2012 College Football Week 1 Picks: Alabama Beats Michigan

Each Monday, WhatIfSports.com's NCAA college football simulation engine will provide you with game predictions for every D-1 FBS game that upcoming week. The college football simulation engine generates detailed information for each game including each team's chances of winning (Win%) and the average points scored for both teams. Make sure to share the college football information you gained here with your friends by either checking out our NCAA football widgets on the WhatIf To Go page or clicking on the social networking share bar at the top and bottom of this article.

Check out our 2012 College Football Season-to-Date page to follow our accuracy and for Upsets of the Week available on Wednesdays.

The statistical inputs to the thousands of college football simulations are based on rigorous analysis of each team's roster, depth charts and statistically based player rankings. Roster modifications are made in cases of injury or suspension and those players are removed from their team's game simulation for that week.

Game of the Week: Michigan vs. Alabama

{In my best radio disc jockey voice}

And we're back!

After eight months in hibernation, the WhatIfSports.com college football simulation prediction engine is back to work. We now look to build upon our 579-198 prediction record (74.5 percent accurate SU) from a season ago.

What better way to kick of the 2012 college football simulation season than with two storied programs. Michigan versus Alabama at Dallas Cowboys Stadium is our Week 1 Game of the Week!

The Wolverines', 11-2 in 2011, last win came over Virginia Tech in a Sugar Bowl thriller last January. Senior quarterback Denard Robinson was just named captain of the 2012 squad and will be the catalyst for this offense once again. His sights may be set on a National Championship, but a Heisman Trophy isn't out of the question either. He threw for 2,173 yards and 20 touchdowns and added 1,176 yards rushing and 16 touchdowns in 2011.

The Wolverines return 13 starters on offense, but may be without one of their running backs. Fitz Toussaint is due in court tomorrow and may be suspended for the season opener. We'll re-simulate the game if he's out.

You may also remember the drastic improvement in Michigan's defense a season ago. Former Ravens d-coordinator Greg Mattison came in and made the black sheep top-dogs in the Big Ten. The Wolverines allowed 17.2 points per game in 2011, eighth-best in the country among BCS schools.

Unfortunately for the Maize and Blue, their Week 1 opponent was/is pretty good on the defensive side of the ball, too.

Nick Saban's Crimson Tide avenged a regular season loss to LSU by absolutely dominating them in the 2011 BCS National Championship game.

Their 21-0 victory awarded them their 14th (depending what number you believe) national title in school history.

Every preseason preview you read about 'Bama stressing the team's strength is the offensive line. When their four returning starters average 6-foot-4, 315 pounds, who am I to question that analysis? Junior quarterback A.J. McCarron, 2,634 passing yards with 16 touchdowns, returns behind those big bodies, but will need to break in a fresh receiving corps in 2012.

Only four starters return on defense, but it's not like Nick Saban didn't stockpile talent on his bench and in the recruiting game. The secondary could be a weakness as three starters are gone.

Using our college football simulation engine, we "played" the Crimson Tide and Wolverines 101 times and it's Alabama beating Michigan on the neutral field 70.3 percent of the time by an average score of 28-21.

College Football Week 1
Matchup	Win%	Avg Score
Elon Phoenix	5.0	8	Boxscore
@ North Carolina Tar Heels	95.0	50
William & Mary Tribe	5.0	8	Boxscore
@ Maryland Terrapins	95.0	44
Richmond Spiders	5.0	9	Boxscore
@ Virginia Cavaliers	95.0	49
Murray State Racers	5.0	7	Boxscore
@ Florida State Seminoles	95.0	53
Liberty Flames	5.0	8	Boxscore
@ Wake Forest Demon Deacons	95.0	47
Auburn Tigers	36.6	24	Boxscore
vs. Clemson Tigers	63.4	28
FIU Golden Panthers	43.6	26	Boxscore
@ Duke Blue Devils	56.4	28
Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets	43.6	22	Boxscore
@ Virginia Tech Hokies	56.4	25
Miami (FL) Hurricanes	61.4	26	Boxscore
@ Boston College Eagles	38.6	21
Youngstown State Penguins	5.0	8	Boxscore
@ Pittsburgh Panthers	95.0	46
Chattanooga Mocs	5.0	7	Boxscore
@ South Florida Bulls	95.0	47
Villanova Wildcats	5.0	8	Boxscore
@ Temple Owls	95.0	44
Massachusetts Minutemen	5.9	10	Boxscore
@ Connecticut Huskies	94.1	30
Kentucky Wildcats	38.1	18	Boxscore
@ Louisville Cardinals	61.9	23
Northwestern Wildcats	58.4	27	Boxscore
@ Syracuse Orange	41.6	25
Indiana State Sycamores	5.0	6	Boxscore
@ Indiana Hoosiers	95.0	43
Eastern Kentucky Colonels	5.0	9	Boxscore
@ Purdue Boilermakers	95.0	49
Northern Iowa Panthers	5.0	8	Boxscore
@ Wisconsin Badgers	95.0	56
Miami (OH) RedHawks	19.8	18	Boxscore
@ Ohio State Buckeyes	80.2	29
Southern Miss Golden Eagles	27.7	20	Boxscore
@ Nebraska Cornhuskers	72.3	28
Western Michigan Broncos	37.6	23	Boxscore
@ Illinois Fighting Illini	62.4	27
Boise State Broncos	43.6	24	Boxscore
@ Michigan State Spartans	56.4	25
Ohio Bobcats	56.4	23	Boxscore
@ Penn State Nittany Lions	43.6	21
Alabama Crimson Tide	70.3	28	Boxscore
vs. Michigan Wolverines	29.7	21
Southeast Missouri State Redhawks	5.0	7	Boxscore
@ Central Michigan Chippewas	95.0	40
Towson Tigers	5.0	9	Boxscore
@ Kent State Golden Flashes	95.0	34
Iowa Hawkeyes	68.3	27	Boxscore
vs. Northern Illinois Huskies	31.7	19
Eastern Michigan Eagles	73.3	28	Boxscore
@ Ball State Cardinals	26.7	22
UCF Knights	95.0	32	Boxscore
@ Akron Zips	5.0	14
Northern Arizona Lumberjacks	5.0	7	Boxscore
@ Arizona State Sun Devils	95.0	50
Northern Colorado Bears	5.0	8	Boxscore
@ Utah Utes	95.0	45
Nicholls Colonels	5.0	8	Boxscore
@ Oregon State Beavers	95.0	49
Hawaii Warriors	5.0	16	Boxscore
@ USC Trojans	95.0	37
San Jose State Spartans	6.9	14	Boxscore
@ Stanford Cardinal	93.1	35
San Diego State Aztecs	12.9	18	Boxscore
@ Washington Huskies	87.1	32
Arkansas State Red Wolves	14.9	20	Boxscore
@ Oregon Ducks	85.1	35
Nevada Wolf Pack	38.6	21	Boxscore
@ California Golden Bears	61.4	26
Toledo Rockets	39.1	26	Boxscore
@ Arizona Wildcats	60.9	30
Buffalo Bulls	5.0	11	Boxscore
@ Georgia Bulldogs	95.0	35
Central Arkansas Bears	5.0	9	Boxscore
@ Mississippi Rebels	95.0	42
Jackson State Tigers	5.0	7	Boxscore
@ Mississippi State Bulldogs	95.0	45
Southeastern Louisiana Lions	5.0	7	Boxscore
@ Missouri Tigers	95.0	48
Jacksonville State Gamecocks	5.0	7	Boxscore
@ Arkansas Razorbacks	95.0	58
North Texas Mean Green	5.9	12	Boxscore
@ LSU Tigers	94.1	36
Bowling Green Falcons	15.8	14	Boxscore
@ Florida Gators	84.2	25
North Carolina State Wolfpack	46.5	21	Boxscore
vs. Tennessee Volunteers	53.5	22
South Carolina Gamecocks	66.3	24	Boxscore
@ Vanderbilt Commodores	33.7	17
Sacramento State Hornets	5.0	9	Boxscore
@ New Mexico State Aggies	95.0	39
Southern Utah Thunderbirds	5.0	7	Boxscore
@ Utah State Aggies	95.0	41
Eastern Washington Eagles	5.0	8	Boxscore
@ Idaho Vandals	95.0	34
Texas A&M Aggies	77.7	30	Boxscore
@ Louisiana Tech Bulldogs	22.3	19
Navy Midshipmen	37.6	23	Boxscore
vs. Notre Dame Fighting Irish	62.4	27
Washington State Cougars	49.5	24	Boxscore
@ Brigham Young Cougars	50.5	26
Northwestern State Demons	5.0	6	Boxscore
@ Texas Tech Red Raiders	95.0	50
South Dakota State Jackrabbits	5.0	6	Boxscore
@ Kansas Jayhawks	95.0	46
Missouri State Bears	5.0	8	Boxscore
@ Kansas State Wildcats	95.0	48
Savannah State Tigers	5.0	8	Boxscore
@ Oklahoma State Cowboys	95.0	55
Marshall Thundering Herd	17.8	22	Boxscore
@ West Virginia Mountaineers	82.2	35
Wyoming Cowboys	19.8	17	Boxscore
@ Texas Longhorns	80.2	29
Southern Methodist Mustangs	27.7	22	Boxscore
@ Baylor Bears	72.3	29
Tulsa Golden Hurricane	40.1	24	Boxscore
@ Iowa State Cyclones	59.9	28
Appalachian State Mountaineers	5.0	9	Boxscore
@ East Carolina Pirates	95.0	41
Tennessee-Martin Skyhawks	5.0	6	Boxscore
@ Memphis Tigers	95.0	32
Texas State Bobcats	5.9	16	Boxscore
@ Houston Cougars	94.1	39
Troy Trojans	50.5	29	Boxscore
@ UAB Blazers	49.5	28
Rutgers Scarlet Knights	71.3	26	Boxscore
@ Tulane Green Wave	28.7	15
UCLA Bruins	86.1	31	Boxscore
@ Rice Owls	13.9	18
Oklahoma Sooners	88.1	33	Boxscore
@ UTEP Miners	11.9	18
Idaho State Bengals	5.0	7	Boxscore
@ Air Force Falcons	95.0	47
Weber State Wildcats	5.0	7	Boxscore
@ Fresno State Bulldogs	95.0	43
Southern University Jaguars	5.0	8	Boxscore
@ New Mexico Lobos	95.0	34
Colorado Buffaloes	71.3	25	Boxscore
vs. Colorado State Rams	28.7	18
Minnesota Golden Gophers	81.2	28	Boxscore
@ UNLV Rebels	18.8	15
Wagner Seahawks	5.0	7	Boxscore
@ Florida Atlantic Owls	95.0	33
McNeese State Cowboys	5.0	8	Boxscore
@ Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders	95.0	40
Lamar Cardinals	5.0	7	Boxscore
@ Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin' Cajuns	95.0	43
Austin Peay Governors	5.0	7	Boxscore
@ Western Kentucky Hilltoppers	95.0	37
Texas-San Antonio Roadrunners	46.5	23	Boxscore
@ South Alabama Jaguars	53.5	24