In which BracketCat simulates first-round results for the “right side” of the 16-team playoff bracket for 2024.
Today featured a lot of the networks’ “sexy” brand match-ups, again with very few diverging outcomes from reality. The interest lies in competitions of teams that both lost in the opening round, to speculate on who could have moved on given better matchups. We have one such game today, so scroll on to see who could have improved on their 2024 season!
Today’s Games
Game 1: No. 15 South Carolina (9-3) @ No. 2 Georgia (11-2)
The SEC champion is “rewarded” with a game against its former division rival, but they didn’t play earlier in the season. As 93% of the poll predicted, Georgia won a typically ugly game.
No. 2 seed Georgia Bulldogs (11-2; AP/Coaches #2): SEC Champion (auto-bid)
Notable Wins (CFP Rankings): vs. #16 Clemson, @ #3 Texas, #7 Tennessee, vs. #3 Texas
Losses: @ #11 Alabama, @ # 14 Ole Miss
Head Coach: Kirby Smart (9th season)
Offensive Style: Pro spread
Quarterback: Carson Beck
Running Backs: Trevor Etienne and Nate Frazier
Wide Receivers: Colbie Young and Dominic Lovett
Tight End: Lawson Luckie
No. 15 seed South Carolina Gamecocks (9-3; AP/Coaches #14): at-large bid
Notable Wins (CFP Rankings): RV Texas A&M, @Vanderbilt (7-6), #19 Missouri, @ #16 Clemson
Losses: RV LSU, #14 Ole Miss, @ #11 Alabama
Head Coach: Shane Beamer (4th season)
Offensive Style: Multiple
Quarterback: LaNorris Sellers
Running Backs: Raheim Sanders and Bradley Dunn
Wide Receivers: Mazeo Bennett Jr. and Nyck Harbor
Tight End: Joshua Simon
Final Score: Georgia 14, South Carolina 3
Sanford Stadium – Athens, Georgia
Friday, Dec. 20, 2024 – 2 PM EST
Precipitation: None
Temperature: 55
Wind: WNW 16 MPH, gusting to 26
Player of the Game: Georgia LB Chaz Chambliss
ATHENS, Ga. (AP) — No. 2 Georgia’s defense dominated and kicker Peyton Woodring delivered as the Bulldogs ground out a 14-3 win over No. 14 South Carolina (9-4) in a defensive slugfest on Monday.
Points were at a premium in a playoff game that featured 17 punts, 11 sacks, and no offensive touchdowns. Georgia (12-2) leaned on its defense and special teams, collecting a safety in the first quarter and four field goals from Woodring, including a 50-yarder.
Linebacker Chaz Chambliss earned Player of the Game honors, recording four of Georgia’s six sacks as the Bulldogs consistently disrupted Gamecocks quarterback LaNorris Sellers, who finished 9-of-18 passing for 131 yards with two interceptions and was sacked five times.
Despite being held scoreless after the first quarter, South Carolina had one offensive bright spot in running back Raheim Sanders. The Arkansas transfer rushed for 122 yards on 18 carries, including two runs of more than 20 yards. But the rest of the offense never found its rhythm, converting only 3-of-16 third downs.
Georgia quarterback Carson Beck threw for 343 yards, but didn’t reach the end zone and was picked off twice. Still, he connected with eight different receivers, including Trevor Etienne (68 yards) and Dominic Lovett (64 yards), to keep drives alive long enough for Woodring to capitalize.
After trading early field goals with the Gamecocks, Georgia took control with a third-quarter kick and added two more in the fourth. South Carolina’s final three drives ended in punts or turnovers as the Bulldogs’ defense tightened its grip.
The Bulldogs now turn to the next round, riding a defense that stifled the run and suffocated the pass. South Carolina will look to regroup next season after a frustrating offensive showing, despite a strong day from its feature back.
Game 2: No. 14 Ole Miss (9-3) @ No. 3 Texas (11-2)
Possibly the SEC’s most overhyped team travels to take on the SEC championship game runner-up. As 80% of those who voted in the poll predicted, the home team rolled.
No. 3 seed Texas Longhorns (11-2; AP/Coaches #4): at-large bid
Notable Wins (CFP Rankings): @RV Michigan (8-5), RV Florida (8-5), @RV Texas A&M (8-5)
Losses: #2 Georgia, vs. #2 Georgia
Head Coach: Steve Sarkisian (4th season)
Offensive Style: Pro spread
Quarterback: Quinn Ewers
Running Backs: Quintrevion Wisner and Jaydon Blue
Wide Receivers: Isaiah Bond and Matthew Golden
Tight End: Gunnar Helm
No. 14 seed Ole Miss Rebels (9-3; AP #16; Coaches #15): at-large bid
Notable Wins (CFP Rankings): @ #15 South Carolina, @Arkansas (7-6), #2 Georgia
Losses: Kentucky, @LSU, @RV Florida
Head Coach: Lane Kiffin (5th overall season)
Offensive Style: Spread
Quarterback: Jaxson Dart
Running Backs: Henry Parrish Jr. and Ulysses Bentley IV
Wide Receivers: Tre Harris and Jordan Watkins
Tight End: Caden Prieskorn
Final Score: Texas 59, Ole Miss 34
Darrell K. Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium – Austin, Texas
Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024 – 5 PM CST / 6 PM EST
Precipitation: None
Temperature: 63
Wind: SE 6 MPH
Player of the Game: Texas QB Quinn Ewers
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Quinn Ewers threw for 461 yards and six touchdowns as No. 4 Texas overwhelmed No. 16 Ole Miss 59-34 on Saturday in a high-octane offensive showcase.
The Longhorns (12-2) scored touchdowns on eight of their first eleven possessions and racked up 722 yards of total offense, cruising past a game Ole Miss (9-4) squad that couldn’t keep pace despite 538 passing yards of its own.
Ewers spread the ball around to nine different receivers, with Isaiah Bond and Matthew Golden each hauling in two scores. Bond finished with 95 yards on five catches, while Golden added 50 yards and a pair of touchdowns.
Running back Quintrevion Wisner powered the Texas ground game with 208 yards and two scores, including a 52-yard backbreaker late in the fourth quarter.
Ole Miss quarterback Jaxson Dart threw for 455 yards and three touchdowns but was under constant pressure, taking three sacks and rushing for only nine yards on 13 carries.
Backup Austin Simmons added a 69-yard scoring strike to Antwane Wells Jr., who led all receivers with 171 yards and two touchdowns.
The Rebels twice tied the game in the first half, but Texas responded each time with methodical scoring drives. Wisner’s 23-yard touchdown run just before halftime gave the Longhorns a 28-14 lead they never relinquished.
Texas converted 9-of-14 third downs and won the time of possession battle by nearly nine minutes. Its defense forced three fumbles and held Ole Miss to just 32 rushing yards.
Bert Auburn added a 20-yard field goal, and the Longhorns padded their lead with a late 52-yard scoring burst from Wisner.
The home victory marks a powerful playoff debut for Texas, which looked every bit like a national contender behind Ewers’ career-best performance.
Game 3: No. 11 Alabama (9-3) @ No. 6 Ohio State (10-2)
The poster child for alleged CFP committee abuse gets a chance to prove it on the home field of the true national champion. Everyone who voted correctly predicted this thriller!
No. 6 seed Ohio State Buckeyes (10-2; AP #6; Coaches #7): at-large bid
Notable Wins (CFP Rankings): Iowa (8-5), Nebraska (7-6), @ #4 Penn State, #8 Indiana
Losses: @ #1 Oregon, RV Michigan
Head Coach: Ryan Day (6th season)
Offensive Style: Spread option
Quarterback: Will Howard
Running Backs: TreVeyon Henderson and Quinshon Judkins
Wide Receivers: Jeremiah Smith and Emeka Egbuka
Tight End: Gee Scott Jr.
No. 11 seed Alabama Crimson Tide (9-3; AP/Coaches #11): at-large bid
Notable Wins (CFP Rankings): #2 Georgia, #15 South Carolina, #19 Missouri, @RV LSU
Losses: @Vanderbilt, @ #7 Tennessee, @Oklahoma
Head Coach: Kalen DeBoer (1st season)
Offensive Style: Spread
Quarterback: Jalen Milroe
Running Backs: Jam Miller and Justice Haynes
Wide Receivers: Ryan Williams and Germie Bernard
Tight End: CJ Dippre
Final Score: Ohio State 28, Alabama 23
Ohio Stadium – Columbus, Ohio
Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024 – 7 PM EST
Precipitation: None
Temperature: 25
Wind: NW 7 MPH
Player of the Game: Ohio State QB Will Howard
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Will Howard threw three touchdown passes to lead Ohio State past Alabama 28-23 on Saturday in the opening round of the 2024 College Football Playoff.
Howard, a transfer quarterback making his postseason debut for the No. 6 Buckeyes (11-2), calmly directed an efficient offense that capitalized on scoring chances and held off a late surge by the No. 11 Crimson Tide (9-4). He finished 17-of-26 for 226 yards with touchdowns to Emeka Egbuka, Quinshon Judkins and freshman standout Jeremiah Smith.
Ohio State never trailed and built a 14-3 lead midway through the second quarter. Alabama cut it to 14-10 on a 7-yard touchdown run by Jalen Milroe, but the Buckeyes answered with two more touchdown drives — including a 4-yard scoring run from TreVeyon Henderson and a 2-yard pass to Smith early in the fourth quarter — to stay just out of reach.
Alabama dominated time of possession and outgained the Buckeyes 359-353 but struggled to finish drives. Kicker Graham Nicholson hit all three of his field-goal attempts and running back Jam Miller’s 1-yard touchdown plunge with 5:56 left pulled the Tide to within five.
The Alabama defense held OSU to 4-of-13 on third down and recorded four sacks, including one from Tim Keenan III. Milroe threw for 256 yards but no touchdowns and had one extremely costly interception.
Smith led Ohio State’s receivers with 82 yards and a touchdown, while Henderson added 104 total yards. The Buckeyes played turnover-free football, aside from a first-half interception, and benefited from strong red-zone execution.
The win sends Ohio State into the CFP semifinals, while Alabama saw its playoff run end despite a gritty performance. Howard was named Player of the Game for his poised, three-touchdown effort.
Game 4: No. 10 SMU (12-1) @ No. 7 Tennessee (11-1)
The ACC runner-up travels to take on a decent SEC squad that earns a better chance to win than in Ohio. Two-thirds of you predicted a Tennessee win and you were absolutely correct.
No. 7 seed Tennessee Volunteers (11-1; AP #7; Coaches #6): at-large bid
Notable Wins (CFP Rankings): RV Florida (8-5), #11 Alabama, @Vanderbilt (7-6)
Loss: @Arkansas, @ #2 Georgia
Head Coach: Josh Heupel (4th season)
Offensive Style: Spread
Quarterback: Nico Iamaleava
Running Backs: Dylan Sampson and DeSean Bishop
Wide Receivers: Dont’e Thornton Jr. and Squirrel White
Tight End: Miles Kitselman
No. 10 seed SMU Mustangs (12-1; AP/Coaches #12): at-large bid
Notable Wins (CFP Rankings): TCU (9-4), @RV Louisville (9-4), @Duke (9-4)
Losses: #17 BYU, vs. #16 Clemson
Head Coach: Rhett Lashlee (3rd season)
Offensive Style: Spread
Quarterback: Kevin Jennings
Running Backs: Brashard Smith and LJ Johnson Jr.
Wide Receivers: Roderick Daniels Jr. and Derrick McFall
Tight End: RJ Maryland
Final Score: Tennessee 45, SMU 10
Neyland Stadium – Knoxville, Tennessee
Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024 – 4 PM EST
Precipitation: None
Temperature: 38
Wind: N 14 MPH
Player of the Game: Tennessee RB Dylan Sampson
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Dylan Sampson rushed for four fourth-quarter touchdowns to power No. 7 Tennessee (12-1) past No. 10 SMU (12-2) in a 45-10 blowout in a first-round playoff game Saturday, sending the Volunteers into the College Football Playoff semifinals.
Sampson exploded for 173 rushing yards on 20 carries, scoring all four of his touchdowns in the final 7 minutes to turn a competitive game into a rout. His scores came from 7, 36, 25 and 15 yards out, capping a dominant second-half surge by Tennessee.
SMU trailed just 17-10 late in the third quarter after quarterback Kevin Jennings connected with Jake Bailey on a 17-yard touchdown pass.
But the Mustangs’ offense stalled down the stretch, going 0-for-3 on fourth downs and allowing six sacks, while the Volunteers took complete control on both sides of the ball.
Tennessee quarterback Nico Iamaleava threw for 298 yards and two touchdowns, including a 9-yard strike to Bru McCoy and a 4-yard toss to Squirrel White in the fourth quarter.
Dont’e Thornton Jr. led all his receivers with 102 yards on four catches.
The Volunteers piled up 514 yards of offense and converted 13 of 21 third downs, while holding SMU to just 61 rushing yards and a 4-for-16 third down rate.
The Tennessee defense, led by James Pearce Jr. with three sacks, harassed Jennings all day and kept the Mustangs out of the end zone for the final 23 minutes.
Jennings finished 20-of-42 for 273 yards with one touchdown and one interception.
Roderick Daniels Jr. paced the SMU receivers with 61 yards on four catches.
The victory marks Tennessee’s first College Football Playoff win and sends them into the national semifinals. Sampson was named Player of the Game after his career-best performance sealed the Volunteers’ emphatic finish.
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. (And yes, I know we already know some of these outcomes from the actual playoff. It will be interesting to see if the simulator agrees.)
BracketCat’s Protest Playoff Archives
2024: Kickoff | Selection Sunday | Sweet 16 (1)
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