Video game picks the winners

[Sandhusker]

That video game sure can pick 'em
Peter Schrager

Two years ago, I found myself wide awake at 3 a.m. on a random Thursday night in August, playing NCAA '06. I'd gotten the game earlier in the day, spent the first few hours of the night making all the necessary changes on the depth charts, and just cracked open the first of what would be several Barq's Root Beers.

Starting off a season with the Tennessee Volunteers, I was excited for the realism and accuracy that made the video game one of the best on the market. Of course, a mere 15 minutes into my opener with UAB, I noticed something very odd scrolling across the fake bottom line ticker. According to the game, unranked TCU, apparently, had beaten No. 3 Oklahoma in Norman.
I was disgusted.

Long a fan of the Electronic Arts franchise, I couldn't take the game seriously from that point on. I'd lost faith. A crazy upset? On the road? During the opening week of the season? Ugh.

That kind of stuff didn't happen in real life. My beloved game had clearly let me down.

Sure enough, three weeks later, the real TCU Horned Frogs beat the real Oklahoma Sooners in Norman.

I haven't doubted the game since.

Throughout last year, we turned to NCAA '07 for predictions. The results were uncanny. Before the season, a simulated run-through of the game revealed Florida as the eventual SEC Champions, Boise State making a run at a BCS bowl berth, and both Florida State and Miami finishing the season outside of the Top 25. Furthermore, Troy Smith was accurately predicted as the Heisman, Arkansas and Wake Forest foreseen with winning records, and Kentucky capable of both an upset over Georgia and an eventual victory in a bowl game.

Move over Kreskin.

By now, you've read all the college football previews, heard all the hype, and seen all the lame Heisman promotional material you'll ever need for the 2007 college football season. You know Colt Brennan's going to throw for 40-plus touchdowns, Darren McFadden's going to do some wild stuff out of the Wildcat formation, and Jimbo Fisher's going to bring offense back to Tallahassee. Boise State returns a slew of starters, West Virginia adds Noel Devine to its already loaded backfield, and Tulsa's everyone's sexy mid-major sleeper pick.

It all starts this week, and you've never been more prepared.

But before we get started, let's see what the old video game console had to say.

With every player's name loaded and every team's roster updated on to the game, we've simulated the entire 2007 college football season. After a half hour of scores zipping, names flashing, and fight song music blaring in the background, we've got polls, awards, a national champion — the whole deal. Take some time and read through.


NCAA '08 end of regular season rankings
: 1. LSU
2. Nebraska
3. West Virginia
4. Arkansas
5. Virginia Tech
6. Louisville
7. Boise State
8. Penn State
9. Michigan
10. USC
11. Ohio State
12. Florida State
13. Wisconsin
14. Texas A&M
15. UCLA
16. Florida
17. Rutgers
18. Auburn
19. Oklahoma
20. Miami
21. Texas
22. Tennessee
23. Notre Dame
24. Washington
25. Purdue

BCS matchups
Rose Bowl: Penn State (Big Ten Champions) vs. USC (Pac-10 Champions)
Final score: USC wins 51-13

Orange Bowl: Virginia Tech (ACC Champions) vs. West Virginia (Big East Champions)
Final score: West Virginia wins 31-28

Sugar Bowl: Louisville (At-large) vs. Michigan (At-large)
Final score: Louisville wins 27-20

Fiesta Bowl: Arkansas (At-large) vs. Boise State (At-large)
Final score: Arkansas wins 35-21

National championship: Nebraska (BCS No. 2) at LSU (BCS No. 1)
Final score: LSU wins 34-17
MVP: Matt Flynn, QB, LSU — 23-30, 311 yards, 3 TDs

National champions: LSU Tigers


Heisman finalists
Brian Brohm, QB, Louisville
John David Booty, QB, USC
Chris Wells, RB, Ohio State
Darren McFadden, RB, Arkansas
Sam Keller, QB, Nebraska

Winner: McFadden


Other award winners
Maxwell (best player): Darren McFadden, RB, Arkansas
Bednarik (best defensive player): Dan Connor, LB, Penn State
Davey O'Brien (best quarterback): Brian Brohm, QB, Louisville
Walker (best running back): Darren McFadden, RB, Arkansas
Best WR: Mario Urrutia, WR, Louisville
Best TE: Dustin Keller, TE, Purdue
Best OL: Sam Baker, OT, USC
Rimington (best center): Jeremy Harrell, C, Arkansas
Lombardi (dest defensive lineman): Andrae Wright, DE, West Virginia
Best LB: Vince Hall, LB, Virginia Tech
Thorpe (best defensive back): Jonathan Hefney, CB, Tennessee
Groza (best kicker): Richard Jackson, K, Clemson
Best Punter: Zoltan Mesko, P, Michigan
Best kick/punt returner: Eddie Royal, WR, Virginia Tech
Best coach: Bill Callahan, Nebraska

First-team All-Americans:
QB: Brian Brohm, Louisville
RB: Chris Wells, Ohio State
RB: Darren McFadden, Arkansas
WR: Mario Urrutia, Louisville
WR: Early Doucet, LSU
TE: Sam Wheeler, Virginia Tech
G: Sergio Render, Virginia Tech
C: Ryan Schuman, Virginia Tech
G: Greg Isdaner, West Virginia
T: Sam Baker, USC
T: Jake Long, Michigan
DE: Andrae Wright, West Virginia
DE: Bruce Davis, UCLA
DT: Frank Okam, Texas
DT: Glen Dorsey, LSU
LB: Steve Octavien, Nebraska
LB: Dan Connor, Penn State
LB: Vince Hall, Virginia Tech
CB: Zack Bowman, Nebraska
CB: Jonathan Hefney, Tennessee
FS: Kyle Jackson, Florida
SS: Reggie Smith, Oklahoma
K: Richard Jackson, Clemson
P: Zoltan Mesko, Michigan

Second-team All-Americans:
QB: Colt Brennan, Hawaii
RB: Branden Ore, Virginia Tech
RB: Steve Slaton, West Virginia
WR: Jason Rivers, Hawaii
WR: DeSean Jackson, California
TE: Dustin Keller, Purdue
T: Jose Valdez, Arkansas
C: Mike Dent, West Virginia
G: Ramon Foster, Tennessee
G: Jordan Picou, Nebraska
T: King Dunlap, Auburn
DE: Chris Long, Virginia
DE: Chris Harrington, Texas A&M
DT: Terrance Knighton, Temple
DT: Derrell Hand, Notre Dame
LB: Ali Highsmith, LSU
LB: Rey Maualuga, USC
LB: Xavier Abidi, Virginia Tech
CB: Jonathan Zenon, LSU
CB: Chevis Jackson, LSU
FS: Otis Wiley, Michigan State
SS: Myron Rolle, Florida State
K: Kevin Kelly, Penn State
P: Patrick Fisher, LSU

All-freshman team:
QB: Adam Weber, Minnesota
RB: Noel Devine, West Virginia
RB: DeMarco Murray, Oklahoma
WR: Terrance Tolliver, LSU
WR: Michael Crabtree, Texas Tech
TE: Bailey Woods, Auburn
G: James Pouncey, Florida
C: Beau Warren, Virginia Tech
G: Kevin Young, South Carolina
T: Aaron Brown, Virginia Tech
T: Jarvis Jones, LSU
DE: Lawrence Marsh, Florida
DE: Jason Adjepong, Virginia Tech
DT: Wayne Thomas, Rutgers
DT: Dexter Larrimore, Ohio State
LB: Jared Detrick, Virginia
LB: Manny Abreu, Rutgers
LB: Jeremiha Hunter, Iowa
CB: Eric Berry, Tennessee
CB: Jai Eugene, LSU
FS: Deunta Williams, North Carolina
SS: Jordan Bernstine, Iowa
K: Richard Jackson, Clemson
P: Chas Henry, Florida

Get all that?

USC losing to Nebraska in Lincoln on Sept. 15, Penn State topping Michigan, Ohio State, and Wisconsin in the Big 10, and both Oklahoma and Texas finishing out of the top 15. Bill Callahan leading an undefeated Nebraska squad to the BCS Championship Game, UCLA and Washington edging out Oregon and Cal for the 2 and 3 spots in the Pac-10, and Boise State making a return to the Fiesta Bowl. Sam Keller invited to New York for the Heisman presentation? A team that had four players from last year's Sugar Bowl champion squad get selected in the first round of April's NFL Draft winning it less than twelve months later?

It sounds absurd, I know.

And hey, believe what you want.

But I'd keep this article bookmarked somewhere on your desktop. Save it for early December.

This video game is eerily good at predicting things.

The TCU-Oklahoma upset in 2005, Boise State's miracle season last year, Wake Forest and Arkansas turning it around in '06 ...

All things considered, Nebraska in the BCS Championship doesn't seem so crazy after all.

 

[jigs]

makes me wonder why we even play the games.

just let a computer figure it out and hand out the trophies.





























the game is wrong NU will have 4 losses this year! Wake Forest over NU for the upset of the week!

 

[Sandhusker]

makes me wonder why we even play the games.

just let a computer figure it out and hand out the trophies.





























the game is wrong NU will have 4 losses this year! Wake Forest over NU for the upset of the week!

And you're willing to bet how much on that?

 

[jigs]

I thought you were gonna loan me some money to bet with?

 

[Red Robin]

Arkansas mcfadden is going to be tough for any team to stop if he's healthy.

 

[Sandhusker]

I thought you were gonna loan me some money to bet with?

How bout we start with your lunch money.......

 

[jigs]

a fat guy like me don't even mess with his lunch money!! eatin is as sacred as breathin!


I may however be interested in betting humiliation.....

 

[Sandhusker]

a fat guy like me don't even mess with his lunch money!! eatin is as sacred as breathin!


I may however be interested in betting humiliation.....

I'm open to debate. What are you thinking of? I'm sure Katrina wants a piece of the action, too.

 

[katrina]

Count me in!!!!!!! :twisted:

 

[jigs]

she always wants a piece of me! :lol:


but I got her pretty good last Friday!!

 

[katrina]

Yes you did.
Remember my weasely friend paybacks are hell.........

 

[loomixguy]

Sandy may be onto something.......LSU looked damn good last night.

The best part is, with my town job, I will be getting PAID to watch the 'Braska game! :lol: :wink:

How bad is K State supposed to lose to Auburn now? 3 TD's? 4? 5?

 

[jigs]

Sandy may be onto something.......LSU looked damn good last night.

The best part is, with my town job, I will be getting PAID to watch the 'Braska game! :lol: :wink:

How bad is K State supposed to lose to Auburn now? 3 TD's? 4? 5?

the spread is 13 1/2 points. I think we keep it close. but if we can get a defensive score and a special teams score we win.

 

[Mike]

Sandy may be onto something.......LSU looked damn good last night.

The best part is, with my town job, I will be getting PAID to watch the 'Braska game! :lol: :wink:

How bad is K State supposed to lose to Auburn now? 3 TD's? 4? 5?

I'm not so sure LSU looked as good as Miss. State looked bad.

The LSU defensive lineman "Dorsey" that the announcers kept bragging on was holding on danged near every play and only got called once. :???:

It's hard to overcome that many turnovers.

On the Auburn vs. KSU game.........................

I think it will depend on how many picks Freeman throws and whether or not Auburn can contain the kick returns.

Auburn is starting a true freshman against KSU's Campbell (DE). We'll see how that turns out.

There is a possibility the AU 1st team tailback won't be eligible either.

Only IF KSU can keep the crowd out of the game it might be a close one.

Sure was sickening what Louisville did to Murray State. Ought to be a law.

 

[IL Rancher]

What Mike, you don't like seeing ateam run up a 73-10 win? I didn't watch the game so I don't know how bad they ran thes core up (Was it second and third teamers doing it? or were they chucking deep with the first team still?)
Probably just as insulting if the Louisville jsut ran the full ack three placys and punted for th last 3 quarters too but nothing wrong about running a real simple ball control offense to keep the score way from a 63 point deficiet.

 

[Mike]

What Mike, you don't like seeing ateam run up a 73-10 win? I didn't watch the game so I don't know how bad they ran thes core up (Was it second and third teamers doing it? or were they chucking deep with the first team still?)
Probably just as insulting if the Louisville jsut ran the full ack three placys and punted for th last 3 quarters too but nothing wrong about running a real simple ball control offense to keep the score way from a 63 point deficiet.

They were obviously running the score up.

Brohm had 375 yards passing and scored a TD on each of their first 8 drives.

The coaches should have some class.

 

[IL Rancher]

I remember being a student at Northwestern in 95.. WE had been the doormat of the bigten for 20-30 years probably (And had been the doormat for much of the previous 70 years too, lol) I remember we were beating Wisconsin or another team by a bunch and we had the ball deep in their territory with very little time to go. Our running back busted up the middle for a big gain and we were down at the 3 or 4 with under 2 minutes to play. This team we were playing had just buried us for years and I think there was quit the pressure to punch one in just to add insult to injury but Barnett called for the knee 3 plays in a row to end the game.. He showed some class than which he than blew up with his recruiting tactics here and than at Colorado.. Oh well, I wish more coaches would do that and maybe they would if the pollsters would start realyl punishing teams for schedualing teams that they can whop by 50 points.. No excuse for it really.

 

[jigs]

I can relate with you on the doormat returning the favor.

Bo Pelini was a big cry baby when we beat NU by 30 points a few years ago.... a my Husker friends said we ran it up, but the average defeat NU gave us for 25 years was an even greater spread!

funny how the mighty cry when knocked off the top!


I love it!

 

[Sandhusker]

I can relate with you on the doormat returning the favor.

Bo Pelini was a big cry baby when we beat NU by 30 points a few years ago.... a my Husker friends said we ran it up, but the average defeat NU gave us for 25 years was an even greater spread!

funny how the mighty cry when knocked off the top!


I love it!

Snyder did run it up that day - but he did that every chance he got on everybody. The game was decided and we were playing 2nd and 34d stringers, but Snyder never pulled his starters. Yeah, we used to hang some huge numbers on you (and those days are coming again), but I'll guarantee you it wasn't our starters that scored the last couple of TDs.

In 1996? Arizona State's coach accused Osborn of running up the score after we hung something like 70 points on them. The "rest of the story" is that we scored 56 by halftime, our starters played only the first series in the third quarter, and we only scored 2 TDs in the entire second half - the last was our 3rd string QB throwing to a 4th string receiver.

I also remember Osborn playing the towel boy. We had a rash of injuries at QB and had nobody to run the scout team. The towel boy was a high school QB and volunteered to help. He ran the scout team for a couple of weeks and T. O. put him in a game as a reward - even let him throw a pass. Some idiots got on T. O. for "rubbing it in" by playing the guy.