS Bowls
Sugar Bowl - #4 Alabama 17, #8 Penn State 14
Fiesta Bowl - #6 Utah 37, #7 Texas Tech 51

* Games simulated by whatifsports.com

Pretend NCAA Division I Playoffs: #5 USC vs. #4 Alabama

We’ve reached the end of the first round of our pretend playoffs with this final match up. The USC Trojans are the champions of the Pac 10 Conference. They score an average of 37.5 points per game which ranks them second in the conference. The Trojans are balanced on offense with 2,965 passing yards and 2,472 rushing yards both of those are second in the conference as well. Their offensive touchdowns are comparable as well with 32 coming through the air and 26 on the ground. On defense the Trojans are statically the best in the nation. They only allow an average of 7.8 points per game and are holding opponents to just 206 yards per game.

On the other side of the field the Alabama Crimson Tide ended the season as the runner up in the SEC. The Tide score an average of 31.2 points per game which ranks them behind Florida and Georgia. Unlike USC they run better than they throw the ball but like the Trojans the stats are close. Bama has 2,554 rushing yards with 32 touchdowns on the ground opposed to 2,219 passing yards but with only 10 touchdowns coming through the air. Defensively Alabama is physical and tough in the same mold as USC. They are only allowing 13 points per game and play in a conference that is much stronger than they Pac 10.

The game plan for the Trojans is simple. Focus on stopping Glen Coffee and force John Parker Wilson to beat them. It would pay immediate dividends in the first quarter as a Wilson interception at the Bama 34 would set the Trojans up for their first touchdown which would be a 20 yard pass from Mark Sanchez to Patrick Turner. USC would carry that 7-0 lead into the locker room at the half and the teams would swap field goals in the 3rd making the score 10-3 USC going into the final period.

The 4th quarter got off to a good start for the Crimson Tide as Mark Ingram capped the best drive of the day with a two yard touchdown on a draw play to tie the score at 10-10. However, Alabama’s jubilation would be short lived because the Trojans would run the kickoff back 90 yards for a score to take a 17-10 lead and then never look back. USC would then add two more field goals in the final period before Stafon Johnson put the final nail in the coffin on an 11 yard draw play.

USC: 30
Alabama: 10

Alabama Stats
Passing
John Parker Wilson 9/21 – 74 yards, 0 touchdowns, 1 interception
Rushing
Glen Coffee 21 carries/132 yards
Roy Upchurch 8 carries/69 yards
Mark Ingram 14 carries/33 yards, 1 touchdown
Receiving
Nick Walker 3 receptions/67 yards

USC Stats
Passing
Mark Sanchez 14/25 – 130 yards, 1 touchdown, 1 interception
Rushing
C.J. Gable 12 carries/48 yards
Joe McKnight 12 carries/45 yards
Stafon Johnson 17 carries/44 yards, 1 touchdown
Receiving
Patrick Turner 4 receptions/50 yards, 1 touchdown

Game simulated by What if Sports.com

That’s how I see it going down. How about you?

Other First Round Games

#8 Penn State 21, #1 OU 34

#7 Texas Tech 28, #2 Florida 42
#6 Utah 24, #3 Texas 35

Second Round Games
#5 USC vs. #1 OU – At the Orange Bowl
#3 Texas vs. #2 Florida – At the Rose Bowl

Consolation BCS Bowls
Sugar Bowl - #4 Alabama vs. #8 Penn State

Fiesta Bowl - #6 Utah vs. #7 Texas Tech

Pretend NCAA Division I Playoffs: #6 Utah vs. #3 Texas

In real life the Utah Utes are facing a showdown against Alabama in the Sugar Bowl on January 2nd but in our fantasy world they are playing the Texas Longhorns for a shot to advance in the playoffs. The Utes finished the season 12-0 and led the Mountain West Conference in scoring with 37.4 points per game. Quarterback Brian Johnson has thrown for 24 touchdowns but Utah has allowed him to be sacked 23 times as well.

Defensively Utah is holding their opponents to 17.3 points per game. Before you scoff at them for playing in the lesser Mountain West Conference keep in mind that the Mountain West took the Pac 10 to task and the Utes themselves knocked off Oregon State. Utah is especially tough against the run where they are holding opponents to an average of just 3.3 yards per carry.

The Texas Longhorns may be the best team not playing for a national championship. Heisman runner up Colt McCoy has been spectacular this year. He has completed almost 78% of his passes helping lead the Longhorns to the third highest scoring average in the Big 12 at 43.9 points per game.

Defensively Texas has the best squad in the Big 12. They are only allowing their opponents to score 18.6 points per game and are holding opponents to just 2.8 yards per game.

The Longhorns version of the spread offense is too much for the Utes defense to handle. Texas would jump out to a 21-7 halftime lead and then overpower Utah in the second half while riding out an attempted comeback. In the end the Longhorns prevail by a comfortable margin.

Texas: 35
Utah: 24

Utah Stats
Passing
Brian Johnson 21/34 – 243 yards, 2 touchdowns
Rushing
Matt Asiata 19 carries/66 yards, 1 touchdown
Darrell Mack 18 carries/59 yards

Texas Stats
Passing
Colt McCoy 21/24 – 239 yards, 2 touchdowns
Rushing
Colt McCoy 22 carries/77 yards, 1 touchdown
Vondrell McGee 20 carries/68 yards, 1 touchdown
Chris Ogbonnaya 12 carries/45 yards, 1 touchdown

That’s how I see it going down. How about you?






Other First Round Games
#8 Penn State 21, #1 OU 34
#7 Texas Tech 28, #2 Florida 42
#5 USC vs. #4 Alabama

Pretend NCAA Division I Playoffs: #7 Texas Tech vs. #2 Florida

Texas Tech missed out on a trip to Kansas City to play for the Big 12 Championship but thanks to our pretend playoffs and their #7 BCS ranking they are still players in the national title hunt. Graham Harrell leads the nation’s top ranked passing offense with 50 passing attempts per game for almost 420 yards per game. The Red Raiders are scoring 44.6 points per game but face a stiff challenge in the Gators defense.

Tim Tebow has the offensive firepower to match Harrell’s but also has a defense behind him that could be the best in the country. The Florida Gators are scoring an average of 45.2 points per game and only surrendering 12.8 points per game. This is a match up that gives us finesse against power.

Texas Tech would be able to play close to the Gators in a great first half of football. The Florida Gators would use a variety of weapons to keep the Red Raiders second guessing on defense but in a surprise move Mike Leach would use his rushing attack quite successfully in the first half to keep Tebow off the field. The first upset of the playoffs seemed at hand with Tech up 21-14.

In the second half Urban Meyer made some adjustments and released an onslaught of offense. Tech wouldn’t be able to keep up with the four headed monster of Tebow, Rainey, Demps and Harvin. Florida would seemingly score at will and the Big 12 would see one of their three powers eliminated from championship contention.

Florida: 42
Texas Tech: 28

Red Raider Stats
Passing
Graham Harrell – 25/39, 285 yards, 2 touchdowns
Rushing
Baron Batch – 84 yards, 1 touchdown
Shannon Woods – 81 yards, 1 touchdown

Gator Stats
Passing
Tim Tebow – 18/28, 216 yards, 2 touchdowns
Rushing
Chris Rainey – 92 yards, 1 touchdown
Jeffery Demps – 91 yards, 1 touchdown
Tim Tebow – 91 yards, 1 touchdown
Percy Harvin – 91 yards, 1 touchdown

That’s how I would see it going down. How about you?

Pretend NCAA Division I Football Playoffs: #8 Penn State vs. #1 Oklahoma

The Sooners finished the season as 12-1 with a convincing win over the Missouri Tigers in the Big 12 Championship Game to claim the top spot in the BCS standings. Led by super star quarterback Sam Bradford the Sooners have the most prolific scoring offense college football has ever seen. They are averaging 54 points a game and ended the season with five consecutive games in which they scored 60 points or more.

Penn State finished the season with an 11-1 record and as the Big Ten Champions they are the only representative from their conference in the playoffs. They too have a high powered offense and conquered the Big Ten by scoring 40.2 points per game. The Nittany Lions are led by quarterback Daryll Clark’s 2,300 yards through the air and running back Evan Royster’s 1,200 yards on the ground.

Oklahoma has to settle for field goals on their first two trips down the field and Penn State takes an early 7-6 lead on a long Daryll Clark scamper. However, Oklahoma would score 21 unanswered points to take a 27-7 halftime lead on their way to a 34-21 first round victory.

OU: 34
PSU: 21

Sooner Stats
Passing
Sam Bradford: 20-33, 256 yards, 2 touchdowns
Rushing
DeMarco Murray: 90 yards, 1 touchdown
Chris Brown: 91 yards, 1 touchdown

PSU Stats
Passing
Daryll Clark: 17/31, 223 yards, 1 touchdown
Rushing
Evan Royster: 103 yards, 1 touchdown
Daryll Clark: 64 yards, 1 touchdown


That’s how I would see it going down. How about you?




Other First Round Match Ups
#7 Texas Tech vs. #2 Florida
#6 Utah vs. #3 Texas
#5 USC vs. #4 Alabama