WhatIfSports December Madness: Round One Results

About December Madness

What is December Madness?

By Paul Bessire, WhatIfSports.com

Dec. 16, 2008

Each year, college football provides us with the most exhilarating regular season in all of sports. Yet, without a playoff at the highest level, that may not mean anything because a true champion cannot be crowned on the field.

It's gotten so bad even the President-elect is getting involved. Just this year, two teams have not lost a game and three teams tied for division where the "winner" would play in the BCS championship game.

Of those five deserving teams, just one gets a chance, while all are deserving. With other one-loss teams like USC, Penn State, and Alabama, there are at least 10 teams that should legitimately have an opportunity to play for it all.

There is just one answer for fans this season, WhatIfSports.com's December Madness. December Madness is a 16-team college football playoff featuring the 11 conference champions and top five at-large teams according to the current BCS standings.

On the field, it could easily be college sports’ greatest event, topping its 64-team basketball counterpart in March. For now, our simulated version is still better than the current BCS system.

That being said, this playoff is not necessarily meant to replace the current bowls, but to supplement them, adding a more definitive way to crown a champion and further fueling national intrigue in the sport throughout the month.

Over the next four weeks, beginning Dec. 16, the top 16 teams in the nation will compete for the ultimate prize in the simulated December Madness tournament. To determine who wins and advances, WhatIfSports.com uses its award-winning simulation software to "play" each game 1,001 times.

An updated bracket with scores, game recaps and example boxscores with full play-by-play are below. The results of each round will be revealed here (Fieldof16.com) on Tuesdays, Dec. 16, 23, 30, and Jan. 6, when a true national champion is crowned. Check back each week to see the December Madness.

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