Filling out a bracket with the flip of a coin

My theory when it comes to picking March Madness games is that the less you know about college basketball, the better you do in bracket competitions.

I don’t know if it’s true, but it helps me feel better about finishing in 90th place out of 100 brackets every year.

Either way, I decided to produce a bracket based entirely on the determinations of a coin flip. Coins know even less about college basketball than my sister, who consistently outperforms me in these things, so this bracket should be damn near perfect.

If you want to compete against The Coin, join the Viva the Matadors Bracket Challenge!

EAST REGION

The Coin really likes Yale, eh? Well, it’s not the worst couple of picks in the world. Plenty of experts think Yale has a shot against LSU, and many think Belmont will take down Maryland. If that happens, I could definitely see Yale getting past Belmont and into the Sweet 16, but there’s no chance in hell they’ll get by Michigan State. As for Virginia Tech emerging from this side of the bracket, it’s highly unlikely, obviously, but...not impossible?

WEST REGION

Ouch, this one will hurt Tech fans. At least The Coin likes us to get out of the first round, but losing to Buffalo would sting like hell.

The Zags losing to Baylor? Ha. Never. I do see Nevada getting past Florida and potentially Michigan. And, if Buffalo does end up beating Tech, the Wolfpack could certainly advance to the Elite 8. I don’t think Florida State is Final Four bound, but, again, not out of the realm of possibility.

SOUTH REGION

The Coin really likes the Ivy League schools, eh? Colgate making it to the Elite 8 is about as likely to happen as me dunking on Zion Williamson.

Our fateful decider also places a lot of value in recent tournament success, predicting defending champions Villanova to upset Purdue on its way to the Sweet 16.

Also, I don’t think The Coin received the news about the Dean Wade injury.

MIDWEST REGION

Wow, The Coin picked all one seeds to win their first matchup. Very wise. What’s unwise—picking Utah State to go to the Elite 8. Sorry, Matt Wells.

I do like the Kentucky pick to make it to the Final Four. We have at least one serious contender in there.

Ohio State is trash, they’re not getting by Iowa State, let alone Houston. New Mexico State and Northeastern could both upset significantly higher-seeded Auburn and Kansas, though.

FINAL FOUR

Just when you think The Coin knows what it’s doing in picking Kentucky to make the Final Four, it picks Ole Miss to upset the Wildcats. Virginia Tech and Florida State would actually be an intriguing matchup between conference foes, but it’ll never happen in the Final Four. In this fantasy land, though, V-Tech gets its revenge after losing twice to Florida State in the regular season.

Then, you have SEC middler Ole Miss taking down the Hokies in the National Championship game. And without Marshall Henderson. What a joke.

I’m totally going to lose to The Coin.

Don’t forget to join the Viva the Matadors Bracket Challenge!