Basilica Region:
1988’s Catholics vs. Convicts thriller over Miami gets the number one overall seed and gets a match-up with 16 seed, the 2002 season-opening win over Maryland.
As for the rest of the Basilica Region:
8. 2018 USC vs. 9. 2012 USC
5. 1993 at Michigan vs. 12. 1999 USC
4. 1998 vs. Michigan vs. 13. 2015 at Virginia
6. 2012 at Michigan State vs. 11. 2019 vs. Iowa State
3. 2018 Michigan vs. 14. 2018 Stanford
7. 2017 LSU vs. 10. 2014 LSU
2. 1991 Florida vs. 1995 Texas
Just like the NCAA Tournament Selection Committee always claims, these are purely coincidental. By no means did we ever think or try to have two games at USC that clinched perfect regular seasons go against each other in round-one. Nor would we ever do a similar thing with a pair of recent bowl wins over LSU. Purely coincidental. You believe us, right?
On to the Hesburgh Region…