College football playoff brackets announced!

Every year, I report on the results of a mock college football playoff in protest of the fact that we still don’t have one. By popular request, this year I am releasing the brackets early. Enjoy.

I have bracketed and seeded the teams according to their final regular-season BCS rankings, with some consideration given to tradition (e.g., SEC champion in the Sugar Bowl bracket) and geography. I also used the rule of no more than one team per conference in any given bracket.

Rose Bowl Bracket

1st seed Michigan State (12-1, Big Ten) vs. 4th seed Oklahoma State (10-2, Big 12)

2nd seed Stanford (11-2, Pac-12) vs. 3rd seed South Carolina (10-2, SEC)

Fiesta Bowl Bracket

1st seed Alabama (11-1, SEC) vs. 4th seed UCF (11-1, American)

2nd seed Baylor (11-1, Big 12) vs. 3rd seed Oregon (10-2, Pac-12)

Sugar Bowl Bracket

1st seed Auburn (12-1, SEC) vs. 4th seed Arizona State (10-3, Pac-12)

2nd seed Ohio State (12-1, Big Ten) vs. 3rd seed Clemson (10-2, ACC)



Orange Bowl Bracket

1st seed Florida State (13-0, ACC) vs. 4th seed UCLA (9-3, Pac-12)

2nd seed Missouri (11-2, SEC) vs. 3rd Oklahoma (10-2, Big 12)



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BONUS: The "N.I.T." of College Football

As I did the past two years, I have also set up a second-tier 16-team tournament. I've included all of the conferences champions without a spot in the main tournament (C-USA, MAC and Sun Belt), as well as the next-best available teams according to the BCS rankings and AP poll.


EAST BRACKET

1st seed Louisville (11-1, American) vs. 4th seed Bowling Green (10-3, MAC)

2nd seed Georgia (8-4, SEC) vs. 3rd seed Miami, Fla. (9-3, ACC)


SOUTHEAST BRACKET

1st seed LSU (9-3, SEC) vs. 4th seed Louisiana-Lafayette (8-4, Sun Belt)

2nd seed Duke (10-3, ACC) vs. 3rd seed Iowa (8-4, Big Ten)


MIDWEST BRACKET

1st seed Wisconsin (9-3, Big Ten) vs. 4th seed Vanderbilt (8-4, SEC)

2nd seed Northern Illinois (12-1, MAC) vs. 3rd seed Notre Dame (8-4, independent)


WEST BRACKET

1st seed Fresno State (11-1, Mountain West) vs. 4th seed Rice (10-3, C-USA)

2nd seed Texas A&M (8-4, SEC) vs. 3rd seed USC (9-4, Pac-12)


So there you go. Start your office pools now and stay tuned: the final playoff results will be posted here sometime after January 6...