2021 Death to the BCS Playoffs: First Round

We're not too terribly far behind, but with the College Football Playoff championship coming up, I need to catch up.

A few weeks ago, I unveiled the 2021 Death to the BCS Playoff bracket. Unfortunately, when the time for the first round rolled around, my usual simulator wasn't available quite yet. Now that we've rolled around into the new year, it is. I'm going to try and do a post a day for each of the first three rounds, bearing in mind of course that our national title matchup in the College Football Playoff would be a semifinal matchup in this tournament.

I'm going to try and look back through box scores to make sure that depth charts for teams are as close to real as possible. Weather conditions from the host cities will be taken into account, also in an attempt to make this as realistic as possible.

All simulations are provided by WhatIfSports.com. Let's get to it!

First Round

12pm Games

@ (5) Notre Dame 41, (12) UTSA 18

The Roadrunners' magical run ends here, though they started strong. UTSA took the opening drive 86 yards in 12 plays capped by a four yard Brenden Brady touchdown run, though the PAT was missed. The Irish took the lead on the ensuing drive, but the Roadrunners answered right back, with Frank Harris hitting Zakhari Franklin for a 12 yard touchdown, but with another missed PAT. The two teams traded field goals from there, with UTSA tacking on a field goal in the second after a Jack Coan interception, but after that it was all Notre Dame. Two Kyren Williams touchdowns made it 24-15 Irish going into the break, with him adding a third midway through the third to effectively seal the deal. Williams ran for 119 yards and two scores, plus four catches for 29 yards and that third touchdown; Logan Diggs ran for two more scores, and Jack Coan completed 26 of 38 passes for 319 yards, a touchdown, and an interception for the Irish. Sincere McCormick paced the Roadrunners with 177 total yards from scrimmage, Brenden Brady ran for one touchdown, and Frank Harris threw for one on 16 of 31 passing for 151 yards.

(11) Pittsburgh 57, @ (6) Ohio State 47

What a game. The first quarter was nuts, with each team scoring three touchdowns. CJ Stroud threw for two scores for the Buckeyes, capping the scoring late to take a 21-20 lead, while Israel Abanikanda ran for two scores and AJ Davis a third to keep the Panthers in it. The Panthers scored ten straight in the second to go up 30-21, but the Buckeyes responded with 10 straight of their own, including a last second field goal right before halftime to go into the locker room up 31-30. A pair of short Pitt field goals sandwiched an Ohio State kick that gave the Panthers a 36-34 lead late in the third, and Pitt put it away late after going up nine on a Todd Sibley field goal early in the fourth, and Kenny Pickett hit Jared Wayne for a 24 yard touchdown with under five minutes to play to stretch the lead to 16. Abanikanda iced it with one more score with 2:14 to play. He finished with 102 yards and two touchdowns on the ground, plus a 76 yard catch and run for another score. Pickett finished with 286 yards on 18 of 25 passing with two touchdowns and one pick. CJ Stround put up 342 yards for the Buckeyes and two scores on 24 of 35 passing, and four Buckeyes punched it in on the ground.

3pm Games

@ (1) Michigan 41, (16) Northern Illinois 23

After getting blown out at the Big House in September, the Huskies were poised for much of this one to pull the upset. NIU led 13-0 late in the first half after keeping the Wolverines mostly on their side of midfield and surviving a missed 46 yard field goal. But Michigan made it a one score game late when Cade McNamara hit Ronnie Bell for a 46 yard touchdown. That gave Michigan momentum going into the second half, as they added ten more points to take a 17-13 lead thanks in part to McNamara hitting Erick All for a 48 yard touchdown. The Huskies retook the lead after allowing a Michigan field goal when Jay Ducker punched it in from four yards out, and a four yard field goal early in the fourth gave NIU a six point lead. Michigan responded with a five and a half minute drive capped by McNamara hitting Corum from three yards out and took a one point lead. NIU's offense petered out from there, and the Wolverines were able to pad the lead to finish it off. McNamara completed just 16 of 37 passes, but had 273 yards and 3 touchdowns, while Hassan Haskins ran for 104 yards and another score, and backup quarterback Dan Villari completed three of five passes for 54 yards and another touchdown. Jay Ducker ran for 91 yards and a score for the Huskies, while Rocky Lombardi was held to 197 yards on just 12 of 30 passing for one touchdown and one interception.

@ (4) Cincinnati 38, (13) Louisiana 32

Another good one in the 3:00 slot. Louisiana forced a turnover on the opening possession in their territory, but wouldn't cash in until their next drive when Montrell Johnson ran one in from 11 yards out. The Bearcats responded early in the second when Desmond Ridder hit Ryan Montgomery for an eight yard touchdown to tie it, and three plays later Ahmad Gardner picked off Levi Lewis and took it 30 yards to the house for a 14-7 Cincy lead. Two Emani Bailey touchdowns for the Cajuns sandwiched another Montgomery score and it was tied at 21 going into the break. Montgomery scored again four minutes into the third, and Louisiana answered with a field goal late in the period. The Cajuns made a goal line stand early in the fourth, but couldn't capitalize, and the next trip down the Bearcats scored to make it 35-24. Louisiana got a touchdown and two point conversion to pull back within three, but a long play got the Bearcats into field goal range to go up six with about three minutes to go. Louisiana's last gasp stalled inside the Cincy 40, though they had one Hail Mary that fell incomplete and the Bearcats advance. Ryan Montgomery ran for 75 yards and two scores for the Bearcats while adding a touchdown through the air, Jerome Ford topped 100 yards on the ground, and Desmond Ridder completed 20 of 33 passes for 273 yards and that touchdown to Montgomery. Montrell Johnson paced the Cajun attack with 164 yards rushing and a touchdown, Emani Bailey scored twice on the ground, and Levi Lewis completed 21 of 34 passes for 219 yards and a touchdown, though had that costly pick-six.

6pm Games

@ (3) Georgia 34, (14) Utah 31

Another instant classic in the first round. The teams traded first quarter field goals before Tavion Thomas punched one in from three yards out for a 10-3 advantage late in the opening quarter. The Bulldogs tied it midway through the second on a 16 yard strike from Stetson Bennett to Jermaine Burton, then took a 17-10 lead with just under two minutes in the half on a one yard plunge from Zamir White. But the Utes ran a flawless two minute drill, capped by a six yard strike from Cameron Rising to TJ Pledger that tied the game at 17 going into halftime. Bennett was picked in the end zone on the opening drive of the second half, but it wasn't until late in the third when the Utes punched it in again with Thomas. A great punt return early in the fourth set up a game-tying drive for the Bulldogs. Utah took another lead with about five and a half to play on a Pledger one yard run, but backup Georgia quarterback JT Daniels pulled a rabbit out of his hat, finding Adonai Mitchell for a game-tying 37 yard touchdown on fourth and seven with 2:26 to play. Utah had to punt with just over a minute to go, and a returning Bennett finished things off with one big play to get Georgia into range, and Jack Podlesny hit from 42 yards out with 22 seconds left. Utah managed next to nothing with no time left, and Georgia holds serve. Bennett paced the Bulldogs with 226 yards, two touchdowns, and just one pick on 18 of 31 passing, James Cook and Zamir White each ran for 69 yards, with White recording a touchdown, and JT Daniels had that big late drive where he went 2-3 for 58 yards and a game-tying touchdown. Cameron Rising managed a 21-30 day for 322 yards, but just one touchdown, though Tavion Thomas ran for 106 yards and two scores, and TJ Pledger scored twice for the Utes.

@ (8) Michigan State 41, (9) Ole Miss 33

This one wasn't necessarily as close as the final score would lead you to believe. The Spartans missed a golden opportunty after blocking a punt on the opening drive, but missed a 29 yard field goal. They didn't miss their second chance as Kenneth Walker punched one in from ten yards out for the early advantage. Matt Corral and the Rebels responded with the help of some costly MSU penalties as Corral found Dontario Drummond from 12 yards out, though a missed PAT kept Sparty in front. Payton Thorne then led a 13 play, 87 yard drive capped by him finding Jaylen Reed from three yards out to make it 14-6 on the final play of the opening quarter. A field goal made it 17-6, but then Ole Miss made their run, with Jerrion Ealy capping a long drive with a five yard run, then late in the half Snoop Conner added an eight yard score, though another missed PAT only gave the Rebels a two point lead. That lead held until early in the second half when Thorne got hot, hitting Jalen Nailor for a 12 yard touchdown and regaining the lead. Late in the quarter disaster struck, as Darius Snow recorded a 64 yard pick six, and Justin White got a pick on the very next play, setting the Spartans up in the red zone, and Thorne capitalized three plays later on a six yard strike to Connor Heyward. Michigan State seemingly iced it with a five-plus minute drive in the fourth that led to a field goal and a 22 point edge. But Corral had some magic in him, leading a pair of scoring drives and splitting a pair of two point tries to cut the deficit to eight, even getting a chance with just under 90 seconds to go, but a run on fourth and six from the Spartan 22 was stuffed and Thorne was able to kneel it out. He finished 19 of 25 for 239 yards and three scores, Walker ran for 143 yards and a score, and those back to back picks by Snow and White led to 14 Spartan points. Corral was valiant in the comeback effort, completing 21 of 31 passes for 251 yards and three scores despite the two costly picks and taking four sacks. Jerrion Ealy ran for 110 yards and a score, and Dontario Drummond caught a pair of touchdowns for Ole Miss.

9pm Games

@ (2) Alabama 44, (15) Utah State 10

After a day full of entertaining games, the nightcap was not particularly dramatic. The Tide jumped all over the Aggies, grabbing the lead just 3:15 in when Bryce Young hit JoJo Earle from 18 yards out. A three and out and a Cooper Legas pick quickly snuffed out Aggie drives, and Young added two more short touchdowns for a 21-0 lead less than 11 minutes in. The Aggies avoided the shutout with a chip shot field goal early in the second quarter, which the Tide answered and topped late in the half when Young hit Earle again for a 31-3 lead that Alabama took into the break. Brian Robinson got in on the fun in the third for Bama, answered when backup Logan Bonner got some run and found Carson Terrell from ten yards out. A pair of Bama field goals in the fourth concluded the scoring. Young threw for 294 yards on 23 of 33 throws for four scores, Robinson ran for 104 yards and a score, Jordan Battle picked off two passes, and despite a torn ACL, John Metchie caught one ball for 20 yards (only so much I could do with the depth chart). Cooper Legas completed 10 of 18 passes for 109 yards for Utah State, but was picked three times, Logan Bonner was slightly better with 166 yards, one touchdown, and one pick on 13 of 23 passing, and Deven Thompkins hauled in nine passes for 115 yards.

@ (7) Oklahoma State 42, (10) BYU 17

The Cougars' Death to the BCS Playoff debut ends with a whimper. The Cowboys needed just over two minutes to take the lead in this one, with Spencer Sanders capping the quick drive with a six yard strike to Jaylen Warren. BYU would answer back quickly as Jaren Hall found Tyler Allgeier for a 44 yard touchdown to tie it just a couple minutes later, but then the teams traded picks, with the Cowboys returning theirs well into Cougar territory, and three plays later Sanders found Rashod Owens for a 15 yard score and a 14-7 lead. Sanders threw a second pick late in the first, but the Cougars couldn't capitalize, and OSU made them pay when Jaden Nixon capped a 10 play, 93 yard drive with an 11 yard touchdown run. BYU had to settle for a field goal with goal to go on the ensuing drive, and with that pretty much all hope of the comeback died. The Cowboys burned almost five minutes of the third quarter with another touchdown drive, and a five and a half minute touchdown drive in the fourth served as the dagger, though each team added a garbage time touchdown. Spencer Sanders was picked off twice, but threw for 290 yards and three touchdowns on 18 of 26 throws. Tay Martin had over 100 yards receiving for the Cowboys, Jaylen Warren ran for 101 yards and two scores, and Devin Harper finished with a sack and an interception. Jaren Hall put up numbers in the losing effort, completing 27 of 38 for a round-high 424 yards and two scores with just one pick, including four completions for 130 yards and a touchdown to Gunner Romney.

To see the updated bracket, click here.