By Guest Author: Kyle Burdeshaw
The end of the year is quickly approaching. That means cold weather is coming, school is almost out and most importantly, College Bowl Pick ’Em is here! The annual Intramural (IM) Sports competition is a fun way to get involved with the college bowl games at the end of the year. Participants of the Pick ’Em compare the head-to-head match-ups and pick which team they think will win. The person with the most correct guesses overall wins an IM Sports T-shirt and bragging rights for a whole year. The best part is IT’S FREE! Submit your picks at bit.ly/collegebowlpickem.
If you’re unsure which teams to pick this year, here are 10 tips on how to pick winners every time (hopefully).
TIP 1: Do it the old fashioned way
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Research the teams involved, look at their stats, calculate some advanced metrics and determine who has the highest likelihood of winning each of the games. Here’s the catch, there are over 40 bowl games. That’s a lot of research for one person. So maybe try a few of our less time-consuming tips.
TIP 2: Pick the team with the best mascot
Sometimes, the best method is the simplest one. Pick the team with the more ferocious, more loveable or more all-around awesome mascot.
TIP 3: Pick at Random
Always trust your instinct. Don’t second guess it.
TIP 4: Ask an “Expert”
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Steal some picks from a friend and use their “expert” knowledge to reap the reward. The best part is, if you lose, you can always blame it on them!
TIP 5: Let a Computer Pick for You
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Remember those advanced metrics I was talking about earlier? Well, if you don’t want to figure those out for yourself, there are several sources online where you can find computer predicted winners. Winners are picked based on some pretty complex algorithms that get programmed into computers. All the math, none of the work!
TIP 6: Pick By Team’s Colors
Everyone knows (insert favorite color) is better than (insert least favorite color). It’s been that way since kindergarten.
TIP 7: Flip a Coin
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“There is no such thing as chance, and what seem to us merest accident springs from the deepest source of destiny.”
– Friedrich Schiller
Let destiny decide the winner.
TIP 8: Pick the Underdogs
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From “Rocky” to “The Little Engine that Could”, everyone loves a good comeback story. If you happen to get those picks right, you could be in for some major bonus points no one else will be getting.
TIP 9: Pick the Favored Team
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Not as fun as rooting for the underdog, but probably more successful (they can’t all be like “Rudy”). Teams have an overall rank assigned by a committee weekly, and logically teams with a higher ranking usually have a better chance of winning.
TIP 10: Have Fun
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That’s what it’s all about, right? Talk smack with other participants, cheer for your teams to win, and actually be invested in the games. As long as you have fun, you’re a winner in our book.
Again, don’t forget to submit your picks at bit.ly/collegebowlpickem. The deadline to submit your picks is Sunday, Dec. 18 at 5 p.m. For all things Campus Recreation, remember to like and follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram!
