Since EA Sports announced it would not continue producing NCAA Football games in 2013, the sports gamers continued to mourn the end of a beloved game that thousands looked forward to every single year. The game, which included roster sharing capabilities, still lives to this day through up-to-date rosters being uploaded for fans every season since the game’s demise.
On the eve of the release of the final College Football Playoff rankings on Sunday, Sporting News did a projection of the final CFP rankings ahead of the announcement. In order to do that, Sporting News used NCAA Football 14 on the Xbox 360 and the latest 2016 college football rosters from gametag Pastapadre. Before they could do that however, there were three conference championship games that had to be played in order to determine college football’s final four.
SN simulated the Pac-12, Big Ten and ACC Championship Games and based on those winners, the four teams would be selected. Alabama is playing in the SEC Championship, but win or lose, they are a lock for the final four no matter what so that game was not included.
Here is how the three conference championship games turned out using NCAA Football 14 to simulate the games.
- PAC-12 Championship: No. 8 Colorado vs. No. 4 Washington
Final Score: Washington 30, Colorado 10
- Big Ten Championship: No. 7 Penn State vs. No. 6 Wisconsin
Final Score: Penn State 20, Wisconsin 17
- ACC Championship Game: No. 24 Virginia Tech vs. No. 3 Clemson
Final Score: Clemson 41, Virginia Tech 10
The big argument going into the final CFP ranking is who would get that 3rd and/or 4th spot if someone faltered? Navy, Western Michigan and Penn State are teams that while they had big seasons, the CFP committee may look down on. Penn State had a little more of a resume due to playing in the best conference in the country the Big Ten. Western Michigan played in the Mid-American Conference and played a hot garbage non-conference schedule while Navy never receives the respect they deserve in football.
In the end, the Sporting News figured out the final four in the College Football Playoff rankings and neither Penn State, Western Michigan or Navy were selected according to the NCAA Football 14 simulation. Here are the teams that the SN simulation selected for the CFP and the matchups for those games, with the winners of those games to meet in the National Championship Game in Tampa, FL.
No. 4 Washington (12-1) vs. No. 1 Alabama (13-0) in the Peach Bowl
No. 3 Ohio State (11-1) vs. No. 2 Clemson (12-1) in the Fiesta Bowl
That’s what Sporting News has for their predictions. What is your prediction for the College Football Playoff rankings? Should the playoffs feature eight teams or should it remain at four? Let us know in comment section.
