December 22, 2016 *Practice Bracket #14*

Please do not include in the Bracket Matrix

1's: Villanova, Baylor, Kansas, Louisville
2's: Florida State, Duke, Gonzaga, Creighton
3's: Butler, Minnesota, Saint Mary's, Kentucky
4's: Xavier, UCLA, North Carolina, Virginia
5's: Maryland, Arkansas, Northwestern, TCU
6's: USC, Arizona, Florida, Clemson
7's: Middle Tennessee, UNC Wilmington, North Carolina State, Oregon
8's: Providence, Purdue, Notre Dame, Pittsburgh
9's: South Carolina, Illinois, Cincinnati, West Virginia
10's: VCU, LSU, Wake Forest, Dayton
11's: Valparaiso, Oklahoma State, UTA, SMU
12's: Houston, Wisconsin, Virginia Tech, Seton Hall, Nevada, Temple
13's: Monmouth, Tennessee State, Winthrop, Akron
14's: East Tennessee State, Illinois State, New Mexico State, IPFW
15's: Vermont, Eastern Washington, Yale, Bucknell
16's: Florida Gulf Coast, North Carolina Central, Nicholls State, Texas Southern, Long Beach State, Mount Saint Mary's

FFO: Indiana, Ole Miss, Miami (FL), Auburn
NFO: Rhode Island, Georgetown, Michigan, Georgia

December 20, 2016 *Practice Bracket #13*

I'll probably do one or two more practice brackets before publishing an official one around the first of the year.  

Please do not include in the Bracket Matrix

1's: Villanova, Baylor, Kansas, Florida State
2's: Gonzaga, Creighton, Duke, Kentucky
3's: Minnesota, Louisville, UCLA, Butler
4's: Saint Mary's College, Xavier, Middle Tennessee, USC
5's: North Carolina, Maryland, Virginia, South Carolina
6's: TCU, Arkansas, Northwestern, Florida
7's: Arizona, UNC Wilmington, North Carolina State, Purdue
8's: Pittsburgh, Providence, Oregon, Illinois
9's: West Virginia, Notre Dame, Virginia Tech, VCU
10's: LSU, Seton Hall, Cincinnati, Oklahoma State
11's: Houston, SMU, Clemson, Dayton, Wake Forest, Wisconsin, 
12's: Nevada, Valparaiso, Arkansas State, Monmouth
13's: Temple, Tennessee State, Akron, East Tennessee State
14's: Illinois State, New Mexico State, Vermont, UNC Asheville
15's: IPFW, Eastern Washington, Yale, Sam Houston State
16's: Florida Gulf Coast, North Carolina Central, Texas Southern, UC Irvine, Loyola-Maryland, Mount Saint Mary's

FFO: Indiana, Ole Miss, UTA, Miami (FL)
NFO: Rhode Island, Texas A&M, Michigan, Georgetown

2016 Bowl Predictions

**I started on this last week, but didn't have time to get to predictions for the later bowls.

This is going to deviate a bit from the basketball theme of this blog, however I wanted to post some bowl predictions, just in case they're crazy accurate.

I started working on a college football bracketology based on trying to develop the ideal college playoff system.  For the record, I think the current +1 format is a step in the right direction, however the existing bowl schedule allows room for much more compelling match ups.

Without extending the championship game further into January, and excluding just 14 barely eligible bowl participants, we could have a 16-team playoff.  These teams would get either one or two weeks off prior to the first playoff game.  It would consist of two additional playoff rounds during the two weekends prior to the existing BCS Playoff, and would closely mirror the NCAA basketball selection process.  Each of the ten FBS conferences would receive one automatic bid awarded to its champion, plus six at-large bids.  Here's what this year's bracket would look like:

Round One - Friday 12/16 - Saturday 12/17
1. Alabama (SEC Champ) vs.
16. San Diego State (MWC Champ)

8. Wisconsin (At-Large) vs.
9. USC (At-Large)

4. Washington (Pac 12 Champ) vs.
13. Temple (AAC Champ)

5. Penn State (Big 10 Champ) vs.
12. Western Michigan (MAC Champ)

3. Clemson (ACC Champ) vs.
14. Appalachian State (SBC Champ)

6. Michigan (At-Large) vs.
11. Florida State (At-Large)

7. Oklahoma (Big 12 Champ) vs.
10. Colorado (At-Large)

2. Ohio State (At-Large) vs.
15. Western Kentucky (C-USA Champ)

Round Two - Friday 12/23 - Saturday 12/24
Semi-Finals - Saturday 12/31
Championship - Monday 1/9


And now for my actual bowl predictions:

Saturday, 12/17/16
Celebration Bowl: Grambling State 34 - NC Central 24
New Mexico Bowl: New Mexico 31 - UTSA 28
Las Vegas Bowl: Houston 37 - San Diego State 30
Camellia Bowl: Appalachian State 34 -Toledo 31
Cure Bowl: Arkansas State 28 - UCF 24
New Orleans Bowl: Southern Miss 28 - UL Lafayette 27

Monday, 12/19/16
Miami Beach Bowl: Tulsa 41 - Central Michigan 24

Tuesday, 12/20/16
Boca Raton Bowl: Western Kentucky 38 - Memphis 28

Wednesday, 12/21/16
Poinsettia Bowl: BYU 33 - Wyoming 28

Thursday, 12/22/16
Potato Bowl: Colorado State 31 - Idaho 17

Friday, 12/23/16
Bahamas Bowl: Old Dominion 42 - Eastern Michigan 31
Armed Forces Bowl: Navy 35 - Louisiana Tech 30
Dollar General Bowl: Troy 34 - Ohio 21

Saturday, 12/24/16
Hawai'i Bowl: Middle Tennessee 38 - Hawaii 17

Monday, 12/26/16
St. Petersburg Bowl: Mississippi State 52 - Miami (OH) 31
Quick Lane Bowl: Maryland 17 - Boston College 16
Independence Bowl: NC State 24 - Vanderbilt 22

Tuesday, 12/27/16
Heart of Texas Bowl: Army 31 - North Texas 20
Military Bowl: Temple 31 - Wake Forest 13
Holiday Bowl: Washington State 30 - Minnesota 24
Cactus Bowl: Boise State 41 - Baylor 34

Wednesday, 12/28/16
Pinstripe Bowl: Pittsburgh 35 vs Northwestern 28
Russell Athletic Bowl: West Virginia 28 vs Miami (FL) 27
Foster Farms Bowl: Utah 34 vs Indiana 20
Texas Bowl: Kansas State 31 vs Texas A&M 28

Thursday, 12/29/16
Birmingham Bowl: USF 41 vs South Carolina 21
Belk Bowl: Virginia Tech 35 vs Arkansas 26
Alamo Bowl: Oklahoma State 30 vs Colorado 28

Friday, 12/30/16
Liberty Bowl: Georgia 24 vs TCU 20
Sun Bowl: Stanford 27 vs North Carolina 23
Music City Bowl: Nebraska 28 vs Tennessee 27
Arizona Bowl: Air Force 35 vs South Alabama 10
Orange Bowl: Michigan 35 vs Florida State 23

Saturday, 12/31/16
Buffalo Wild Wings Citrus Bowl: LSU vs Louisville
TaxSlayer Bowl: Georgia Tech vs Kentucky
Chick-Fil-A Peach Bowl: Washington vs Alabama
Playstation Fiesta Bowl: Ohio State vs Clemson

Monday, 1/2/17
Outback Bowl: Florida vs Iowa
Goodyear Cotton Bowl: Western Michigan vs Wisconsin
Rose Bowl Game: USC vs Penn State
Allstate Sugar Bowl: Auburn vs Oklahoma

Monday 1/9/17
National Championship: TBD vs TBD

December 15, 2016 *Practice Bracket #12*

Please do not include in the Bracket Matrix

1's: Villanova, Baylor, Creighton, Kansas
2's: Gonzaga, Florida State, Middle Tennessee, North Carolina
3's: Minnesota, Saint Mary's College, Louisville, Virginia
4's: Kentucky, Duke, Butler, USC
5's: Arkansas, UCLA, Xavier, UNC Wilmington
6's: Notre Dame, Wake Forest, Maryland, South Carolina
7's: Indiana, TCU, Northwestern, Florida
8's: Virginia Tech, Dayton, Arizona, North Carolina State
9's: Purdue, Cincinnati, Oregon, Providence
10's: Wisconsin, UCF, Arkansas State, UTA
11's: Illinois, Ole Miss, West Virginia, Seton Hall, Pittsburgh
12's: Texas A&M, SMU, Valparaiso, Temple, Nevada
13's: Wichita State, Chattanooga, Tennessee State, New Hampshire
14's: UNC Asheville, Monmouth, Eastern Washington, IPFW
15's: Ohio, Bucknell, New Mexico State, Florida Gulf Coast
16's: Sam Houston State, Yale, North Carolina Central, Texas Southern, Long Island, UC Irvine

FFO: Clemson, Michigan, Ohio State, Miami (FL)
NFO: Oklahoma State, Stanford, Charleston, Texas Tech

December 12, 2016 *Practice Bracket #11*

Please do not include in the Bracket Matrix

1's: Baylor, Villanova, Creighton, Kansas
2's: Middle Tennessee, North Carolina, Gonzaga, Florida State
3's: Minnesota, Saint Mary's, Louisville, UCLA
4's: Kentucky, Duke, Virginia, Butler
5's: Auburn, South Carolina, USC, Arkansas
6's: UNC Wilmington, Purdue, Northwestern, UCF
7's: Notre Dame, Wake Forest, Xavier, Indiana
8's: Florida, Providence, Virginia Tech, Maryland
9's: North Carolina State, Arizona, Dayton, Ole Miss
10's: TCU, UTA, West Virginia, Pittsburgh
11's: Clemson, Wisconsin, Oregon, Temple
12's: Illinois, SMU, Michigan, Cincinnati, Nevada, Valparaiso
13's: Wichita State, Tennessee State, Chattanooga, Florida Gulf Coast
14's: IPFW, Monmouth, Eastern Washington, UNC Asheville
15's: Ohio, New Hampshire, New Mexico State, Bucknell
16's: Yale, North Carolina Central, Texas Southern, Long Island, Nicholls State, UC Irvine

FFO: Oklahoma State, Ohio State, Miami (FL), Arkansas State
NFO: Charleston, Michigan State, Stanford, Texas A&M

December 8, 2016 *Practice Bracket #10*

Please do not include in the Bracket Matrix

1's: Baylor, Villanova, Creighton, Saint Mary's
2's: Gonzaga, Kansas, Minnesota, North Carolina
3's: Middle Tennessee, Duke, Arkansas, Louisville
4's: Kentucky, UCLA, Auburn, Florida
5's: USC, South Carolina, UCF, Butler
6's: Virginia, Indiana, Purdue, Florida State
7's: Ole Miss, Notre Dame, TCU, Xavier
8's: UNC Wilmington, Northwestern, Wake Forest, Maryland
9's: Providence, Cincinnati, West Virginia, Arizona
10's: Dayton, Stanford, Michigan, Virginia Tech
11's: Clemson, Pittsburgh, Oklahoma State, Texas A&M, Oregon
12's: Wisconsin, Texas Tech, Arkansas State, Nevada, Tennessee State
13's: Ohio, Valparaiso, Florida Gulf Coast, Monmouth
14's: UNC Asheville, Chattanooga, IPFW, Bucknell
15's: New Mexico State, Vermont, North Carolina Central, Eastern Washington
16's: Texas Southern, Southern Illinois, Yale, New Orleans, Mount Saint Mary's, Long Beach State

FFO: Iowa State, North Carolina State, Miami (FL), Rhode Island
NFO: Charleston, SMU, Ohio State, Saint Bonaventure

December 7, 2016 *Practice Bracket #9*

Please do not include in the Bracket Matrix

1's: Baylor, Villanova, Creighton, Saint Mary's
2's: Gonzaga, Kansas, Butler, Minnesota
3's: TCU, Xavier, Middle Tennessee, Duke
4's: Arkansas, UCLA, South Carolina, UCF
5's: North Carolina, Auburn, Virginia, Florida
6's: Louisville, Indiana, Purdue, Florida State
7's: Northwestern, Notre Dame, West Virginia, Providence
8's: UNC Wilmington, Kentucky, Ole Miss, Wake Forest
9's: USC, Temple, Maryland, Arizona
10's: Cincinnati, Clemson, Virginia Tech, VCU
11's: Arkansas State, Dayton, Michigan, Wisconsin
12's: Texas A&M, Rhode Island, Charleston, Oregon, Valparaiso, Tennessee State
13's: Nevada, Ohio, East Tennessee State, Monmouth
14's: New Mexico State, Bucknell, UNC Asheville, Illinois State
15's: Vermont, North Carolina Central, IPFW, Florida Gulf Coast
16's: Eastern Washington, Texas Southern, Sam Houston State, Yale, UC Irvine, Mount Saint Mary's

FFO: Iowa State, Stanford, Miami (FL), Ohio State
NFO: Saint Bonaventure, North Carolina State, Massachusetts, Oklahoma State

December 5, 2016 *Practice Bracket #8*

Please do not include in the Bracket Matrix

1's: Baylor, Villanova, Creighton, Gonzaga
2's: Saint Mary's, TCU, Middle Tennessee, Xavier
3's: Minnesota, Florida, Butler, Kansas
4's: Virginia, South Carolina, Indiana, UCF
5's: Arkansas, Auburn, Florida State, UCLA
6's: Ohio State, Northwestern, Louisville, Providence
7's: North Carolina, Purdue, Duke, UNC Wilmington
8's: Kentucky, Ole Miss, West Virginia, Cincinnati
9's: USC, Temple, Maryland, Clemson
10's: Notre Dame, Virginia Tech, Arizona, Wake Forest
11's: Miami (FL), Arkansas State, Dayton, VCU
12's: Wisconsin, UTA, Rhode Island, Davidson, Nevada, Ohio
13's: Illinois State, Valparaiso, Tennessee State, IPFW
14's: Monmouth, East Tennessee State, Florida Gulf Coast, Vermont
15's: Utah Valley, North Carolina Central, Sam Houston State, Eastern Washington
16's: UNC Asheville, Texas Southern, Yale, Loyola-Marymount, Bryant, Cal Poly

FFO: Michigan, Iowa State, Charleston, Massachusetts
NFO: Marshall, Stanford, Oklahoma State, Oregon

December 2, 2016 *Practice Bracket #7*

Please do not include in the Bracket Matrix

1's: Xavier, Baylor, Villanova, Gonzaga
2's: Saint Mary's, Creighton, Butler, Middle Tennessee
3's: Virginia, Minnesota, Ohio State, Florida
4's: South Carolina, Florida State, Indiana, Kansas
5's: Duke, Arkansas, Purdue, Louisville
6's: TCU, Arizona, UNC Wilmington, VCU
7's: Cincinnati, Notre Dame, North Carolina, Nevada
8's: Kentucky, Davidson, Auburn, UCF
9's: Clemson, Northwestern, Miami (FL), Wake Forest
10's: Marshall, Ole Miss, UCLA, Virginia Tech
11's: Dayton, Tennessee State, Pittsburgh, Arkansas State
12's: Temple, Valparaiso, San Diego State, Providence, Houston, USC
13's: Georgia State, Texas A&M Corpus Christi, Ohio, Bucknell
14's: Iona, North Dakota State, Northern Iowa, Utah Valley
15's: Texas Southern, Mercer, Vermont, North Carolina Central
16's: UNC Asheville, Yale, Eastern Washington, Florida Gulf Coast, Long Island, Cal State Northridge

FFO: Stanford, Massachusetts, Oregon, Rhode Island
NFO: Maryland, Iowa State, Michigan, Nebraska

December 1, 2016 *Practice Bracket #6*

Please do not include in the Bracket Matrix

1's: Xavier, Baylor, Gonzaga, Villanova
2's: Saint Mary's, Creighton, Virginia, Butler
3's: Middle Tennessee, Florida, Minnesota, Ohio State
4's: Florida State, Duke, South Carolina, Kansas
5's: TCU, Louisville, Indiana, Purdue
6's: Arkansas, Arizona, Kentucky, North Carolina
7's: Notre Dame, UNC Wilmington, VCU, UCF
8's: Nevada, Clemson, Davidson, Miami (FL)
9's: Northwestern, Marshall, Wake Forest, Ole Miss
10's: Auburn, Pittsburgh, Virginia Tech, San Diego State
11's: Providence, Dayton, Temple, UCLA
12's: Houston, Arkansas State, Iowa State, Maryland, Valparaiso, Tennessee State
13's: Ohio, Texas A&M Corpus Christi, Georgia State, Bucknell
14's: North Dakota State, Iona, Northern Iowa, Utah Valley
15's: North Carolina Central, Vermont, Texas Southern, Mercer
16's: UNC Asheville, Yale, Eastern Washington, Florida Gulf Coast, Cal State Northridge, Mount Saint Mary's

FFO: Cincinnati, Oregon, Massachusetts, Stanford
NFO: USC, Rhode Island, Wisconsin, Colorado State