Crowning a champion in our 64-team faculty soccer bracket

By this time in any postseason, expertise and depth usually rise to the highest.

Now that we’re down to the Sweet 16 in our 2025 mock NCAA soccer match, that is obvious with 11 of the 16 groups coming from both the Large Ten or SEC.

All 4 No. 1 seeds are nonetheless alive, and No. 12 seed Memphis has engineered two upsets to get this far. Clemson quarterback Cade Klubnik, LSU quarterback Garrett Nussmeier and BYU linebacker Isaiah Glasker all performed starring roles within the first two rounds, and Ryan Silverfield has Memphis driving an eight-game successful streak.

To recap, the unique seeds had been based mostly to a big diploma on ESPN’s newest SP+ projections coming into the 2025 season, though seeds are a moot level as we tee it again up.

Time to complete the match. And the very best information? There isn’t any blaming something on a committee.

Midwest Regional

Semifinals

(1) Ohio State 28, (5) BYU 23: How do you cowl Buckeyes receivers Jeremiah Smith and Carnell Tate? It is a query groups requested all season. The Cougars do their finest to maintain Smith from torching them, however Tate does many of the injury with eight catches for 124 yards and two touchdowns.

(3) Tennessee 34, (2) Oregon 32: The Vols get again to their explosive methods on offense in 2025 with quarterback Nico Iamaleava making an enormous leap in his third 12 months on campus. Oregon matches that explosiveness with Evan Stewart pulling in two acrobatic catches, resulting in a late landing. The Geese get the ball again, however an Arion Carter sack seals the sport for Tennessee.

Regional remaining

(1) Ohio State 31, (3) Tennessee 21: The Vols get one other shot on the Buckeyes after getting blown out in Columbus final season within the first spherical of the playoff. This sport is way nearer, and Tim Banks’ Tennessee protection holds up many of the method. However the identical man who wreaked havoc on the Vols a 12 months in the past does it once more. Smith has two of his three landing catches within the second half to steer Ohio State to its tenth straight win.

How we obtained right here

First spherical

(1) Ohio State over (16) Boston School

(2) Oregon over (15) UCF

(3) Tennessee over (14) Pittsburgh

(4) South Carolina over (13) North Carolina

(5) BYU over (12) Colorado

(11) Kentucky over (6) Louisville

(7) TCU over Georgia Tech

(9) Arkansas over (8) Boise State

Second spherical

(1) Ohio State over (9) Arkansas

(2) Oregon over (7) TCU

(3) Tennessee over (11) Kentucky

(5) BYU over (4) South Carolina

South Regional

Semifinals

(5) Illinois 27, (1) Texas 24: The shocker of the match to date, however do not inform that to Illinois coach Bret Bielema. In his fifth season at Illinois, he had an excellent feeling about this workforce all alongside. The Illini returned 18 starters from their bowl workforce a 12 months in the past, and the 2 stars on protection, outdoors linebacker Gabe Jacas and cornerback Xavier Scott, play like stars towards a Texas offense that by no means finds any rhythm.

(2) Notre Dame 31, (3) Miami 20: The notorious “Catholics vs. Convicts” T-shirts are reintroduced to the faculty soccer world, and that is what all people is speaking about within the buildup to this sport. Notre Dame cornerback Leonard Moore steals the present with interceptions in every half, the ultimate one resulting in the clinching landing for the Irish.

Regional remaining

(2) Notre Dame 28, (5) Illinois 21: Jeremiyah Love’s growth and toughness epitomized Notre Dame’s run to the semifinals final 12 months. He is much more of an element this 12 months, and his capacity to make large performs and earn the robust yards towards a stout Illinois protection is the distinction on this Elite Eight matchup. Love’s tackle-breaking 8-yard landing run provides the Irish the lead for good and caps a 138-yard speeding evening.

How we obtained right here

First spherical

(1) Texas over (16) Maryland

(2) Notre Dame over (15) California

(3) Miami over (14) Kansas

(4) Florida over (13) James Madison

(5) Illinois over (12) N.C. State

(11) Virginia Tech over (6) Iowa

(7) USC over (10) Minnesota

(8) Texas Tech over (9) Utah

Second spherical

(1) Texas over (8) Texas Tech

(2) Notre Dame over (7) USC

(3) Miami over (6) Virginia Tech

(5) Illinois over (4) Florida

East Regional

Semifinals

(1) Penn State 35, (12) Memphis 17: Memphis’ inconceivable run to the Candy 16 involves a crushing finish as Penn State builds a 21-3 lead, then tees off defensively on a Memphis offense that has to resort to throwing the ball on nearly each down. Nicholas Singleton and Kaytron Allen every rush for greater than 100 yards for the Nittany Lions, who end with 290 yards on the bottom as a workforce.

(2) Alabama 27, (3) Michigan 23: In a rematch of the Rose Bowl two years in the past (Nick Saban’s remaining sport), Alabama will get a bit of revenge for its previous coach. The Crimson Tide are held to a single landing within the first half, however the protection retains them in it. Trailing 20-17 coming into the fourth quarter, Alabama finds its operating sport. Jam Miller erupts for 72 speeding yards within the remaining quarter, and the Tide bullies their method into the Elite Eight.

Regional remaining

(2) Alabama 22, (1) Penn State 19: Ty Simpson has waited his flip at quarterback for the Crimson Tide, and though they do not mild up the scoreboard on this defense-dominated matchup of blue bloods, he would not commit a single turnover and retains all people on offense centered. However on Alabama’s remaining two drives, Simpson throws a 28-yard landing go to place the Tide forward and later converts a fourth-and-short to place the sport away.

How we obtained right here

First spherical

(1) Penn State over (16) West Virginia

(2) Alabama over (15) Syracuse

(3) Michigan over (14) Military

(4) SMU over (13) Tulane

(12) Memphis over (5) Texas A&M

(11) Wisconsin over (6) Oklahoma

(7) Indiana over (10) Washington

(9) Nebraska over (8) Arizona State

Second spherical

(1) Penn State over (9) Nebraska

(2) Alabama over (7) Indiana

(3) Michigan over (11) Wisconsin

(12) Memphis over (4) SMU

West Regional

Semifinals

(1) Georgia 35, (4) LSU 31: Georgia quarterback Gunner Stockton obtained a style of postseason soccer final 12 months when he crammed in for Carson Beck. That have proves worthwhile on this back-and-forth sport, with Nussmeier throwing three landing passes for LSU. However Stockton is ready to unfold the ball round with Noah Thomas and Zachariah Branch, each switch receivers, and tight finish Oscar Delp all catching landing passes.

(2) Clemson 33, (3) Ole Miss 24: Dabo Swinney and Lane Kiffin have been on reverse ends of the spectrum relating to utilizing the switch portal. Swinney has barely dipped into it in any respect, and Kiffin has lived in it. Swinney did usher in three transfers this season, and one in every of them, former Purdue defensive finish Will Heldt, makes life depressing for the Ole Miss offensive line. Heldt finishes with two sacks and a pressured fumble, and the Tigers march onward.

Regional remaining

(2) Clemson 31, (1) Georgia 30: As soon as upon a time, these groups performed yearly in one of many South’s finest nonconference rivalries. The Tigers, who had misplaced eight of their previous 9 video games towards the Bulldogs, fall behind early on this one. However Clemson cornerback Avieon Terrell, flagged for go interference on the earlier possession, intercepts a Stockton go deep in Clemson territory, resulting in a fast landing. That is the place the sport swings, and the Tigers transfer a step nearer to their third nationwide title in 10 years.

How we obtained right here

First spherical

(1) Georgia over (16) Oklahoma State

(2) Clemson over (15) Mississippi State

(3) Ole Miss over (14) Cincinnati

(4) LSU over (13) Florida State

(5) Missouri over (12) Rutgers

(11) Vanderbilt over (6) Kansas State

(7) Auburn over (10) Duke

(8) Iowa State over (9) Baylor

Second spherical

(1) Georgia over (8) Iowa State

(2) Clemson over Auburn (7)

(3) Ole Miss over (11) Vanderbilt

(4) LSU over (5) Missouri

Last 4

(2) Clemson 35, (1) Ohio State 28: The primary time these groups performed was again in 1978, with Clemson successful 17-15 within the Gator Bowl in Jacksonville, Florida. It was a blah sport till legendary coach Woody Hayes punched Clemson’s Charlie Bauman on the sideline late within the fourth quarter after Bauman intercepted a go. Hayes was fired the following day. This nationwide semifinal sport would not embody any extracurricular fireworks that rise to that stage, however Klubnik and Ohio State’s Julian Sayin present loads of fireworks on the sector. They each go for greater than 300 yards, however freshman operating again Gideon Davidson delivers the successful 24-yard landing run for the Tigers.

(2) Alabama 33, (2) Notre Dame 27: Right here the Irish are knocking on the door of a nationwide championship for the second straight season beneath Marcus Freeman, who’s the topic of numerous reviews that NFL groups are lining as much as rent him. Freeman by no means provides any credence to these reviews, and his Notre Dame workforce fights its method again from a two-touchdown deficit. Driving contained in the Alabama 45 with just below 4 minutes remaining, Notre Dame tries to run proper at 326-pound defensive deal with Tim Keenan III. Large mistake. Keenan blows up the play, forcing a 5-yard loss. Notre Dame has to punt and by no means will get the ball again, as Alabama’s offensive line takes management of the sport.

Nationwide Championship

(2) Alabama 30, (2) Clemson 24: It is not the primary time Swinney has gone up towards his alma mater within the nationwide championship sport. It occurred in 2015 with Alabama successful, once more in 2016 with Clemson successful after which in 2018 with the Tigers claiming their second nationwide title beneath Swinney. So, now, welcome to Half 4. All of the gnashing of enamel in Tuscaloosa over Kalen DeBoer’s first season as coach when he misplaced (gasp) 4 video games has quieted. Alabama is enjoying its finest soccer of the season with a few of its youthful gamers and veterans stepping up in key roles. But it surely’s essentially the most electrifying participant on Alabama’s roster, receiver Ryan Williams, who wins it for the Tide, their nineteenth “claimed” nationwide championship. After Antonio Williams provides Clemson the lead with a 46-yard landing catch down the best sideline, Ryan Williams caps a 77-yard drive for Alabama with a 2-yard landing catch on a decide/rub play. Sound acquainted? With Clemson followers cursing the play the identical method Alabama did again in 2016, DeBoer breaks by in his second season. His statue on the Stroll of Champions is up by the beginning of the 2026 season.