Keep It Real: NCAA Football 14 Predicts the 2013 Pac-12 Football Season

As someone who has long played the NCAA Football games, I'm going to keep it real and admit that a lot of times the best part of the game is simply simulating seasons and seeing what the game spits out as the future of college football. With the recent launch of NCAA Football 14, we were able to do just that with the help of some SBNation writers, and produce five simulated 2013 Pac-12 seasons.

It would be pretty long and arduous to explain how each season played out, so we averaged out all of the results from the seasons to essentially put together 2013 NCAA Football 14 predicted Pac-12 standings. Listed along with the schools are there average overall and in-conference win/loss records, championship accomplishments and their bowl appearance and some explanation.

North

1. Oregon 10.6 wins and 2.8 losses (7.6 wins and 2.4 losses)

One Pac-12 championship, two Pac-12 Championship Game appearances, one BCS National Championship Game Appearance (Loss to Boise State), two Sugar Bowls, one Alamo Bowl and one Sun Bowl

The Ducks ended up with the best overall and in-conference record in the conference, but only narrowly. They made it to the BCS Championship in one simulation, qualified for BCS bowls in three out of the five and only finished with less than 10 wins in one.

2. Washington 10.4 wins and 3.2 losses (7.4 wins and 2.6 losses)

One Pac-12 championship, three Pac-12 Championship Game appearances, one Rose Bowl, one Orange Bowl, two Alamo Bowls, one Las Vegas Bowl

The computer loves the Huskies for some reason this year. They won the Pac-12 North in three out of the five simulations and twice made it to BCS bowls.

3. Stanford 6.2 wins and 6.4 losses (3.6 wins and 5.4 losses)

Three New Mexico Bowls

Wow, maybe it is because they play football the way your burly older brother would when you played video games against him, but the computer hates, hates, hates Stanford. The Cardinal will almost assuredly be a Top 5 team going into the season, but the computer doesn't have them winning more than seven games in any simulation or making a bowl better than the New Mexico Bowl.

4. Oregon State 6 wins and 6.6 losses (3.6 wins and 5.4 losses)

Two Kraft Fight Hunger Bowls, one Russell Athletic Bowl

The computer doesn't like the Beavers much either apparently, as they have the team, which will likely being the season in the Top 25, only finishing with winning records twice, and never winning more than five conference games.

5. Washington State 4.8 wins and 7.6 losses (2.6 wins and 7.4 losses)

One Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl, one BBVA Compass Bowl

The computer generally expects the Cougars to have a similar season to what they did in 2012, but does have them breaking out in a couple of simulations that have them making lower-level bowl games and, in one, finishing with seven wins.

6. Cal 3 wins and 9 losses (2.2 wins and 6.8 losses)

I don't think many expect the Bears to do much in Sonny Dykes' first season, but the computer really doesn't, never having them qualify for a bowl in any of the simulations.

South

1. USC 9.8 wins and 3.8 losses (7 wins and 2.6 losses)

Two Pac-12 championships, three Pac-12 Championship Game appearances, two Rose Bowls, two Alamo Bowls, one Holiday Bowl

Even if they don't have the sky high expectations that they usually have, the Trojans are still infinitely talented, and that usually bodes well for video games. The computer sees the Trojans have a bounce back season as they are the only team that they have winning the Pac-12 championship more than once.

2. UCLA 8.2 wins and 5.2 losses (5.6 wins and 3.8 losses)

One Pac-12 championship, two Pac-12 Championship Game appearances, one Rose Bowl, two Holiday Bowls, one Las Vegas Bowl, one Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl

The computer likes, but doesn't love, the Bruins and has them peaking once with a 10-win season, a Pac-12 championship and Rose Bowl appearance.

3. Arizona 7.4 wins and 5.4 losses (4.6 wins and 4.4 losses)

Three Sun Bowls, one Las Vegas Bowl

The simulations are very similar to how I think most people believe 2013 will go for the Wildcats. The computer has the Wildcats finishing with a winning record in every simulation except one and has them making it to the Sun Bowl most of the time.

4. Utah 6.8 wins and 6 losses (3.8 wins and 5.2 losses)

One Sun Bowl, One Las Vegas Bowl, Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl, One New Mexico Bowl

Other than Stanford struggling in mediocrity, this is the big surprise spit out by the simulations. No one seems to think that the Utes will even have a decent season, but the computer has them finishing with a winning record in every season but one.

5. Arizona State 6.4 wins and 6.4 losses (4.2 wins and 4.8 losses)

Two Holiday Bowls, one Las Vegas Bowl, one BBVA Compass Bowl

The Sun Devils hover in the same territory of seven or eight wins as Arizona but get drug down by one random two-win season, otherwise they are near, but not at, the top of the Pac-12 South.

6. Colorado 4.4 wins and 7.6 losses (2.8 wins and 6.2 losses)

Obviously four wins isn't a good season, but I think that would actually be a very good outcome for the Buffs. The simulations don't ever have them making it to a bowl, but they come close, winning five games in two simulations.