I've PM'd Soccerhunter that I've got my computer programmed to do it, so I'll go ahead and bite the bullet. Piggybacking on his work over the last bunch of years -- "I" is Soccerhunter in the info below -- here's the intro post, followed by a more detailed post on the rules: Hello WoSo Fans! Once again it's just about time to set up the annual NCAA Prediction Contest for women's DI soccer. For those of you who haven't participated, here are the basics. For the last fiveyears, we had two divisions: (1)The Human Division where about 25 of us WOSO fans entered our best bracket, and (2) the Statistical / Machine Division where we had 6 entries last year. Usually, the very top humans beat everyone (including the computers) but the Machines beat the humans on the average. I've received positive feedback on the system of scoring for the last five years that I've done this, so I'll suggest using that system once again. Recall that its major feature is to underweight a little bit the big payoffs for calling the semi final and final games, and emphasize more points in the second and third rounds to reward savvy picks in those "upset rounds" leading up to the elite 8. If you can call the elite 8 you're going to be in high-level company with a great shot at taking the contest. But if you get every other pick wrong except the the eventual finalists then you will end up in the middle of the heap. In other words, if you pick Stanford and and UNC to play for the 2019 championship, you might have called the winners, but if you got all of the other picks wrong, other contestants who correctly called most of the 56 games leading to the elite 8 will have a big lead on you even if they miss on the two golden teams. In the next post, I'll set out the specific rules. (Same as last year, repeated.) Cheers! cpthomas as the inheritor from Soccerhunter
GET YOUR ENTRIES IN! All entries must be posted on this thread by 4:00 (eastern time) on Friday. This leaves all day on Wednesday and Thursday and up until 4:00 on Friday to post your entry. FORMATTING ENTRIES. The format that contestants submit entries is quite important to me. If each entry is EXACTLY in the format as described below, then I will be very happy. I have a very specific prediction entry function to perform, which is why rigorously using the format is important. FIRST: State your Big Soccer SCREEN NAME. THEN leave a vertical space and type "1st Round"and then under that heading proceed to post a vertical list of your picks for each round --one school name for each match scheduled to be played. List your picks in order starting with the Stanford-Prairie View winner and proceed down the left side of the bracket to the South Alabama-Florida State winner and then continue down the right side of the bracket starting with Virginia-Radford and ending with Belmont-UNC. This exercise should yield a vertical list of 32 first round picker winners THEN leave a space ("enter") in the list, type in "2nd Round" and just below that heading proceed to post your picks for the 16 second round winners. THEN leave a space and post a vertical list of your picks for the elite 8. THEN a space and list the final 4. THEN a space and list the finalists, THEN leave a space and list your pick for the champion. As a FORMAT EXAMPLE your entry should look like this (below.) FORMAT EXAMPLE: SCREEN NAME 1st Round Stanford Hofstra Arizona Penn State Arkansas NC State Lousiville BYU UCLA etc... etc... etc... Texas Tech Colorado North Carolina 2nd Round Stanford etc... etc... North Carolina 3rd Round Stanford etc... etc... North Carolina 4th Round Stanford Florida State Virginia North Carolina Semi Finalists Stanford North Carolina Champion Stanford So there you have the format for the contest entries! If you want to enter a bracket based on a computer calculation or even a hand calculated arithmetic ranking system, then please feel free to do so. CP Thomas and Bennett generally are the competition to beat (and CP also supplies a bracket based on the official NCAA ARPI and some other iterations.) As discussed in the first post above, the scoring system will be the same one used for five years now. Identifying the correct winner of a match will be awarded with 1,3,6,8,8,8 points for each of the 6 rounds. (eg total points available for each of the 6 rounds are 32, 48, 48, 32,16, 8). This system typically puts about 1/3 of the field into a position of possibly winning by the end of the third round. (Those who get in position to win the contest usually do well in the 2nd and 3rd rounds -- The "Upset" Rounds.) The "elite 8" round (round 4) does some good pruning of contestants down to 3 or 4 possible victors, and the semi finals and championship game separate those remaining viable winning contestants to find our Champion Pronosticator. So far in the contest -- this is the 8th year he's participated, Soccerhunter doesn't think we've had a tie. Our big prize for the winner is the natural opportunity to take a bow and then to explain his or her genius behind the winning picks, and then after a pause explain what the difference was from the previous year when that same genius failed. (We've never had a repeat winner...) So sit down and fill in your brackets and send in your entry. Let the fun begin!
Eastern Time, per previous years. The first game begins at 5:00 pm Eastern Time, so staying with the traditional 4:00 pm deadline makes sense. But, if someone misses the deadline but gets their predictions in before the first game begins (Clemson v Vanderbilt, a good one), I think that will suffice.
NCAA Adjusted RPI 1st Round Stanford Hofstra ArizonaU PennState ArkansasU NCState Louisville BYU UCLA Clemson Duke WisconsinU WashingtonU FloridaU Brown FloridaState VirginiaU WashingtonState Georgetown Rutgers KansasU VirginiaTech NotreDame SouthCarolinaU SouthernCalifornia TexasA&M SantaClara OklahomaState TexasTech MichiganU ColoradoU NorthCarolinaU 2nd Round Stanford PennState ArkansasU BYU UCLA Duke WashingtonU FloridaState VirginiaU Rutgers KansasU SouthCarolinaU SouthernCalifornia OklahomaState TexasTech NorthCarolinaU 3rd Round Stanford ArkansasU UCLA FloridaState VirginiaU SouthCarolinaU SouthernCalifornia NorthCarolinaU 4th Round Stanford FloridaState VirginiaU NorthCarolinaU Semi Finalists Stanford NorthCarolinaU Champion Stanford
Massey 1st Round Stanford Hofstra ArizonaU PennState ArkansasU NCState Louisville BYU UCLA Clemson Duke WisconsinU WashingtonU FloridaU Brown FloridaState VirginiaU WashingtonState Georgetown Rutgers KansasU VirginiaTech NotreDame SouthCarolinaU SouthernCalifornia TexasA&M SantaClara OklahomaState TexasTech MichiganU ColoradoU NorthCarolinaU 2nd Round Stanford PennState ArkansasU BYU UCLA Duke WashingtonU FloridaState VirginiaU Rutgers VirginiaTech SouthCarolinaU SouthernCalifornia OklahomaState MichiganU NorthCarolinaU 3rd Round Stanford BYU UCLA FloridaState VirginiaU SouthCarolinaU SouthernCalifornia NorthCarolinaU 4th Round Stanford FloridaState VirginiaU NorthCarolinaU Semi Finalists Stanford NorthCarolinaU Champion Stanford
5 Iteration ARPI 1st Round Stanford Hofstra ArizonaU PennState ArkansasU NCState Louisville BYU UCLA Clemson Duke WisconsinU WashingtonU FloridaU Brown FloridaState VirginiaU WashingtonState Georgetown Rutgers KansasU VirginiaTech NotreDame SouthCarolinaU SouthernCalifornia TexasA&M SantaClara OklahomaState TexasTech MichiganU ColoradoU NorthCarolinaU 2nd Round Stanford PennState ArkansasU BYU UCLA WisconsinU WashingtonU FloridaState VirginiaU Rutgers VirginiaTech SouthCarolinaU SouthernCalifornia OklahomaState MichiganU NorthCarolinaU 3rd Round Stanford BYU UCLA FloridaState VirginiaU SouthCarolinaU SouthernCalifornia NorthCarolinaU 4th Round Stanford FloridaState VirginiaU NorthCarolinaU Semi Finalists Stanford NorthCarolinaU Champion NorthCarolinaU
Unadjusted RPI with 50/50 Strength of Schedule, 2 Iteration 1st Round Stanford Hofstra ArizonaU PennState ArkansasU NCState Louisville BYU UCLA Clemson Duke WisconsinU WashingtonU FloridaU Brown FloridaState VirginiaU WashingtonState Georgetown Rutgers KansasU VirginiaTech NotreDame SouthCarolinaU SouthernCalifornia TexasA&M SantaClara OklahomaState TexasTech MichiganU ColoradoU NorthCarolinaU 2nd Round Stanford PennState ArkansasU BYU UCLA Duke WashingtonU FloridaState VirginiaU Rutgers VirginiaTech SouthCarolinaU SouthernCalifornia OklahomaState TexasTech NorthCarolinaU 3rd Round Stanford BYU UCLA FloridaState VirginiaU SouthCarolinaU SouthernCalifornia NorthCarolinaU 4th Round Stanford FloridaState VirginiaU NorthCarolinaU Semi Finalists Stanford NorthCarolinaU Champion NorthCarolinaU
NCAA Adjusted RPI 1st Round Stanford Hofstra TCU Penn State North Texas NC State Louisville BYU UCLA Vanderbilt Duke Wisconsin Seattle South Florida Brown FloridaState Virginia Washington State Georgetown Rutgers Kansas Xavier Notre Dame South Carolina Southern Cal Texas A&M Santa Clara Oklahoma State Pepperdine Michigan Colorado UNC 2nd Round Stanford Penn State NC State BYU UCLA Duke South Florida Florida State Virginia Rutgers Iowa Notre Dame Southern California Santa Clara Michigan UNC 3rd Round Stanford BYU UCLA Florida State Virginia Notre Dame Southern California UNC 4th Round Stanford Florida State Virginia UNC Semi Finalists Stanford UNC Champion UNC
Sam Miami 1st Round Stanford Hofstra TCU Penn State North Texas NC State Louisville BYU UCLA Vanderbilt Duke Wisconsin Seattle South Florida Brown FloridaState Virginia Washington State Georgetown Rutgers Kansas Xavier Notre Dame South Carolina Southern Cal Texas A&M Santa Clara Oklahoma State Pepperdine Michigan Colorado UNC 2nd Round Stanford Penn State NC State BYU UCLA Duke South Florida Florida State Virginia Rutgers Iowa Notre Dame Southern California Santa Clara Michigan UNC 3rd Round Stanford BYU UCLA Florida State Virginia Notre Dame Southern California UNC 4th Round Stanford Florida State Virginia UNC Semi Finalists Stanford UNC Champion UNC
Barry Selph 1rst Round Stanford Hofstra TCU Penn St Arkansas NC State Louisville BYU UCLA Vanderbilt Duke Wisconsin Washington Florida Brown Florida State Virgina Memphis Georgetown Rutgers Kansas Xavier Notre Dame South Carolina Southern California Texas A&M Santa Clara Oklahoma State Texas Tech Michigan Colorado North Carolina 2nd Round Stanford Penn St Arkansas BYU UCLA Wisconsin Washington Florida State Virginia Rutgers Kansas South Carolina Southern Cal Ok State Texas Tech North Carolina 3rd Round Stanford Arkansas UCLA Florida State Virginia South Carolina Southern Cal North Carolina 4th Round Stanford UCLA Virgina North Carolina Semi Finals Stanford North Carolina Champion North Carolina
sweepsit 1st Round Stanford Hofstra Arizona Penn St Arkansas NC St. Louisville BYU UCLA Clemson Duke Wisconsin Washington USF Brown FSU UVA Memphis Georgetown Rutgers Kansas Va Tech Notre Dame South Carolina USC TAMU Santa Clara OSU Pepperdine Michigan Colorado UNC 2nd Round Stanford Penn St Arkansas BYU UCLA Duke USF FSU UVA Rutgers Kansas South Carolina USC Santa Clara Pepperdine UNC 3rd Round Stanford Arkansas UCLA FSU UVA South Carolina USC UNC Quarterfinals Stanford UCLA UVA UNC Semifinals Stanford UNC Finals Stanford
1st Round Stanford Hofstra Arizona Penn State Arkansas NC State Lipscomb BYU UCLA Clemson Duke Milwaukee Washington South Florida Brown FloridaState Virginia Washington State West Virginia Rutgers Iowa Xavier Saint Louis South Carolina Southern Cal Texas A&M Santa Clara South Dakota St Pepperdine Michigan Colorado UNC 2nd Round Stanford Penn State NC State BYU UCLA Duke South Florida Florida State Virginia West Virginia Xavier South Carolina Southern California Santa Clara Michigan UNC 3rd Round Stanford NC State UCLA Florida State Virginia South Carolina Santa Clara UNC 4th Round Stanford Florida State Virginia UNC Semi Finalists Florida State Virginia Champion Florida State
soccerlol 1st Round Stanford Loyola-Chicago TCU Penn State Arkansas NC State Louisville BYU UCLA Clemson Duke Wisconsin Washington USF Brown FSU Virginia Memphis Georgetown Rutgers Kansas Virginia Tech St. Louis South Carolina USC Texas A&M Santa Clara OSU Texas Tech Michigan Colorado UNC 2nd Round Stanford Penn State NC State BYU UCLA Duke USF FSU Virginia Rutgers Virginia Tech South Carolina USC OSU Texas Tech UNC 3rd Round Stanford BYU UCLA FSU Virginia South Carolina OSU UNC 4th Round Stanford FSU Virginia UNC Semi Finals Stanford UNC Champion UNC
DMTHOMAS49 1st Round Stanford Hofstra TCU PennState ArkansasU NCState Louisville BYU UCLA Clemson Duke WisconsinU WashingtonU FloridaU Brown FloridaState VirginiaU WashingtonState WestVirginia Rutgers KansasU VirginiaTech NotreDame SouthCarolinaU SouthernCalifornia TexasA&M SantaClara OklahomaState TexasTech MichiganU ColoradoU NorthCarolinaU 2nd Round Stanford PennState ArkansasU BYU UCLA Duke FloridaU FloridaState VirginiaU Rutgers KansasU SouthCarolinaU SouthernCalifornia SantaClara MichiganU NorthCarolinaU 3rd Round Stanford BYU UCLA FloridaState VirginiaU SouthCarolinaU SouthernCalifornia NorthCarolinaU 4th Round Stanford UCLA VirginiaU NorthCarolinaU Semi Finalists Stanford NorthCarolinaU Champion Stanford
Crazyhorse 1st Round Stanford Hofstra TCU Penn State Arkansas NC State Louisville BYU UCLA Clemson Duke Wisconsin Seattle Florida Brown Florida State Virginia Memphis Georgetown Rutgers Kansas Virginia Tech Notre Dame South Carolina Southern Cal Texas A&M Santa Clara Oklahoma State Pepperdine Michigan Colorado UNC 2nd Round Stanford TCU Arkansas Louisville UCLA Duke Seattle Florida State Virginia Rutgers Kansas South Carolina Southern Cal Santa Clara Michigan UNC 3rd Round Stanford Louisville UCLA Florida State Virginia South Carolina Southern Cal UNC 4th Round Stanford Florida State Virginia UNC Semi Finalists Stanford UNC Champion Stanford
NilamCA <GO BLUE> 1st Round Stanford Hofstra Arizona PennState Arkansas Navy Louisville BYU UCLA Clemson Utah Milwaukee Washington Florida Monmouth FSU Virginia Memphis Georgetown Rutgers Iowa Xavier St. Louis South Carolina Fullerton Texas A&M Cal OklahomaState TexasTech Michigan Colorado UNC 2nd Round Stanford PennState Arkansas BYU UCLA Milwaukee Washington FSU Virginia Rutgers Iowa South Carolina Texas A&M Oklahoma State Michigan UNC 3rd Round Stanford BYU UCLA FSU Virginia South Carolina Texas A&M UNC 4th Round BYU FSU Virginia UNC Semi Finalists BYU Virginia Champion Virginia
1st round Stanford Hofstra Arizona Pennstate Arkansas Navy Louisville BYU UCLA Vanderbilt Utah Wisconsin Seattle Florida Brown Florida State Virginia Washington state West Virginia Rutgers Kansas Virginia Tech Notre Dame South Carolina USC Texas am Santa Clara Oklahoma State Pepperdine Michigan Colorado North Carolina 2nd round Stanford Penn state Arkansas BYU UCLA Wisconsin Florida Florida State Virginia Rutgers Virginia tech South Carolina USC Oklahoma State Michigan North Carolina 3rd round Stanford BYU UCLA Florida State Virginia South Carolina USC North Carolina 4th round Stanford Florida State Virginia USC semi Stanford USC final usc
CRANE65 1st Round Stanford Hofstra Arizona Penn State Arkansas NC State Louisville BYU UCLA Vanderbilt Duke Wisconsin Washington South Florida Brown Florida State Virginia Memphis Georgetown Rutgers Kansas Xavier Notre Dame South Carolina Southern California Texas A&M Santa Clara Oklahoma State Texas Tech Michigan Colorado North Carolina 2nd Round Stanford Arizona Arkansas BYU UCLA Duke Washington Florida State Virginia Rutgers Kansas South Carolina Southern California Santa Clara Michigan North Carolina 3rd Round Stanford Arkansas UCLA Florida State Virginia South Carolina Southern California North Carolina 4th Round Stanford UCLA Virginia North Carolina Semi Finalists Stanford North Carolina Champion Stanford
Just a note to appreciate CPT for getting this going. My internet went off line for the last three weeks and I have not been able to communicate until today. I am thrilled to see this effort going forward!
Tom 81 1st Round Stanford Hofstra TCU Penn State Arkansas NC State Louisville BYU UCLA Clemson Duke Wisconsin Seattle Florida Brown Florida State Virginia Memphis Georgetown Rutgers Kansas Virginia Tech Notre Dame South Carolina Southern Cal Texas A&M Santa Clara Oklahoma State Pepperdine Michigan Colorado UNC 2nd Round Stanford TCU Arkansas Louisville UCLA Duke Seattle Florida State Virginia Georgetown Kansas South Carolina Southern Cal Santa Clara Michigan UNC 3rd Round Stanford Louisville UCLA Florida State Virginia South Carolina Southern Cal UNC 4th Round Stanford Florida State Virginia UNC Semi Finalists FSU UNC Champion FSU
Mills 1st Round Stanford Hofstra Arizona Penn State Arkansas NC State Louisville BYU UCLA Vanderbilt Duke Wisconsin Washington USF Brown Florida St. Virginia Washington St. Georgetown Rutgers Kansas Xavier Notre Dame South Carolina USC Texas A&M Santa Clara Oklahoma St. TexasTech Michigan Colorado North Carolina 2nd Round Stanford Penn State Arkansas BYU UCLA Wisconsin Washington Florida St. Virginia Rutgers Kansas South Carolina USC Oklahoma St. Michigan North Carolina 3rd Round Stanford BYU UCLA Florida St. South Carolina USC North Carolina 4th Round Stanford Florida State Virginia North Carolina Semi Finalists Stanford North Carolina Champion Stanford