In which BracketCat simulates first-round results for the “left side” of the 16-team playoff bracket for 2021.
A 1 vs. 16 matchup featuring two bluebloods, a future Big 12 conference game, and a faceoff between one quarterback’s current and future schools highlight today’s action.
Scroll down to see who will move on to the second round!
Today’s Games
Game 1: No. 16 Oklahoma (10-2) @ No. 1 Alabama (12-1)
In a future SEC matchup, the Big 12’s third-place team travels to take on the defending national champion at the height of its juggernaut status. All of you predicted this outcome.
(A fun note on OU’s coaches: Lincoln Riley quit OU like a little bitch before its bowl game to take the USC job after the regular season ended, with Bob Stoops filling in during the Alamo Bowl on an interim basis, but it’s reasonable to assume Riley sticks around for a playoff bid.)
No. 1 seed Alabama Crimson Tide (12-1; AP/Coaches #1): SEC Champion (auto-bid)
Notable Wins (CFP Rankings): vs. Miami (7-5), #8 Ole Miss, #21 Arkansas, vs. #3 Georgia
Loss: @ #25 Texas A&M
Head Coach: Nick Saban (15th season)
Offensive Style: Pro spread
Quarterback: Bryce Young
Running Backs: Brian Robinson Jr. and Jase McClellan
Wide Receivers: John Metchie III and Jameson Williams
Tight End: Cameron Latu
No. 16 seed Oklahoma Sooners (10-2; AP #14; Coaches #13): at-large bid
Notable Wins (CFP Rankings): @Kansas State (8-5), Texas Tech (7-6), Iowa State (7-6)
Losses: @ #7 Baylor, @ #9 Oklahoma State
Head Coaches: Lincoln Riley (5th season; regular season) / Bob Stoops (interim; bowl game)
Offensive Style: Air raid
Quarterback: Caleb Williams
Running Backs: Kennedy Brooks and Eric Gray
Wide Receivers: Marvin Mims and Cody Jackson
Tight End: Jeremiah Hall
Final Score: Alabama 37, Oklahoma 27
Bryant-Denny Stadium – Tuscaloosa, Alabama
Saturday, Dec. 18, 2021 – 11 AM CST / 12 PM EST
Precipitation: None
Temperature: 73
Wind: SW 8 MPH
Player of the Game: Alabama QB Bryce Young
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (AP) — Bryce Young threw for 363 yards and three touchdowns, including a pair of fourth-quarter strikes to John Metchie III, as No. 1 Alabama rallied past No. 14 Oklahoma 37-27 in a College Football Playoff first-round game on Saturday.
Oklahoma led 24-13 late in the second quarter behind a dominant ground game from Kennedy Brooks, who rushed for three touchdowns.
But Alabama outscored the Sooners 24-3 after halftime, powered by Young’s precision, leading to 457 total yards, and a Crimson Tide defense that stiffened in key moments.
Alabama (13-1) trailed 27-20 entering the final quarter but tied the game on a 5-yard touchdown pass from Young to Metchie with 14:21 left. After forcing a three-and-out, the Tide drove again, with Young finding Metchie for another 5-yard score to take a 34-27 lead.
Will Reichard added a short field goal with 1:13 remaining to seal the win.
Young completed 28 of 39 passes despite two first-half interceptions and was named Player of the Game for his resilient performance. Metchie led all receivers with eight catches for 71 yards and two scores. Jameson Williams added 84 yards and a touchdown.
Oklahoma (10-3) jumped out early behind Brooks, who scored on runs of 2, 10 and 4 yards.
Quarterback Caleb Williams threw for 218 yards, but was held without a touchdown and limited to just 3 rushing yards on 13 carries under relentless pressure from Alabama’s pass rush, led by Will Anderson’s three sacks.
The Sooners managed just 71 yards rushing as a team and converted only 2 of 7 third-down tries in the second half after a strong start.
Alabama advances to the CFP quarterfinals and awaits the winner of the Oklahoma State-Ole Miss matchup.
Game 2: No. 13 BYU (10-2) @ No. 4 Cincinnati (13-0)
Future Big 12 foes, currently mired in the dual wastelands of football independence and the American Athletic Conference, meet in Nippert Stadium. All of you nailed the outcome.
(*Simulation Note: For some reason, the 2017-2021 BYU teams are missing from What If Sports. For this particular simulation, I had to use the 2022 BYU team instead, but I made sure to remove any BYU players from the depth chart who didn’t appear on the 2021 roster.)
No. 4 seed Cincinnati Bearcats (13-0; AP/Coaches #4): AAC Champion (G5 auto-bid)
Notable Wins (CFP Rankings): @ #5 Notre Dame, UCF (9-4), SMU (8-4), #20 Houston
Losses: none
Head Coach: Luke Fickell (5th season)
Offensive Style: Multiple
Quarterback: Desmond Ridder
Running Backs: Jerome Ford and Ryan Montgomery
Wide Receivers: Tre Tucker and Tyler Scott
Tight End: Josh Whyle
No. 13 seed BYU Cougars (10-2; AP #12; Coaches #14): at-large bid
Notable Wins (CFP Rankings): #11 Utah, Arizona State (8-4), @Utah State (11-3), @Washington State (7-6)
Losses: Boise State, @ #7 Baylor
Head Coach: Kalani Sitake (6th season)
Offensive Style: Multiple
Quarterback: Jaren Hall*
Running Backs: Jackson McChesney* and Lopini Katoa*
Wide Receivers: Puka Nacua* and Kody Epps*
Tight End: Isaac Rex*
Final Score: Cincinnati 46, BYU 10
Nippert Stadium – Cincinnati, Ohio
Friday, Dec. 17, 2021 – 7 PM EST
Precipitation: 0.05 in
Temperature: 41
Wind: NE 6-7 MPH
Player of the Game: Cincinnati QB Desmond Ridder
CINCINNATI (AP) — Desmond Ridder threw for 341 yards and three touchdowns as the No. 4 Cincinnati Bearcats overwhelmed No. 12 BYU 46-10 in the first round of the College Football Playoff on Friday night at Nippert Stadium.
The American Athletic Conference champions set the tone early, racing out to a 14-0 first-quarter lead behind a 22-yard touchdown pass from Ridder to Tre Tucker and a 73-yard scoring run from Jerome Ford. Cincinnati (14-0) never looked back, piling up 595 total yards while holding BYU to just 207 through the air and 140 on the ground.
Ridder completed 23 of 28 passes, connecting with seven different receivers, and earned Player of the Game honors for his efficient, commanding performance in his final home appearance. Tyler Scott led the way with four catches for 109 yards, including a 42-yard touchdown reception late in the third quarter that effectively ended any comeback hopes for the Cougars.
The Bearcats defense delivered a near-flawless performance, holding BYU (10-3) scoreless in the first and fourth quarters and recording a safety midway through the second period.
Cincinnati also forced seven punts and limited BYU to just 5 of 15 on third down.
Ford finished with 152 rushing yards and a touchdown on 23 carries, while Ryan Montgomery added 74 yards and a 49-yard scoring run as part of a dominant day on the ground for Cincinnati, which averaged 5.6 yards per carry as a team.
Puka Nacua accounted for BYU’s lone touchdown, an 8-yard run late in the second quarter, and led the Cougars with 114 all-purpose yards. Quarterback Jaren Hall threw for 207 yards on 19-of-29 passing but was held out of the end zone.
Cincinnati, which played with poise and physicality throughout, advances to the CFP quarterfinals to face the winner of Pittsburgh at Notre Dame.
Game 3: No. 12 Pittsburgh (11-2) @ No. 5 Notre Dame (11-1)
One of the worst ACC champions in modern history travels to the land of Touchdown Jesus to take on Brian Kelly. This outcome wasn’t quite so surprising when you look and see how cake Notre Dame’s schedule really was. And yet, none of you guessed this result correctly…
(A fun note on Notre Dame’s coaches: Kelly quit Notre Dame before its bowl game to take the LSU job after the regular season ended, with Marcus Freeman taking over for the Fiesta Bowl, but it’s reasonable to assume Kelly would have stuck around for a playoff bid.)
No. 5 seed Notre Dame Fighting Irish (11-1; AP/Coaches #5): at-large bid
Notable Wins (CFP Rankings): Toledo (7-6), Purdue (9-4), vs. Wisconsin (9-4)
Loss: #4 Cincinnati
Head Coaches: Brian Kelly (12th season; regular season) / Marcus Freeman (bowl game)
Offensive Style: Multiple
Quarterback: Jack Coan
Running Backs: Kyren Williams and Logan Diggs
Wide Receivers: Kevin Austin Jr. and Braden Lenzy
Tight End: Michael Mayer
No. 12 seed Pittsburgh Panthers (11-2; AP #13; Coaches #12): ACC Champion (auto-bid)
Notable Wins (CFP Rankings): @Tennessee (7-6), #19 Clemson, vs. #17 Wake Forest
Losses: Western Michigan, Miami
Head Coach: Pat Narduzzi (7th season)
Offensive Style: Pro-style
Quarterback: Kenny Pickett
Running Backs: Israel Abanikanda and Vincent Davis
Wide Receivers: Jordan Addison and Taysir Mack
Tight End: Gavin Bartholomew
Final Score: Pittsburgh 41, Notre Dame 17
Notre Dame Stadium – South Bend, Indiana
Saturday, Dec. 18, 2021 – 3:30 PM EST
Precipitation: 0.01 in
Temperature: 34
Wind: N 9 MPH
Player of the Game: Pittsburgh QB Kenny Pickett
SOUTH BEND, Ind. (AP) — Kenny Pickett threw for 321 yards and three touchdowns as the No. 13 Pittsburgh Panthers pulled away in the second half for a 41-17 upset over No. 5 Notre Dame in a first-round College Football Playoff matchup Saturday at Notre Dame Stadium.
Pickett, the ACC Player of the Year and a Heisman finalist, delivered a steady, clinical performance, completing 23 of his 33 passes without a turnover. Two of his touchdown throws went to Melquise Stovall, including a 38-yard strike with 23 seconds left in the first half that gave Pitt a 17-10 lead and set the tone for a dominant third quarter.
Pittsburgh (12-2) scored three touchdowns in the third period to take full control.
Vincent Davis capped the opening drive with a 27-yard touchdown run and Pickett followed with a 5-yard scoring toss to Tre Tipton. Israel Abanikanda added a 4-yard touchdown run later in the quarter as Pitt built a 38-17 cushion.
Notre Dame (11-2), perhaps distracted by rumors of its coach’s interest in the LSU job, was held scoreless in the fourth quarter despite owning a slight edge in time of possession.
The Fighting Irish failed on both of their fourth-down attempts and gave up four sacks.
Quarterback Jack Coan finished with 230 passing yards on 20 of 34 attempts but did not throw a touchdown. Kyren Williams carried 27 times for 79 yards and two touchdowns to lead Notre Dame’s offense, but the Irish struggled to generate consistent rhythm against Pitt’s aggressive front.
Taysir Mack had a game-high 77 receiving yards for the Panthers, while Stovall caught three passes for 57 yards and two scores. Abanikanda added 114 total yards and a touchdown.
The win advances Pittsburgh to the CFP quarterfinals, where Pickett and the Panthers will look to continue their impressive run behind one of college football’s most experienced signal callers.
Game 4: No. 9 Oklahoma State (11-2) @ No. 8 Ole Miss (10-2)
The surprise losers of the Big 12 championship travel to take on an also-ran SEC team they’ve met 3 times before. Spencer Sanders must choose a side. All you homers pegged this one!
No. 8 seed Ole Miss Rebels (10-2; AP/Coaches #8): at-large bid
Notable Wins (CFP Rankings): #21 Arkansas, @Tennessee (7-6), Liberty (8-5), #25 Texas A&M, @Mississippi State (7-6)
Losses: @ #1 Alabama, @Auburn
Head Coach: Lane Kiffin (2nd season)
Offensive Style: Spread
Quarterback: Matt Corral
Running Backs: Jerrion Ealy and Snoop Conner
Wide Receivers: Dontario Drummond and Dontario Drummond
Tight End: Chase Rogers
No. 9 seed Oklahoma State Cowboys (11-2; AP/Coaches #9): at-large bid
Notable Wins (CFP Rankings): Kansas State (8-5), #7 Baylor, @Texas Tech (7-6), #16 Oklahoma
Losses: @Iowa State, vs. #7 Baylor
Head Coach: Mike Gundy (17th season)
Offensive Style: Spread option
Quarterback: Spencer Sanders
Running Backs: Jaylen Warren and Jaden Nixon
Wide Receivers: Tay Martin and Blaine Green
Tight End: Austin Jarrard
Final Score: Oklahoma State 31, Ole Miss 23
Vaught-Hemingway Stadium – Oxford, Mississippi
Saturday, Dec. 18, 2021 – 6 PM CST / 7 PM EST
Precipitation: None
Temperature: 59
Wind: N 10 MPH
Player of the Game: Oklahoma State RB Jaylen Warren
OXFORD, Miss. (AP) — Jaylen Warren rushed for 154 yards and the game-sealing touchdown as No. 9 Oklahoma State stormed back from an 11-point second-half deficit to defeat No. 8 Ole Miss 31-23 in a thrilling first-round College Football Playoff game Saturday night.
Trailing 23-12 entering the final quarter, Oklahoma State (12-2) mounted a relentless comeback led by quarterback Spencer Sanders, who threw two fourth-quarter touchdown passes before Warren capped the rally with a 7-yard scoring run with 1:33 remaining.
The Cowboys outscored the Rebels 19-0 in the final period and held Ole Miss (10-3) scoreless over the last 21 minutes.
Sanders completed 18 of 27 passes for 208 yards, three touchdowns and one interception.
Two of those scoring strikes went to Brennan Presley, including a 13-yard touchdown that cut the lead to 23-18 early in the fourth. Tay Martin added a 4-yard touchdown reception with 8:25 to play, giving Oklahoma State its first lead since the second quarter.
Warren, named Player of the Game, carried 22 times and recorded two runs of 20-plus yards, providing the physical spark Oklahoma State needed after a sluggish middle stretch.
The Cowboys also tallied five sacks on defense, including two from Jayden Jernigan, as they pressured Ole Miss quarterback Matt Corral throughout the contest.
Corral threw for 354 yards and two touchdowns, but faced relentless pressure behind a beleaguered offensive line that gave up six sacks. His top targets included Jerrion Ealy and Braylon Sanders, each catching a touchdown pass in the first half.
The win sends OSU to the CFP quarterfinals, marking the program’s first victory over Ole Miss and capping off a comeback fueled by defensive grit and a punishing ground game.
Tomorrow’s Games
To make these posts more fun and interactive, please vote for who you think would win each matchup! I can’t promise to take the votes into account because of the simulation process I use, but it will be interesting to see and discuss the results, plus they may serve as a sort of a tiebreaker if I end up needing one.
BracketCat’s Protest Playoff Archives
2024: Kickoff | Selection Sunday | Sweet 16 (1) | Sweet 16 (2) | Elite 8 | Final 4 | NC | Data
2023: Selection Sunday | Sweet 16 (1) | Sweet 16 (2) | Elite 8 | Final 4 | NC | Data
2022: Selection Sunday | Sweet 16 (1) | Sweet 16 (2) | Elite 8 | Final 4 | NC | Data
2021: Selection Sunday
2008: Selection Sunday | Sweet 16 (1) | Sweet 16 (2) | Elite 8 | Final 4 | Orange
2007: Selection Sunday | Sweet 16 (1) | Sweet 16 (2) | Elite 8 | Final 4 | Sugar | Data
2006: Selection Sunday | Sweet 16 (1) | Sweet 16 (2) | Elite 8 | Final 4 | Fiesta | Data
2005: Selection Sunday | Sweet 16 (1) | Sweet 16 (2) | Elite 8 | Final 4 | Rose | Data
2004: Selection Sunday | Sweet 16 (1) | Sweet 16 (2) | Elite 8 | Final 4 | Orange | Data
2003: Selection Sunday | Sweet 16 (1) | Sweet 16 (2) | Elite 8 | Final 4 | Sugar | Data
2002: Selection Sunday | Sweet 16 (1) | Sweet 16 (2) | Elite 8 | Final 4 | Fiesta | Data
2001: Selection Sunday | Sweet 16 (1) | Sweet 16 (2) | Elite 8 | Final 4 | Rose | Data
2000: Selection Sunday | Sweet 16 (1) | Sweet 16 (2) | Elite 8 | Final 4 | Orange | Data | Encore
1999: Selection Sunday | Sweet 16 (1) | Sweet 16 (2) | Elite 8 | Final 4 | Sugar | Data | Encore
1998: Selection Sunday | Sweet 16 (1) | Sweet 16 (2) | Elite 8 | Final 4 | Fiesta | Data | Encore