In which BracketCat simulates first-round results for the “right side” of the 16-team playoff bracket for 2021.
Dan Lanning faces his future team, Utah and Ohio State relocate their Rose Bowl showdown to the Horseshoe, it’s a battle of green versus green in Waco, and a Big Ten Championship rematch finishes things off. Scroll down to see who will move on to the second round!
Today’s Games
Game 1: No. 14 Oregon (10-3) @ No. 3 Georgia (12-1)
The Ducks travel between the hedges for a matchup with their future head coach, currently Georgia’s defensive coordinator. All of you were correct about the home team’s chances.
(A fun note on Oregon’s coaches: Mario Cristobal quit the Ducks before their bowl game to take the Miami job after the regular season ended, with Bryan McClendon taking over for the Alamo Bowl, but it’s reasonable to assume Mario would have stuck around for a playoff bid.)
No. 3 seed Georgia Bulldogs (12-1; AP/Coaches #3): at-large bid
Notable Wins (CFP Rankings): vs. #19 Clemson, UAB (9-4), South Carolina (7-6), #21 Arkansas, #22 Kentucky, @Tennessee (7-6)
Loss: vs. #1 Alabama
Head Coach: Kirby Smart (6th season)
Offensive Style: Pro spread
Quarterback: Stetson Bennett
Running Backs: James Cook and Zamir White
Wide Receivers: Jermaine Burton and Ladd McConkey
Tight End: Brock Bowers
No. 14 seed Oregon Ducks (10-3; AP/Coaches #15): at-large bid
Notable Wins (CFP Rankings): Fresno State (10-3), @ #6 Ohio State, @UCLA (8-4), Washington State (7-6), Oregon State (7-6)
Losses: @Stanford, @ #11 Utah, vs. #11 Utah
Head Coaches: Mario Cristobal (4th season; regular season) / Bryan McClendon (interim; bowl game)
Offensive Style: Spread
Quarterback: Anthony Brown
Running Backs: Travis Dye and CJ Verdell
Wide Receivers: Johnny Johnson III and Kris Hutson
Tight End: Terrance Ferguson
Final Score: Georgia 48, Oregon 10
Sanford Stadium – Athens, Georgia
Saturday, Dec. 18, 2021 – 6 PM EST
Precipitation: None
Temperature: 65
Wind: S 3 MPH
Player of the Game: Georgia QB Stetson Bennett
ATHENS, Ga. (AP) — Stetson Bennett threw four touchdown passes and No. 3 Georgia overwhelmed No. 15 Oregon 48-10 in the first round of the 2021 College Football Playoff on Saturday night, delivering a commanding performance on both sides of the ball.
Bennett, named Player of the Game, completed 22 of 33 passes for 314 yards and four scores, engineering four touchdown drives in the first half alone as the Bulldogs (13-1) built a 28-7 halftime lead and never looked back.
Georgia outgained Oregon 532-270 and dominated time of possession, while the defense recorded five sacks and held the Ducks (10-4) to just 1.7 yards per carry.
After Georgia struck first on a 4-yard touchdown to George Pickens, Oregon briefly answered with a 12-yard scoring strike from Anthony Brown to Johnny Johnson III.
But from there, it was all Bulldogs. Bennett found both tight end Brock Bowers and wideout Jermaine Burton for scores in the second quarter before Zamir White punched in a 2-yard touchdown run to cap a dominant 21-point second period.
The second half saw more of the same as Bennett tossed his fourth touchdown to James Cook early in the third quarter. Jack Podlesny added field goals of 40 and 48 yards, and Kenny McIntosh scored on a 1-yard run in the fourth to round out Georgia’s scoring.
Oregon’s offense struggled mightily against Georgia’s relentless front seven. Brown finished 16 of 41 for 208 yards with one touchdown and one interception. The Ducks went just 5 of 20 on third down and failed to score a touchdown after the first quarter.
Georgia advances to the national quarterfinals with momentum, showcasing the kind of dominant, balanced performance that made it a top SEC contender all season long.
Game 2: No. 11 Utah (10-3) @ No. 6 Ohio State (10-2)
The actual 2021 Rose Bowl matchup occurs in Columbus instead. It doesn’t go any better for Utah than any of its Rose Bowl appearances. This was surprisingly voted a coin-flip game.
No. 6 seed Ohio State Buckeyes (10-2; AP #6; Coaches #5): at-large bid
Notable Wins (CFP Rankings): @Minnesota (9-4), Tulsa (7-6), Maryland (7-6), Penn State (7-6), Purdue (9-4), #10 Michigan State
Losses: #14 Oregon, @ #2 Michigan
Head Coach: Ryan Day (3rd season)
Offensive Style: West Coast spread
Quarterback: C.J. Stroud
Running Backs: TreVeyon Henderson and Miyan Williams
Wide Receivers: Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Garrett Wilson
Tight End: Jeremy Ruckert
No. 11 seed Utah Utes (10-3; AP #10; Coaches #11): Pac-12 Champion (auto-bid)
Notable Wins (CFP Rankings): Washington State (7-6), Arizona State (8-5), UCLA (8-4), #14 Oregon, vs. #14 Oregon
Losses: @ #13 BYU, @ #24 San Diego State, @Oregon State
Head Coach: Kyle Whittingham (17th season)
Offensive Style: Multiple
Quarterback: Cameron Rising
Running Backs: Tavion Thomas and TJ Pledger
Wide Receivers: Britain Covey and Devaughn Vele
Tight End: Dalton Kincaid
Final Score: Ohio State 44, Utah 31
Ohio Stadium – Columbus, Ohio
Saturday, Dec. 18, 2021 – 11 AM EST
Precipitation: None
Temperature: 42
Wind: S 7 MPH
Player of the Game: Ohio State QB C.J. Stroud
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — C.J. Stroud passed for 431 yards and four touchdowns as No. 6 Ohio State outpaced No. 10 Utah 44-31 in a high-scoring first-round clash of the 2021 College Football Playoff on Saturday at Ohio Stadium.
Stroud, who earned Player of the Game honors, completed 34 of 47 passes and orchestrated a potent Buckeyes offense that racked up 34 first downs and 530 total yards.
Ohio State (11-2) scored in every quarter and dominated time of possession, holding the ball for more than 36 minutes while never turning it over.
The Pac-12 champion Utes (10-4) put up a fight, trailing just 20-17 at halftime thanks to a late 55-yard touchdown pass from Cameron Rising to Devaughn Vele.
But Ohio State took control in the third quarter with back-to-back scoring drives, as Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Chris Olave each found the end zone. Smith-Njigba finished with 131 yards and two touchdowns on nine catches.
Utah continued to hang around, scoring in the final seconds of the second and fourth quarters, including a 46-yard touchdown from Rising to Theo Howard as time expired.
But Ohio State’s efficient passing game, combined with three field goals by Noah Ruggles and a short rushing score from Miyan Williams, proved to be too much to overcome.
Despite being sacked five times and outrushed 113-99, the Buckeyes’ passing game proved unstoppable. Rising threw for 292 yards and two touchdowns in a valiant effort for the Utes.
Ohio State advances to the CFP quarterfinals, where the Buckeyes will look to keep their explosive offense rolling against a stout defensive opponent in No. 3 Georgia.
Game 3: No. 10 Michigan State (10-2) @ No. 7 Baylor (11-2)
A surprise Big Ten contender makes it way south to Waco to take on the surprising Big 12 champions in a battle of second-year head coaches. Two-thirds of you picked this one right.
No. 7 seed Baylor Bears (11-2; AP/Coaches #6): Big 12 Champion (auto-bid)
Notable Wins (CFP Rankings): Iowa State (7-6), #13 BYU, #16 Oklahoma, @Kansas State (8-5), Texas Tech (7-6), vs. #9 Oklahoma State
Losses: @ #9 Oklahoma State, @TCU
Head Coach: Dave Aranda (2nd season)
Offensive Style: Multiple
Quarterback: Gerry Bohanon
Running Backs: Abram Smith and Trestan Ebner
Wide Receivers: Tyquan Thornton and R.J. Sneed
Tight End: Ben Sims
No. 10 seed Michigan State Spartans (10-2; AP #11; Coaches #10): at-large bid
Notable Wins (CFP Rankings): @Miami (7-5), Western Kentucky (9-5), #2 Michigan, Maryland (7-6), Penn State (7-6)
Losses: @Purdue, @ #6 Ohio State
Head Coach: Mel Tucker (2nd season)
Offensive Style: Multiple
Quarterback: Payton Thorne
Running Backs: Kenneth Walker III and Jordon Simmons
Wide Receivers: Jayden Reed and Tre Mosley
Tight End: Connor Heyward
Final Score: Baylor 27, Michigan State 17
McLane Stadium – Waco, Texas
Friday, Dec. 17, 2021 – 7 PM CST / 8 PM EST
Precipitation: None
Temperature: 74
Wind: SSE 9 MPH
Player of the Game: Baylor RB Abram Smith
WACO, Texas (AP) — No. 6 Baylor mounted a furious second-half comeback behind a monster performance from running back Abram Smith to defeat No. 11 Michigan State 27-17 and punch their ticket to the 2021 College Football Playoff quarterfinals.
Trailing 17-10 at halftime, Baylor (12-2) shut out the Spartans for the final three quarters and outscored them 17-0 in the fourth to complete the comeback.
Smith was the difference-maker, rushing for 171 yards and two touchdowns on 25 carries, including a game-breaking 55-yard score early in the final period to tie the game.
The Bears’ defense, after being gashed early by Michigan State’s passing game, stiffened in the red zone and harassed quarterback Payton Thorne with four sacks and constant pressure. He threw for 329 yards and a touchdown, but Michigan State (10-3) was shut down after a quick 17-0 lead in the first quarter.
Baylor quarterback Gerry Bohanon overcame a slow start to finish 19 of 34 for 226 yards and a touchdown, a clutch 29-yard strike to Tyquan Thornton with 4:13 remaining that gave Baylor its first lead of the game. Isaiah Hankins added two field goals, including a 43-yarder in the closing seconds to seal the win.
Smith, named Player of the Game, not only carried the offense but added 29 receiving yards, proving pivotal on multiple third downs.
Baylor now advances to face No. 2 Michigan in the CFP quarterfinals.
Game 4: No. 15 Iowa (10-3) @ No. 2 Michigan (12-1)
This is a good example of a situation when the committee would likely adjust seedings so as to avoid this immediate rematch of a conference championship game. Also, note the familiar name at wide receiver for Iowa. Everyone who voted also correctly predicted this outcome.
No. 2 seed Michigan Wolverines (12-1; AP/Coaches #2): Big Ten Champion (auto-bid)
Notable Wins (CFP Rankings): Western Michigan (8-5), Northern Illinois (9-5), @Wisconsin (9-4), @Penn State (7-6), @Maryland (7-6), #6 Ohio State, vs. #15 Iowa
Loss: @ #10 Michigan State
Head Coach: Jim Harbaugh (7th season)
Offensive Style: Pro spread
Quarterback: Cade McNamara
Running Backs: Hassan Haskins and Blake Corum
Wide Receivers: Roman Wilson and Cornelius Johnson
Tight End: Erick All
No. 15 seed Iowa Hawkeyes (10-3; AP #17; Coaches #16): at-large bid
Notable Wins (CFP Rankings): @Iowa State (7-6), @Maryland (7-6), Penn State (7-6), Minnesota (9-4)
Losses: Purdue, @Wisconsin, vs. #2 Michigan
Head Coach: Kirk Ferentz (23rd season)
Offensive Style: Multiple
Quarterback: Spencer Petras
Running Backs: Tyler Goodson and Gavin Williams
Wide Receivers: Nico Ragaini and Keagan Johnson
Tight End: Sam LaPorta
Final Score: Michigan 44, Iowa 14
Michigan Stadium – Ann Arbor, Michigan
Friday, Dec. 17, 2021 – 5 PM EST
Precipitation: None
Temperature: 41
Wind: NNW 3 MPH
Player of the Game: Michigan QB Cade McNamara
ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) — Cade McNamara threw for 318 yards and three touchdowns as No. 2 Michigan broke open a close game with a dominant second half, defeating No. 17 Iowa 44-14 in the first round of the 2021 College Football Playoff on Friday night.
After a tight first half that ended with Michigan (13-1) holding a 17-14 edge, the Wolverines outscored the Hawkeyes 27-0 in the final two quarters, riding a wave of explosive plays and a stifling defense that shut Iowa out after the break — much like their first meeting Dec. 4.
McNamara, the game’s Most Outstanding Player, completed 19 of 31 passes and connected with three different receivers for touchdowns, including Andrel Anthony’s 20-yard score late in the third quarter that gave Michigan a two-possession lead.
Running backs Blake Corum and Hassan Haskins added short touchdown runs in the fourth to seal the win. Haskins rushed for 103 yards on 24 carries and added 49 receiving yards, while Corum chipped in 69 yards and two total touchdowns.
Iowa (10-4) opened strong, with Spencer Petras finding Sam LaPorta for a 52-yard touchdown less than three minutes into the game, already outscoring the Hawkeyes’ three-point effort in their Big Ten Championship loss to Michigan.
Petras also connected with Keagan Johnson for a 20-yard score in the second quarter to briefly tie the game at 14-14, but the Hawkeyes never scored again. Petras finished with 228 passing yards and two touchdowns.
The Wolverines’ defensive front, led by Aidan Hutchinson and David Ojabo, recorded two sacks and consistently pressured the Iowa backfield, limiting the Hawkeyes to just 117 rushing yards on 37 carries and forcing 11 punts.
With the win, Michigan advances to the national quarterfinals, showcasing the balanced offense and rugged defense that defined its 2021 campaign.
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 | Sweet 16 (1)
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