In which BracketCat simulates first-round results for the “left side” of the 16-team playoff bracket for 2023.
A rematch of an in-season conference game and a rematch of a classic BCS championship game highlight today’s action. Scroll down to see who will move on to the second round!
Today’s Games
Game 1: No. 16 Liberty (13-0) @ No. 1 Michigan (13-0)
The highest-ranked Group of 5 team, buoyed by a super-weak schedule, travels to the Big House to take on the Big Ten champion in a battle of undefeated conference winners.
No. 1 seed Michigan Wolverines (13-0; AP/Coaches #1): Big Ten Champion (auto-bid)
Notable Wins (CFP Rankings): Rutgers (7-6), @ #10 Penn State, @Maryland (8-5), #7 Ohio State, vs. #17 Iowa
Losses: none
Head Coach: Jim Harbaugh (9th and final season)
Offensive Style: Pro spread
Quarterback: J.J. McCarthy
Running Backs: Blake Corum and Donovan Edwards
Wide Receivers: Roman Wilson and Cornelius Johnson
Tight End: Colston Loveland
No. 16 seed Liberty Flames (13-0; AP #18; Coaches #20): C-USA Champion (G5 auto-bid)
Notable Wins (CFP Rankings): New Mexico State (10-5), @Jacksonville State (9-4), @Western Kentucky (8-5)
Losses: none
Head Coach: Jamey Chadwell (1st season)
Offensive Style: Up-tempo spread
Quarterback: Kaidon Salter
Running Backs: Quinton Cooley and Billy Lucas
Wide Receivers: Aaron Bedgood and CJ Daniels
Tight End: Bentley Hanshaw
Final Score: Michigan 40, Liberty 10
Michigan Stadium – Ann Arbor, Michigan
Saturday, Dec. 16, 2023 – 12 PM EST
Precipitation: None
Temperature: 47
Wind: SE 8 MPH
Player of the Game: Michigan RB Donovan Edwards
ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) — No. 1 Michigan used a dominant second half to pull away from No. 18 Liberty, winning 40-10 in the first round of the College Football Playoff on Saturday.
Tied at 10 late in the second quarter, the Wolverines (14-0) responded with 33 unanswered points behind a punishing ground game and a defense that clamped down after halftime.
Running back Donovan Edwards, who was named Player of the Game, scored twice after the break and finished with 50 yards on seven carries. Blake Corum added 156 yards on 22 attempts, including a 60-yard burst that set the tone for Michigan’s physical approach.
Quarterback J.J. McCarthy completed 19 of 28 passes for 238 yards and two touchdowns, both to tight end Colston Loveland. Michigan outgained Liberty 208-79 on the ground and controlled the line of scrimmage on both sides.
Liberty (13-1) struck first in the second quarter with a 23-yard touchdown run by Aaron Bedgood and briefly took a 10-7 lead on a 40-yard field goal by Nick Brown.
But Michigan answered before halftime with a James Turner field goal to tie the game, then seized control early in the third quarter on Loveland’s second touchdown catch.
The Wolverines forced two turnovers, sacked the Liberty quarterbacks five times, and limited the Flames to just 1.6 yards per carry. Quarterback Kaidon Salter threw for 252 yards, but struggled under pressure and was held to only 3 rushing yards on 24 attempts.
Turner made four field goals for Michigan, including kicks from 43, 44 and 23 yards in the fourth quarter as the Wolverines pulled away.
Michigan advances to the quarterfinals, where it will face the winner of Missouri vs. Oregon.
Game 2: No. 13 LSU (9-3) @ No. 4 Alabama (12-1)
The two SEC West bluebloods meet in a high-stakes rematch of a game Alabama won 42-28. At the time I drafted this, no one had correctly predicted revenge is a dish best served cold.
No. 4 seed Alabama Crimson Tide (12-1; AP/Coaches #5): SEC Champion (auto-bid)
Notable Wins (CFP Rankings): #11 Ole Miss, @Texas A&M (7-6), #21 Tennessee, #13 LSU, @RV Kentucky (7-6), vs. #6 Georgia
Loss: #3 Texas
Head Coach: Nick Saban (17th and final season)
Offensive Style: Play Action/Read
Quarterback: Drew Allar
Running Backs: Nicholas Singleton and Kaytron Allen
Wide Receivers: Harrison Wallace III and Omari Evans
Tight End: Tyler Warren
No. 13 seed LSU Tigers (9-3; AP/Coaches #13): at-large bid
Notable Wins (CFP Rankings): @ #9 Missouri, Army (6-6), Georgia State (7-6), Texas A&M (7-6)
Losses: vs. #5 Florida State, @ #11 Ole Miss, @ #4 Alabama
Head Coach: Brian Kelly (2nd season)
Offensive Style: Multiple
Quarterback: Cam Ward
Running Backs: Damien Martinez and Mark Fletcher Jr.
Wide Receivers: Xavier Restrepo and Isaiah Horton
Tight End: Elijah Arroyo
Final Score: LSU 33, Alabama 29
Bryant–Denny Stadium – Tuscaloosa, Alabama
Saturday, Dec. 16, 2023 – 2:30 PM CST / 3:30 PM EST
Precipitation: None
Temperature: 64
Wind: W 4 MPH
Player of the Game: Alabama QB Jalen Milroe
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (AP) — Jayden Daniels and No. 13 LSU delivered a pair of gut-punch field goals in the final minutes to knock off No. 5 Alabama 33-29 on its home field Saturday, punching the Tigers’ ticket to the 2023 College Football Playoff quarterfinals.
LSU (10-3) leaned on explosive runs and timely throws from Daniels, who went 16 of 19 for 175 yards and two touchdowns. But it was kicker Damian Ramos who sealed the game late, hitting a 19-yarder with 2:07 to play as well as a 21-yard dagger as time expired, capping the Tigers’ gutsy comeback after Alabama briefly took the lead in the fourth.
The Crimson Tide (12-2) outgained LSU 448-175 through the air, with Jalen Milroe throwing for 379 yards and a score in a relentless effort. But Alabama’s vaunted ground game never materialized, managing just 60 yards on 40 carries against an LSU front that held firm.
LSU broke open a 9-3 deficit with a 21-point burst in the final 3:07 of the second quarter, including a 62-yard touchdown run by Logan Diggs and a 16-yard strike from Daniels to tight end Mason Taylor. Diggs led all rushers with 129 yards, part of a staggering 347-yard day for LSU on the ground as it avenged its previous November 4 road loss to Alabama.
Alabama clawed back, tying it at 24 and later taking a 29-27 lead on a pair of Will Reichard field goals. But the Tigers responded with a composed final drive and bled out the clock to set up Ramos’s game-winner in front of the stunned Alabama fans.
Despite the loss, Milroe was named Player of the Game for his performance, spreading the ball to 10 different receivers and keeping Alabama within striking distance all afternoon.
LSU advances to face the winner of Florida State vs. Oklahoma in the quarterfinals.
Game 3: No. 12 Oklahoma (10-2) @ No. 5 Florida State (13-0)
The Big 12’s traditionally dominant team travels to take on the undefeated ACC champion in a rematch of the 2000 BCS championship game. Three-quarters of you guessed it right.
No. 5 seed Florida State Seminoles (13-0; AP #4; Coaches #3): ACC Champion (auto-bid)
Notable Wins (CFP Rankings): vs. #13 LSU, @ #22 Clemson, Duke (8-5), vs. #15 Louisville
Losses: none
Head Coach: Mike Norvell (4th season)
Offensive Style: Multiple
Quarterback: Tate Rodemaker (due to Jordan Travis’ season-ending injury)
Running Backs: Trey Benson and Samuel Singleton Jr.
Wide Receivers: Johnny Wilson and Keon Coleman
Tight End: Jaheim Bell
No. 12 seed Oklahoma Sooners (10-2; AP/Coaches #12): at-large bid
Notable Wins (CFP Rankings): Iowa State (7-6), vs. #3 Texas, West Virginia (9-4)
Losses: @RV Kansas, @ #20 Oklahoma State
Head Coach: Brent Venables (2nd season)
Offensive Style: Spread
Quarterback: Dillon Gabriel
Running Backs: Gavin Sawchuk and Marcus Major
Wide Receivers: Drake Stoops and Nic Anderson
Tight End: Austin Stogner
Final Score: Florida State 27, Oklahoma 20
Doak Campbell Stadium – Tallahassee, Florida
Friday, Dec. 15, 2023 – 6 PM EST
Precipitation: None
Temperature: 65
Wind: NE 8 MPH
Player of the Game: Oklahoma QB Dillon Gabriel
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — No. 4 Florida State made the most of an early surge — and just enough big plays late — to hold off No. 12 Oklahoma 27-20 in a back-and-forth College Football Playoff first-round home win Friday night.
The Seminoles (14-0) built a 19-0 lead behind a blend of trickery and toughness, then survived a second-half push from quarterback Dillon Gabriel and the Sooners (10-3), who racked up more than 400 passing yards but couldn’t quite overcome two critical safeties and a stalled fourth-quarter drive.
Gabriel finished 25 of 40 for 405 yards and a touchdown, earning Player of the Game honors despite the loss. He connected with 10 different receivers, including Drake Stoops (7 catches for 87 yards) and Andrel Anthony (76 yards), as Oklahoma outgained FSU 463-337.
Florida State did its damage early, recording a safety just seconds after a field goal to take a 5-0 lead in the first quarter. The Seminoles then struck quickly with a short touchdown pass from freshman quarterback Brock Glenn to Johnny Wilson. They added another score in the second quarter when backup-turned-starter Tate Rodemaker found Jaheim Bell for 26 yards.
Oklahoma clawed back before halftime with a 17-yard TD pass to Jalil Farooq and a short field goal to cut it to 19-10. The Sooners narrowed the gap again in the third quarter with another Zach Schmit field goal and briefly took the momentum with a 7-yard touchdown run by Gavin Sawchuk early in the fourth, making it 22-20.
But Florida State’s defense answered, forcing another safety with 7:18 remaining, then sealing the win with Ryan Fitzgerald’s third field goal of the game, this one from 33 yards, with just over four minutes left.
The Seminoles advance to the CFP quarterfinals, where they’ll meet No. 13 LSU in a high-stakes rematch of the Camping World Kickoff back on September 3, which FSU won 45-24.
Game 4: No. 9 Missouri (10-2) @ No. 8 Oregon (11-2)
The surprising SEC East runner-up travels to take on the Pac-12 runner-up. It’s OK, Oregon — K-State fans know well the pain of losing to Harrison Mevis’ beefy leg at the buzzer.
No. 8 seed Oregon Ducks (11-2; AP/Coaches #8): at-large bid
Notable Wins (CFP Rankings): @Texas Tech (7-6), @RV Utah (8-5), USC (8-5), #19 Oregon State
Losses: @ #2 Washington, vs. #2 Washington
Head Coach: Dan Lanning (2nd season)
Offensive Style: Spread option
Quarterback: Bo Nix
Running Backs: Bucky Irving and Jordan James
Wide Receivers: Troy Franklin and Tez Johnson
Tight End: Terrance Ferguson
No. 9 seed Missouri Tigers (10-2; AP/Coaches #9): at-large bid
Notable Wins (CFP Rankings): #25 Kansas State, vs. Memphis (10-3), @RV Kentucky (7-6), #21 Tennessee
Losses: #13 LSU, @ #6 Georgia
Head Coach: Eliah Drinkwitz (4th season)
Offensive Style: Multiple
Quarterback: Brady Cook
Running Backs: Cody Schrader and Nathaniel Peat
Wide Receivers: Luther Burden III and Theo Wease Jr.
Tight End: Brett Norfleet
Final Score: Missouri 41, Oregon 38
Autzen Stadium – Eugene, Oregon
Saturday, Dec. 16, 2023 – 7:30 PM PST / 10:30 PM EST
Precipitation: None
Temperature: 38
Wind: NNW 4-5 MPH
Player of the Game: Oregon QB Bo Nix
EUGENE, Ore. (AP) — Harrison Mevis drilled a 36-yard field goal as time expired — his second walk-off winner of the season — and No. 9 Missouri edged No. 8 Oregon 41-38 in a high-scoring College Football Playoff first-round thriller that featured nearly 850 total yards through the air and countless momentum swings at Autzen Stadium.
Bo Nix threw for 420 yards and four touchdowns in a stellar finale to his Oregon career, but it was Missouri’s Brady Cook and the Tigers’ special teams that delivered the final blow.
Cook passed for 406 yards and three scores, including a dazzling 35-yard wheel-route touchdown to Cody Schrader in the third quarter. Schrader was everywhere for Mizzou, rushing for 71 yards and adding 77 receiving yards and a score.
The Ducks (11-3) led 28-24 at halftime after a furious exchange of touchdowns, but Missouri (11-2) clamped down defensively in the third quarter and grabbed the lead. A 71-yard punt return touchdown midway through the fourth gave the Tigers a 38-31 cushion.
Oregon responded with a vintage Nix-led drive, capped by a 12-yard scoring pass to Troy Franklin to tie it at 38 with less than three minutes left.
But Missouri calmly marched down the field behind key catches by Luther Burden III (8 receptions, 129 yards, one touchdown) and Schrader, setting up Mevis’ walk-off winner.
Despite the loss, Nix earned Player of the Game honors for his remarkable effort. Tez Johnson was his top target, catching seven passes for 128 yards and a score.
Missouri advances to face Michigan in the CFP quarterfinals, while Oregon exits heartbroken after one of the more thrilling first-round games in playoff history.
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
2008: Selection Sunday | Sweet 16 (1) | Sweet 16 (2) | Elite 8 | Final 4 | Orange | Data
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