Courtesy of CBS Sports, the Slate of Games for the Championship Round of Super Trifecta Bowl II are:
Analysts must pick from the two games and may NOT pick against their own Home Team. Analysts whose Home Teams have been eliminated are free to pick any of the four teams to win.
As a game of skill, we provide a few links for Analysts to prepare their prognostication research:
Team Stats
ELO Predictions (fivethirtyeight.com)
Colleagues (other experts)
Trifecta Points
A trifecta (pick three correctly) is worth 1 point in the Championship Round.
Analysts whose Home Teams are playing in the Championship Round will collect 3 Playoff Victory points if their Home Team wins. (NOTE: Analysts with Home Team remaining in the race MUST pick their Home Team in this leg).
The Analysts who correctly pick Home Teams in the Championship Round may earn Reverse PCFecta points: 2 for the best defensive effort (lowest score by an opponent) and 1 for the best offensive effort (highest score by the Home Team).
In the Championship Round, there are no Player Hater points available because the last un-sponsored team has been eliminated from the professional football league playoffs.
The following teams earn Seeder Redux points with a win: Cardinals (1 point) and Patriots (1 point).
Maximum Points Possible
The highest-seeded teams (1 or 2) have progressed to the Championship Round and four Analysts have had their steeds eliminated. The maximum points possible are determined by the situation of the Analysts after the Divisional Round.
In order to win, The Bookie’s strong showing in the first two legs forces all other Analysts to pick against the Panthers: if the Panthers win the conference championships this week, The Bookie wins Super Trifecta Bowl II with 16+ points.
With these conditions in mind, the most points Analysts may earn are:
Team eliminated: 1-3 points. Base trifecta is worth 1 point. If the Analyst picks a #2 seed (Patriots or Cardinals) to win the world football professional championship, 2 Seeder Redux points are possible based on opponents. The maximum Seeder Redux points may be earned in one of three ways:
1. Pick Patriots and Cardinals to win Conference games.
2. Pick Patriots and Panthers to win this week, then the Patriots to beat the Panthers in the world football championship game.
3. Pick Cardinals and Broncos to win this week, then the Cardinals to beat the Broncos in the world football championship game.
Analysts with #2 Seeds: 4-9 points. Base trifecta is worth 1 point. If the 2 seed wins, the Analyst earns 3 Playoff Victory points and 1 Seeder Redux point. The Analyst also becomes eligible for 3 Reverse PC-Fecta points. Both Analysts must pick against the Panthers in the conference championship to win.
Analysts with #1 Seeds: 3-8 points. Base trifecta is worth 1 point. If the 1 seed wins, the Analyst earns 3 Playoff Victory points. The Analyst also becomes eligible for 3 Reverse PC-Fecta points. Big Tuna must pick against the Panthers to block The Bookie and earn 1 Seeder Redux point with a Cardinal win. The Bookie may pick the Patriots for a Seeder Redux point, but is not required in order to win.
Eliminated Analysts
With the top-seeded teams owned by Analysts, the outcome of Super Trifecta Bowl II once again favors the Analysts with Home Teams in contention or Analysts who accumulated points in the early rounds.
Since only three points may be earned by Analysts whose Home Teams lost in earlier rounds, Kal Krome (7) and B-Reezy (4) are eliminated.
Little Tuna, with the #2 seed Patriots, may earn 9 more points riding her Home Team to another world professional football championship – but it will not be enough for her to overtake The Bookie. The Bookie has 13 points and 3 base trifecta points (first tiebreaker). The most Little Tuna will earn in the Championship Round is 13 points and 1 base trifecta point.
Therefore, Little Tuna has been eliminated from Super Trifecta Bowl II and a new champion will be crowned in 2016. Nonetheless, she is in prime position to play the spoiler in the final leg and show or place to end the race.
Contesting Analysts – Scenarios
In order of strength, the the Analysts in contention for Super Trifecta Bowl II are:
The Bookie (13 points): The Bookie must pick the Panthers per the rules and if the Panthers win, she earns a minimum of 3 Playoff Victory points – enough to beat all other Analysts. She can reach up to 21 points total by earning Reverse PC Fecta points, correctly picking the Panthers’ opponent, and correctly picking the winner of the world professional football championship game in February.
Minds Blank (12 points): If the Panthers lose, the mindless one will earn 1 Seeder Redux point if she picks the Cardinals. If she correctly picks the winner of Broncos-Patriots AND correctly picks the world professional football championship game she earns at least 14 points to force a determination by tiebreakers. Blank may earn up to 15 points provided she picks one of the #2 seeds to become the champion.
Wise Orangutan (10 points): If the Panthers lose, the wise one earns 3 Playoff Victory points and becomes eligible for Reverse PC-Fecta points. If he earns at least two Reverse PC-Fecta points, he forces a tie with Minds Blank at the worst. If he wins all three Reverse PC Fecta points, he wins. Alternatively, he may earn two more points from a winning trifecta in which the Cardinals win the world professional football championship.
The Strategist (11 points): If the Panthers lose, the strategic one will earn 1 Seeder Redux point if she picks the Cardinals. If she correctly picks the winner of Broncos-Patriots AND correctly picks the world professional football championship game, she may earn up to 14 points provided she picks a #2 seed to become the champion. She must pick a different championship game or different champion than Minds Blank and Wise Orangutan in order to avoid the Box Out – see “Teams Eliminated” options above.
Big Tuna (8 points): If the Panthers lose, the fishy one earns 3 Playoff Victory points with a Broncos victory and 1 Seeder Redux (for picking against the Panthers). He also becomes eligible for 3 Reverse PC-Fecta points. If he earns at least one Reverse PC-Fecta points, he reaches 13 points to tie The Bookie and forces tiebreakers in the final week. If he earns all three Reverse PC-Fecta points, he reaches 15 points this week and will win Super Trifecta Bowl II with 16 points if the Broncos win the world professional football championship game.
Championship Picks
By rule, the Analysts must select their Home Teams in the Divisional Round. In addition, only The Bookie can build a trifecta with the Panthers to win Super Trifecta Bowl II. All other Analysts must pick against the Panthers.
The required Picks to win are:
