OK, for those who want to participate, I have set up the programming to run a prediction contest for the NCAA Tournament following the same rules as we used in 2019. To start, you predict now the winner of each game in the tournament from the first round through the championship. The scoring will be as follows, for each correct prediction of who advances: First Round Correct: 1 point Second Round Correct: 3 points Third Round Correct: 6 points Quarterfinals Correct: 8 points Semifinals Correct: 8 points Championship Correct: 8 points Below is a list of the teams in the order they appear in the bracket. So, the first two teams are paired in the first round, the second two are paired, and so on. If you want to enter, post your predictions for the entire tournament on this thread not later than the beginning of the first Tournament game. Based on the the interactive bracket as currently posted, that would be not later than this coming Friday, November 12, at 4:00 pm on the East Coast, which is the time of the Clemson v Alabama game. Post your predictions in the following format, leaving a space after each round: In order starting from the top of the list below, post the winner of each first round game (so, you will have posted a list of 32 teams) In order, starting from the top of your list of first round winners, post the winner of each second round game (so you will have posted a list of 16 teams) In order, starting from the top of your list of second round winners, post the winner of each third round game (so you will have posted a list of 8 teams) In order, starting from the top of your list of third round winners, post the winner of each quarterfinal game (so you will have posted a list of 4 teams) In order, starting from the top of your list of quarterfinal winners, post the winner of each semifinal game (so you will have posted a list of 2 teams) Post the winner of the Championship game (so you will have posted the name of 1 team) After each round, I will post a report showing the points scored, by round, and the total scored, by each competitor and the competitor standings. Because of the possibility of errors in my entry of your predictions and game results, please check what I report as your scores and let me know if you see any errors. Tournament Bracket Order FloridaState* SouthAlabama SMU* TexasU SouthFlorida* NCState SouthDakotaState Pepperdine* TennesseeU* Lipscomb WashingtonState* MontanaU WakeForest* Harvard BowlingGreen MichiganU* ArkansasU* NorthwesternState VirginiaTech* OhioState Purdue* LoyolaChicago SIUEdwardsville NotreDame* TCU* PrairieViewA&M Princeton* VermontU MississippiU* StLouis Bucknell Rutgers* Duke* OldDominion Memphis* LSU Brown* StJohns Samford Auburn* Georgetown* CentralConnecticut SantaClara* Stanford WisconsinU* Butler UCIrvine UCLA* NorthCarolinaU* SouthCarolinaU Hofstra* Providence PennState* Monmouth GrandCanyon SouthernCalifornia* BYU* NewMexicoU Clemson* AlabamaU Xavier* Milwaukee HighPoint VirginiaU*
From the trivia bin, here is a little resource for any of you trying to pick who will be the champion: The greatest average goals against, over the entire season, for any champion has been 0.74. The lowest average goals for has been 1.88. The lowest average goal differential has been 1.36. Note: 2020 is not included in the data base. Over the years, average goals against has been pretty consistent for the champions. Average goals for and goal differential have been declining.
Thank you CP for getting the context going for this year. I have so many irons in the fire at this time that I simply could not help. Cheers!
OK so traveling with very little internet access next few days so I'll go first. Hope I get the formatting correct: Round 1 Florida St. SMU South Fla. Pepperdine Lipscomb Washington St. Wake Forest Michigan Arkansas Virginia Tech Purdue Notre Dame TCU Princeton Ole Miss Rutgers Duke LSU Brown Sanford Georgetown Stanford Wisconsin UCLA North Carolina Hofstra Penn St. Southern California New Mexico Alabama Xavier Virginia Round 2 Florida St. South Fla. Washington St. Wake Forest Virginia Tech Notre Dame Princeton Rutgers Duke Brown Stanford UCLA North Carolina Southern California New Mexico Xavier Round 3 Florida St. Wake Forest Virginia Tech Rutgers Brown UCLA North Carolina Xavier Round 4 Florida St. Rutgers UCLA North Carolina Semis Florida St. North Carolina Champions Florida St.
FloridaState TexasU SouthFlorida Pepperdine Lipscomb WashingtonState Harvard MichiganU ArkansasU VirginiaTech Purdue NotreDame TCU Princeton StLouis Rutgers Duke Memphis Brown Auburn Georgetown SantaClara Wisconsin UCLA NorthCarolinaU Hofstra PennState SouthernCalifornia BYU Clemson Xavier VirginiaU FloridaState Pepperdine WashingtonState Harvard ArkansasU NotreDame TCU Rutgers Duke Brown Georgetown UCLA NorthCarolina SouthernCalifornia BYU VirgininaU FloridaState Harvard ArkansasU Rutgers Duke UCLA NorthCarolina VirginiaU FloridaState Rutgers UCLA VirginiaU FloridaState UCLA UCLA
FloridaState TexasU NCState Pepperdine TennesseeU WashingtonState WakeForest MichiganU ArkansasU VirginiaTech LoyolaChicago NotreDame TCU Princeton StLouis Rutgers Duke Memphis StJohns Auburn Georgetown Stanford Butler UCLA NorthCarolinaU Hofstra PennState SouthernCalifornia BYU AlabamaU Xavier VirginiaU FloridaState Pepperdine WashingtonState MichiganU ArkansasU NotreDame TCU Rutgers Duke Auburn Stanford Butler NorthCarolinaU SouthernCalifornia BYU VirginiaU FloridaState WashingtonState NotreDame Rutgers Duke Stanford NorthCarolinaU BYU FloridaState Rutgers Stanford NorthCarolinaU FloridaState Stanford FloridaState
Florida State Texas NC State Pepperdine Tennessee WashingtonState WakeForest Michigan Arkansas VirginiaTech Purdue Notre Dame TCU Princeton Mississippi Rutgers Duke Memphis Brown Auburn Georgetown Stanford Wisconsin UCLA North CarolinaU Hofstra Penn State Southern California BYU Clemson Xavier Virginia Florida State Pepperdine Washington State Michigan Arkansas Notre Dame TCU Rutgers Duke Auburn Stanford UCLA North Carolina Southern California BYU Virginia Florida State Michigan Arkansas Rutgers Duke UCLA North Carolina Virginia Florida State Rutgers Duke Virginia Florida State Duke Florida State
Round 1 FSU Texas USF Pepperdine Tennessee Wash St WF Mich Ark VT Purdue ND TCU Princeton Ole Miss Rutgers Duke Memphis Brown Auburn Georgetown Stanford Butler UCLA UNC Hofstra Penn St USC BYU Clemson Xavier UVA Round 2 FSU Pepperdine Tennessee WF Ark ND TCU Rutgers Duke Auburn Stanford UCLA UNC USC BYU UVA Round 3 FSU WF ND TCU Duke UCLA UNC UVA Round 4 FSU TCU UCLA UVA Semis FSU UVA Finals UVA Hope I'm wrong, but I think it may be UVA's year!
I tried to maintain consistency with your team naming conventions. Round 1 Florida State TexasU SouthFlorida Pepperdine Tennessee WashingtonState WakeForest MichiganU ArkansasU OhioState Purdue NotreDame TCU Princeton MississippiU Rutgers Duke Memphis Brown Samford Georgetown Stanford WisconsinU UCLA UNC Hofstra Penn St USC BYU Clemson Xavier UVA Round 2 Florida State Pepperdine WashingtonState MichiganU ArkansasU NotreDame TCU Rutgers Duke Samford Stanford UCLA UNC USC BYU UVA Round 3 Florida State WashingtonState ArkansasU TCU Duke UCLA UNC UVA Round 4 Florida State TCU UCLA UVA Semis Florida State UCLA Finals Florida State
FSU Texas USF Pepper Tenn WSU Harvard Mich Ark VT Loyola ND TCU Princeton STL Rutgers Duke LSU StJohns Samford Gtown Stanford Wisc UCLA UNC Hofstra PSU USC BYU Clem Milwaukee UVA FSU Pepper Tenn Harvard VT ND Princeton Rutgers Duke StJohns Gtown UCLA UNC USC BYU UVA FSU Tenn ND Rutgers Duke Gtown UNC UVA FSU Rutgers Gtown UVA Rutgers Gtown Rutgers
Well, I sure look like a homer with this entry! But I am making the dodgy assumption that we will have Maycee Bell back in the line up by the third round and that we can squeak by without her for the first three games. With Maycee in the back line I think we can be competitive into the final 4. -But of course any one can get knocked off in the last three rounds and it wouldn't be an "upset". Cheers! FSU Texas NC State Pepperdine Tenn Wash St. Wake Michigan Ark Va Tech Purdue ND TCU Princeton Miss Rutgers Duke LSU Brown Auburn Georgetown Stanford Wisconsin UCLA UNC Hofstra Penn St USC BYU Clemson Milwaukee Virginia FSU Pepperdine Wash St Wake Arkansas ND Princeton Rutgers Duke Auburn Stanford UCLA UNC USC BYU Virginia FSU Wake Arkansas Rutgers Duke UCLA UNC Virginia FSU Rutgers Duke UNC FSU UNC FSU
Massey Ratings: FloridaState TexasU NCState Pepperdine TennesseeU WashingtonState WakeForest MichiganU ArkansasU VirginiaTech Purdue NotreDame TCU Princeton MississippiU Rutgers Duke LSU Brown Auburn Georgetown Stanford WisconsinU UCLA NorthCarolinaU Hofstra PennState SouthernCalifornia BYU Clemson Xavier VirginiaU FloridaState Pepperdine TennesseeU MichiganU ArkansasU NotreDame TCU Rutgers Duke Auburn Stanford UCLA NorthCarolinaU SouthernCalifornia BYU VirginiaU FloridaState TennesseeU ArkansasU Rutgers Duke UCLA NorthCarolinaU VirginiaU FloridaState ArkansasU Duke VirginiaU FloridaState VirginiaU FloridaState
CPT RPI 50-50 SoS 2 Iteration Pure 2015 BPs NC (RPI revision to minimize current RPI problems): FloridaState SMU SouthFlorida Pepperdine TennesseeU WashingtonState WakeForest MichiganU ArkansasU VirginiaTech Purdue NotreDame TCU Princeton MississippiU Rutgers Duke Memphis Brown Auburn Georgetown Stanford Butler UCLA NorthCarolinaU Hofstra PennState SouthernCalifornia BYU Clemson Xavier VirginiaU FloridaState SouthFlorida TennesseeU MichiganU ArkansasU NotreDame TCU Rutgers Duke Auburn Georgetown UCLA NorthCarolinaU SouthernCalifornia BYU VirginiaU FloridaState MichiganU ArkansasU Rutgers Duke UCLA NorthCarolinaU VirginiaU FloridaState Rutgers Duke VirginiaU FloridaState Duke FloridaState
NCAA RPI: FloridaState SMU SouthFlorida Pepperdine TennesseeU WashingtonState Harvard MichiganU ArkansasU VirginiaTech Purdue NotreDame TCU Princeton MississippiU Rutgers Duke Memphis Brown Auburn Georgetown SantaClara WisconsinU UCLA NorthCarolinaU Hofstra PennState SouthernCalifornia BYU Clemson Xavier VirginiaU FloridaState Pepperdine TennesseeU MichiganU ArkansasU NotreDame TCU Rutgers Duke Auburn Georgetown UCLA NorthCarolinaU SouthernCalifornia BYU VirginiaU FloridaState MichiganU ArkansasU Rutgers Duke UCLA NorthCarolinaU VirginiaU FloridaState Rutgers Duke VirginiaU FloridaState Duke FloridaState
FSU TEXAS NC STATE PEPPERDINE TENN WASH ST HARVARD MICHIGAN ARK OHIO ST PURDUE NOTREDAME TCU PRINCETON SAINT LOUIS RUTGERS DUKE MEMPHIS BROWN AUBURN GEORGETOWN SANTA CLARA WISCONSIN UCLA UNC HOFSTRA PENN ST USC BYU CLEMSON MILWAUKEE VIRGINIA FSU NC STATE WASH STATE MICHIGAN ARKANSAS PURDUE TCU RUTGERS DUKE BROWN SANTA CLARA UCLA UNC PENN ST BYU VIRGINIA FSU WASH STATE PURDUE RUTGERS DUKE SANTA CLARA PENN ST VIRGINIA FSU RUTGERS DUKE VIRGINIA FSU DUKE DUKE
FloridaState TexasU NCState Pepperdine TennesseeU WashingtonState WakeForest MichiganU ArkansasU OhioState Purdue NotreDame TCU Princeton MississippiU Rutgers Duke LSU Brown Auburn* Georgetown Stanford WisconsinU UCLA NorthCarolinaU Hofstra PennState SouthernCalifornia BYU Clemson Xavier VirginiaU FloridaState Pepperdine TennesseeU MichiganU ArkansasU NotreDame TCU Rutgers Duke Brown Georgetown UCLA NorthCarolinaU SouthernCalifornia BYU VirginiaU FloridaState MichiganU ArkansasU Rutgers Duke UCLA SouthernCalifornia VirginiaU FloridaState Rutgers UCLA VirginiaU FloridaState VirginiaU Florida State
1st Round FloridaState* TexasU NCState Pepperdine* TennesseeU* WashingtonState* Harvard MichiganU* ArkansasU* VirginiaTech* Purdue* NotreDame* TCU* Princeton* MississippiU* Rutgers* Duke* Memphis* Brown* Auburn* Georgetown* Stanford WisconsinU* UCLA* NorthCarolinaU* Hofstra* PennState* SouthernCalifornia* BYU* Clemson* Xavier* VirginiaU* 2nd Round FloridaState* NCState TennesseeU* MichiganU* ArkansasU* NotreDame* Princeton* Rutgers* Duke* Brown* Stanford UCLA* NorthCarolinaU* SouthernCalifornia* Clemson* VirginiaU* 3rd Round FloridaState* MichiganU* NotreDame* Princeton* Duke* UCLA* NorthCarolinaU* VirginiaU* 4th Round FloridaState* NotreDame* Duke* VirginiaU*, 5th Round FloridaState Virginia 6th Round Florida State
FloridaState TexasU NCState Pepperdine Tennessee WashingtonState WakeForest MichiganU ArkansasU VirginiaTech Purdue NotreDame TCU Princeton StLouis Rutgers Duke LSU Brown Auburn Georgetown SantaClara Wisconsin UCLA NorthCarolina Hofstra PennState SouthernCalifornia BYU Clemson Xavier VirginiaU FloridaState Pepperdine WashingtonState MichiganU ArkansasU NotreDame TCU Rutgers Duke Auburn SantaClara UCLA NorthCarolina SouthernCalifornia BYU VirginiaU FloridaState WashingtonState ArkansasU Rutgers Duke SantaClara SouthernCalifornia VirginiaU WashingtonState Rutgers Duke SouthernCalifornia Washington State Southern California Southern California
Round 1 Florida State SMU NC State Pepperdine TennesseeU Washington State Wake Forest MichiganU ArkansasU Virginia Tech Purdue Notre Dame TCU Princeton Mississippi U Rutgers Duke Memphis Brown Auburn Georgetown Stanford WisconsinU UCLA North CarolinaU Hofstra Penn State Southern California BYU Clemson Xavier VirginiaU Round 2 Florida State Pepperdine TennesseeU MichiganU ArkansasU Notre Dame TCU Rutgers Duke Auburn Stanford UCLA North CarolinaU Southern California BYU VirginiaU Round 3 Florida State TennesseeU ArkansasU Rutgers Duke UCLA North CarolinaU VirginiaU Round 4 Florida State Rutgers Duke VirginiaU Semis Florida State VirginiaU Final Florida State
Round 1: FloridaState* TexasU NCState Pepperdine* Lipscomb WashingtonState* WakeForest* MichiganU* ArkansasU* VirginiaTech* Purdue* NotreDame* TCU* Princeton* MississippiU* Rutgers* Duke* LSU Brown* Auburn* Georgetown* SantaClara* WisconsinU* UCLA* NorthCarolinaU* Hofstra* PennState* SouthernCalifornia* BYU* Clemson* Xavier* VirginiaU Round 2: FloridaState* Pepperdine* WashingtonState* WakeForest* ArkansasU* Purdue* TCU* Rutgers* Duke* Auburn* Georgetown UCLA* NorthCarolinaU* SouthernCalifornia* Clemson* VirginiaU Round 3: FloridaState* WakeForest* ArkansasU* Rutgers* Duke* UCLA* SouthernCalifornia* VirginiaU Semis: FloridaState* Rutgers* UCLA* VirginiaU Final: Florida State UCLA Winner: UCLA
Round 1 FSU Texas Ncs Pepperdine TN Washington state WF Michigan Arkansas VT Purdue Notre dame Tcu Princeton Ole miss Rutgers Duke Memphis Brown Auburn Georgetown Stanford Wisconsin UCLA Unc Hofstra Penn state SoCal Byu Clemson Milwaukee UVA Round 2 FSU Pepperdine TN WF Arkansas Purdue Princeton Rutgers Duke Auburn Georgetown UCLA Unc SoCal Clemson UVA Round 3 FSU TN Purdue Rutgers Duke UCLA SoCal UVA Round 4 FSU Purdue UCLA UVA Semifinals FSU UCLA Final FSU
Round 1 FSU Texas NC State Pepperdine Tennessee Wash State Harvard Michigan Arkansas Ohio State Purdue Notre Dame TCU Princeton Ole Miss Rutgers Duke Memphis St. John’s Auburn Georgetown Stanford Butler UCLA North Carolina Providence Penn State USC BYU Alabama Xavier Virginia Round 2 FSU Pepperdine Tennessee Michigan Arkansas Notre Dame TCU Rutgers Duke Auburn Georgetown UCLA UNC USC BYU UVA Round 3 FSU Michigan Notre Dame TCU Duke UCLA USC BYU Round 4 FSU TCU Duke BYU Round 5 FSU Duke Round 6 Duke (had to)
And a happy tournament to you! FloridaState TexasU SouthFlorida Pepperdine TennesseeU WashingtonState WakeForest MichiganU ArkansasU VirginiaTech Purdue NotreDame TCU Princeton MississippiU Rutgers Duke Memphis Brown Auburn Georgetown Stanford WisconsinU UCLA NorthCarolinaU Hofstra PennState SouthernCalifornia BYU Clemson Xavier VirginiaU FloridaState SouthFlorida TennesseeU MichiganU ArkansasU NotreDame TCU Rutgers Duke Auburn Stanford UCLA NorthCarolinaU SouthernCalifornia BYU VirginiaU FloridaState MichiganU NotreDame Rutgers Duke UCLA SouthernCalifornia VirginiaU FloridaState Rutgers UCLA VirginiaU FloridaState UCLA FloridaState
At this point, we have 20 competitors: 17 humans and 3 rating systems. Something I am watching is to see how the teams from the west do in comparison to other teams, in relation to their RPI ratings. Inter-regional competition is down this year from historic norms (although not as far down as last year). This means the RPI is less reliable this year at comparing teams from one region to teams from other regions. This is a problem for the RPI in normal years, so it is likely to be worse this year. And, historically, the region that has suffered most from this is the west -- although I am not sure if this has significantly affected highly ranked teams from the west. I have not looked carefully at matchups to see if this possible ranting problem for teams from the west could be expected to show up in Tournament results or not, but as matchups occur between west and non-west teams I will be looking to see if west teams pull off surprises in relation to RPI ratings. Of course, the set up of unseeded teams in the bracket on the basis of travel considerations (and, particularly, avoiding air travel, which was a priority in that set up) has reduced the number of cross-regional games, so the opportunities for west v non-west matchups has been reduced. And, as always, I will be interested to see how our human competitors do in relation to the rating systems.
Just realized I made a mistake in the start time of the first match for the Tournament. It is 4:00 pm EST, Clemson v Alabama. So, there still is time to enter the competition here.