The Try Times

The first round of the 2024 D1A Playoffs is complete. And eight games in, the official Try Times Bracket is still perfect. If you were hoping for some upsets, this was likely a disappointing weekend for you. In all eight of the matchups, the higher seed prevailed. There were some close calls, but the matches unfolded as expected for the most part.  West Round of 16: 3 BYU vs 6 UCLA The first match of the weekend was BYU vs. UCLA. They took the pitch on Friday afternoon due to the semi-annual General Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which funds BYU. BYU came out on top, but it was actually UCLA who drew first blood. UCLA went up 7-0, but BYU responded with a pair of tries. At halftime, BYU led 26-10. BYU was in command from that point on. The Cougars outscored UCLA 22-5 in the second half. Final score 48-15 in favor of BYU. The Cougars have had trouble finishing matches this season. They let Central Washington come back after leading 12-0 at the half. T...

Did you absolutely embarrass yourself in your family March Madness bracket challenge? Did your nearly deaf grandmother beat you by picking her favorite colors? Well say goodbye to the embarrassment of losing to someone with dentures and hello to a second chance at chance.  The D1A playoffs are just days away from kickoff! The Try Times is sponsoring a bracket challenge, with a prize for the best bracket! Scroll to the bottom for instructions on the bracket challenge. In this article, I will dive into my bracket and the reasoning behind my picks. Hopefully, this will be helpful as you fill out your brackets. If you're reading this and you don't like what you read, please go prove me wrong. There's nothing more I'd love to see than some upsets.  West Round of 16: Okay, let's start with the West. All signs point to the Gaels as the favorites in the West. They were undefeated in spring play and notched wins against every opponent on their side of the bracket. St. Mary...