After all the pre-season prognosticating, guessing, and senseless bashing of rivals, this was a breath of fresh air. What does it mean? We'll see...but in the end it's probably not too far off from the real deal.

Thanks for the tireless and undoubtedly painful effort put into this research - your work won't soon be forgotten.

The numbers don't add up. Adding the numbers for each possibility, USU has 50 games, Utah 48 and BYU 46. For an article based upon statistics, you have committed the unpardonable sin. Please revise your article with some credible numbers.

DN staff are slackers if they think that 100 games is enough for a true analysis. 1000 games would be more like it. Back to work on that research, slackers!

I say we cancel the season and just use computer simulations. Then schools wouldn't have to waste money on scholarships and the players run no risk of injury. It's brilliant really.

I played a dynasty and went undefeated with BYU and went to the title game but ended up losing to Florida. My toughest challenge was New Mexico of all teams. Against Utah I was down ten points midway through the game cause I could not stop their offense but then ended up beating them by two scores. It was an ESPN classic! ha.. NCAA 09 is a fun game to play.. helped me to survive the past month while waiting for football to start! ha

Those EA Programmers must not have realized that the Rose Bowl would NEVER take a non-BCS team. They even hate to take a team that is not from the big-10 or the pac-10. BYU in the Rose Bowl ... I think I saw a pig fly by my window.

Good article, I love the NCAA series. Currently I'm on the final game of the '09 season. I beat the Y in '08 and '09, '08 was a blowout something like 42-21 but '09 came down to the final 1:20...35-32.
Anyhow, both Utah and BYU faired very well in this years NCAA game. BYU was 9th in the nation ending the '08 season and 11th at the end of '09...they would have been higher but had back to back losses to Utah and TCU.
Even though the numbers don't mean anything reading the article makes me want to leave work now and fire up the PS3 :)

GO UTES!!!!!!!

I'm embarrassed I read this story with interest...

The D-News could have run 1,000,000 simulations, but it's still based on ambiguous and unpredictable events, so it really means nothing regarding any team's future success.

The only thing that CAN be taken away from this article is that playing NCAA 09 Football is fun, and most prognosticators give the cougars an edge over the Utes. But everybody already knew that anyway.

As far as the accuracy of preseason pundits, review just the MWC teams of the last 5 years:

Year Preseason Favorite Actual Champion
2003 Colorado St. Utah
2004 Utah Utah
2005 Utah TCU
2006 TCU TDS
2007 TCU TDS

They only got it right ONCE!

No more research will be necessary.

--Ute in Philadelphia

These computerized outcomes are very lame. I'm a BYU fan and it's nice they came out ahead in this but I still think these dumb simulations are lame. Good thing teams actually have to play the games. David Locke on 1320 has also been doing this, which is another reason why I rarely ever listen to his show. I wouldn't be surprised though if there are actually people out there that are more into this football video game crap than the real games.

How great would it be to have Utah and BYU each go into the Holy War undefeated? I hope some day we'll see that matchup.

Great article. If you need more research, I'll volunteer to help! Great job feeding the hype for the season with only a few days left to go!

Mr./Ms. More Research Needed,

You need to do more research. The article states they did 50 SEASONS...not games!!

PS-Who wouldn't mind watching 50 simulated seasons go on, and get paid! Sweet assignment!

RE: YES

Schools don't waste money on scholarships. Athletic scholarships come from money generated by the Athletic Department, thus actually allowing more students at the school to have scholarships.

This is supposed to be news?!!!

Well, one thing is for certain, the graphics (video quality) and commentating in the video game far surpasses the quality of any Mtn broadcast that I have seen. I wish the Mtn would just let the home team's local guys broadcast the games. I would love to hear Greg Wrubbel when BYU plays UCLA this next month, instead of that annoying Todd Christensen and his big word challenge of the day.

Video games? My 12-sided dice tell me the Cougs will win this year. But the tea leaves tell a different story. Is Max Hall a Pisces? Tarot tells me the Utes will go 10-2. Please. I guess we're all anxious for the season to start, but this article is a stretch.

Don't strain yourself by working too hard, guys. Its unprofessional garbage like this that makes me a Tribune reader. You know that real football starts this weekend, right? Wouldn't want you to waste too much time reporting on real life stories that actually matter to people.

My prediction, BYU will win 7 games and get blown out by the Utes, which will clinch Utah's conference title. Go Bruins.

And that is what its all about Video Game Simulation!!! When did you kids cuts school to write this article for the deseret news?

I just had the Utes play against the New England Patriots on my system and the Utes WON! So I think we're going to win some games this year based on that. Not trying to be the prophet or anything, just my 2 cents.

Just turn the TV sound down and get the audio from the KSL broadcast.

The photo with this story must be a simulation of them playing at Michigan. There's no way that many show up for the ute games. I'll bet when you play it as a ute home game there are big spaces with no fans, and in the background you see ute fans leaning over the rail hurling up beer onto their cheerleaders.

I also like the tinman from the Wizard of Oz.

Well fans...? The actuality is to "Simulate" a season, by computer is the best way to do it, and the most obvious way to do it (LIKE IT OR NOT) is EA SPORTS Sports games. They take all year evaluating every player at every position and plugging in the numbers. It is the way it is. How accurate YOU think it is, is totally up to you, but I believe the Deseret News was on top of it by doing it 50 times instead of just once. Most of you would complain about the D.N. if they delivered a Gold Leaf Printed Paper on your door step for free!

The fact is, you CAN USE this particular line of video games for Research, and practice as a coach and play design. Good Call Deseret News, I enjoyed the article. We all do know facts, Max Hall goes down or a key player from any team, and it changes EVERYTHING! The Deseret News knows that too. Doesn't anyone know what "What If's" are about, and "All in Fun" is all about? Good Article!!! I enjoyed it.

Wow. people need to chill.. this is just for fun! ESPN does these simulations on CF Live all the time! It doesnt mean one team is goin to be better than the other.. its a video game for entertainment!

Bruin fan.. BYU win 7 games? I'd like to hear your reasoning... Good luck with Tennessee on Monday! I'm pulling for Pac 10 teams as always! WSU over OK State! Cal over Michigan St! USC over Virginia! This will be a great weekend!

You need a higher IQ. The TUN had one good season.

I know Ernest is just trying to get people to get all fired up about his article but he is funny! Ernest whoever you are please keep commenting on every article cuz i always love reading yours!

Go Utes

"My prediction, BYU will win 7 games and get blown out by the Utes, which will clinch Utah's conference title. Go Bruins."

Sounds like little Nancy got her undies in a knot today.

While I love NCAA '09, I still have issues with their rating system. When teams like Arizona, UNLV and CSU rate close to, or higher than BYU or Utah, something is obviously wrong. They do a good job on some things, but they overlook a lot of others. It would be nice if after they went through and rated all the players, they would take a step back and see how it compares with reality. Bottom feeder teams like UNLV, SDSU, etc. shouldn't really be able to compete consistently with BYU or Utah (but Utah vs UNLV is a different story, HA!). Even so, it's still the best football game out there BAR NONE and does wonders to scratch your college football itch during the dreaded off-season!

And we care about a video game sim because.....?

The real question is whether or not Utah will play with black uniforms this year. And would they dare do it against BYU? You've got to think that losing to BYU in really cool black uniforms would make it easier to swallow.

[give me a break is a ute fan] Imagine that a ute making fun of some of the pub BYU is getting?? What a surprize! Your just sore you have been beaten by us the last two years, and this year won't be any different. You were lucky to have even been close in last years game. We made alot of mistakes and still won. You were almost doubled in yardage and first downs. The game is won up front and we have better offensive and defensive lines. Just watch Michigan manhandle you Saturday.

No, YOU need a higher IQ. First of all, the Utes had TWO conferences championships (2003 and 2004), and finished 22-2 during that time. Secondly, my ugly little "special needs" step-sister from the TDS, my post wasn't about who has the better program. It was about how accurate preseason prognosticators are.

when i simulated the game byu was in the national championship against i beleive oklahoma. and utah went like 9-4.

By "preseason prognosticators" do you mean the predictions of BYU fans?

I just went four straight years undefeated with UL-Monroe. The ACC picked me up after the second season. All four seasons I had two players as finalists for the Heisman with the last two years winning it with two different players. YES! There is validation for my existence. And my dad kept telling me that playing the nintendo would amount to nothing. Thank you Deseret News!

Does the CPU take into account that we won the national championship in 1984? Just curious..

But the best team is the West Virginia Mountaineers, I played all 3 Utah teams and rolled over them all. They are not quite ready for the big leagues yet!!!

Somehow the BYU roster is missing Dennis Pitta, considered one of the top 10 TE in the country. If you add a top 10 rated TE to the BYU roster, their winning percentage goes *way* up.

The best question is why the Utes look so stupid in all black uniforms.

Way to start another new tradition copied from another school Utes.

I love how 'cute' the ute fans think they are by referring to BYU as "TDS". Keep it comin' in my book. Last I checked that means Touchdowns. On the other hand you could be called the School North of Town aka "SNOT"! Nice.

Go Cougs aka "TDS"!!!

Maybe we'll debut our "Black" uniforms for our game against Weber St. That ought to get a least SOME people excited about this terrible matchup.

GO UTES!!!

--Ute in Philadelphia

As opposed to looking stupid in Cougar blue?

Well, I guess it's as good as any other prediction, and probably a lot more fun.

I would like to let everyone know everyone's dreaming this year if they're not an Aggie fan and they think they have the best team in the state, and I have evidence to back it up. As the Utah State Aggies, I took them to an undefeated season on NCAA '08, beating the likes of Oregon, Boise State, Fresno State, BYU and Utah. Sorry, everyone! Obviously, this year is USU's year! Go Aggies!

Aggie football, starting less than 24 hrs from now!!!!!!!!!!!!

GO AGGIES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

That"Team Down South" has beaten Utah the last two seasons and will do that again this year. Why don't you Utes show us some respect. GO COUGARS!

awsome!