We’re going to simulate every 2020 Arizona football game on NCAA 14

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In an alternate universe, one without the coronavirus crisis postponing the Pac-12 football season, the Arizona Wildcats would be getting set to host Hawaii this Saturday to open the 2020 season.

We’ll never know what would have happened in that game, or the season as a whole, but we can try to figure it out using NCAA Football 14, the last college football video game to hit the market.

This fall we’re going to simulate all 12 games on Arizona’s original schedule and recap them on the dates on which they were supposed to be played.

While NCAA Football 14 is six years old, updated user-made rosters are uploaded onto the EA Sports server every year, free for anyone to download. The ratings are not perfect, but they seem to be pretty accurate.

For instance, Arizona is an 84 overall, only better than Colorado in the Pac-12. (The Wildcats are an 84 on offense and 83 on defense.)

And here are Arizona’s top ranked players in all three facets of the game:

Offense

• LT Donovan Laie, 87
• WR Brenden Schooler, 87 (We’re assuming he doesn’t transfer if the season starts as usual)
• QB Grant Gunnell, 86
• C Josh McCauley, 84
• TE Bryce Wolma, 83
• RB Gary Brightwell, 82

Defense

• LB Colin Schooler, 89 (We’re assuming he doesn’t transfer if the season starts as usual)
• CB Lorenzo Burns, 84
• S Jarrius Wallace, 84
• LB Jalen Harris, 82
• DT Trevon Mason, 81
• DT Aaron Blackwell, 81

Note: Tony Fields II is on the roster, but we’re assuming he would have transferred, so his ratings have been dropped to make him a 40 overall.

Special teams

• K Lucas Havrisik, 84 (kick power 96, kick accuracy 74)
• P Kyle Ostendorp, 75 (kick power 75, kick accuracy 75)

Another thing to note: Because completely custom schedules are not easy to do in dynasty mode, we’re going to simulate each game on its own. That means injuries will not be a factor from week to week, only within a single game. So if Gunnell breaks his throwing arm against Hawaii, guess what? He’ll be good to go the next game against Portland State.

Be sure to check back Saturday for the recap of the Hawaii game. Get your score predictions in now!

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