2016 RamNation Pigskin Pick’em Contest Recap

WEEKLY LINES / ENTRY FORM |
GAME-BY-GAME RESULTS/STANDINGS

pigskincontestlogoWelcome to the 2016 RamNation Pigskin Pick’em Contest, sponsored by the Rams Book Store!

Rams Hot is Crowned Champion! Rjeppson and mdwatts round out the winners

12/5/16–After grinding for 14 weeks, we finally have crowned our 2016 RamNation Pigskin Pick’em Champ. Heading into the final week, we had a three-way tie for first place between northbuff, Rams Hot, and rjeppson. But in a week in which much of the contest field seemed to struggle, Rams Hot stayed strong and posted an 8 which was good enough to secure sole possession of first place with 109 Contest Wins (factoring in throwing out each contestant’s worst two weeks) and 121 Season Wins (gross total). He concluded the season with a fantastic 57.9% winning percentage, which puts him at sixth place all time among contest champions.

Rams Hot didn’t win a single week this year, but won the contest based on a hot start (five straight double-digit weeks to start the season: 11, 10, 11, 10, 10) and never having a week lower than 6 wins. He started out the season with 61 wins in the first six weeks and went 50% the rest of the way. He only had four sub-.500 weeks  the entire season: two 6s and two 7s. For his effort he earns the title of 2016 RamNation Pigskin Pick’em Champion and $100 store credit to Rams Book Store. (Please email us to arrange collecting your prize.)

Rjeppson, one of the other co-leaders heading into the final week, managed a 7 to hold onto a spot in the top three, finishing in second place at 108 Contest Wins. He tied with Mdwatts who also finished at 108 Contest Wins, but Rjeppson owned 120 Season Wins to Mdwatts’ 117. Thus, rjeppson earns the $50 store credit and Mdwatts gets the $25. (Again, please email us to arrange collecting your prize.) Mdwatts made a nice run to finish “in the prizes”, concluding the season with scores of 11, 12, 9, and 9. Her 12 three weeks ago earned her a weekly win for that week. Unfortunately for northbuff, he was the odd man out, managing just 6 wins this week to fall out of the three-way tie for first and out of the prizes at fourth place. It was still the highest finish by a Buff fan in contest history.

Despite being in 79th place going into Week 14, Ram Fan kept getting his picks in and was rewarded with the Weekly Win thanks to posting 10 wins, which tied him with Reecieram fan, but he won on the total points tiebreaker in the Penn State Wisconsin game. Ram Fan guessed 75 points to Reecieram fan’s 54 (actual total was 69). SappBVP, RamSack, and Rammie_5 finished the season on the lowest note, but posting Toilet Bowl-worth 4s this week.

The top 15 of the season contest rounded out like this:

  1. Rams Hot
  2. rjeppson
  3. Mdwatts
  4. northbuff
  5. Who’s Your Rammy
  6. G-RAMS10
  7. Hond0
  8. Cervidlover
  9. RamU23
  10. Ro Sham Bo
  11. SlamBamRam3
  12. Louie Ram
  13. Camdigity
  14. Ramborguesa
  15. CSpringsRam

Unfortunately for the field, we fizzled out over the last four weeks, going 46.0%, 49.7%, 43.8%, and 45.7% in winning percentage. We were on pace to post the best mark in contest history (51.3% in 2010), but will now settle for fifth best all time (we were in third after 13 weeks) and marks the sixth time in contest history that we’ve finished above .500.

We want to thank you all for playing all year long. Stay tuned for the RamNation Bowl Pick’em Contest, sponsored by Rams Book Store….in which we do the same thing, but with all 40 bowl games!

Thanks to everyone for playing, and please join me in thanking Rams Book Store for their 16th year of sponsorship to this contest. When you’re in need of CSU memorabilia, gear, or school books, Rams Book Store should be your first choice!

–Joel Cantalamessa
(Good SHEPHERD)

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Contest details/rules

Each weekly winner gets a prize from Rams Book Store. Season winners win gift certificates to Rams Book Store.

Prizes:  Each weekly winner will receive a store credit to Rams Book Store. The top three finishers will receive gift Grand Prize gift certificates to Rams Book Store.

Rules:

  • Each week contestants will pick a winner in 15 games.
  • Contestant’s should make their picks “against the spread”. For instance, if Stanford is favored by 16.5 vs. Kansas State, and Stanford wins by more than 16.5 points, they win “against the spread.” If Stanford does not win by more than 16.5 points, then Kansas State wins “against the spread,” even though they might lose the game.
  • The weekly winner will be the contestant with the most correct picks.
  • In the event of a tie between contestants at the end of a week, the first tiebreaker is the total points scored in the “tiebreaker” game (usually a game involving CSU). The contestant that picks closest to the total points scored wins the tiebreaker. If total points does not break the tie, then total yards will be used. Again, closest guess to the total yards gained from scrimmage by both teams during that game will win the tiebreaker. If a tie is still unbroken, both contestants will receive a prize
  • Please have picks in 15 minutes prior to kickoff of the first game on the contest schedule. Please note that Thanksgiving many games start on Thursday.
  • Please submit only one entry form per contestant.
  • The system is set up so that if you want to change your picks before the weekly deadline, you simply have to to resumbit your entry, and it will overwrite the existing entry.

Season Contest: In addition to each weekly contest, there is a contest for the entire 14-week season in which totals will be kept over the course of the season. The season winners will be the contestant’s with the most correct picks throughout the season, while dropping your worst two weekly win totals. If you miss a week or have a bad week, you can drop that week against your season total. This allows for contestants who may miss the first week, or who may miss a week during the season for whatever reason to remain in contention for the title. If there is a tie between contestants at the season, the highest win percentage for all weeks will be the first tiebreaker. (A contestant must have participated in 11 or more weeks to be eligible.) If the tie is not broken by win percentage, then there will be a final playoff during the Conference Championship weekend, between contestants who are tied. Guidelines and other notes: The contest administrator (Q.Ram) will determine the weekly games on the following basis:

  1. All games involving MWC teams.
  2. All games involving two teams rated in the Top 25 AP Poll or receiving votes.
  3. At least one game involving each of the eight biggest conferences.
  4. Any other games of note (rivalry games or games involving Top 10 teams).

Please note that CSU games will not be included because the contest administrator (Q.Ram) is highly superstitious and doesn’t believe in betting on games in which he is emotionally involved. (Most of us are CSU fans, and we would all pick CSU to win every week anyway, so that game would be a wash.) CSU games will, however, be used for the Tiebreaker game, unless they are on a Thursday night. Results will typically be posted the following Monday. Please track your picks and make sure you are credited with the right amount of wins. Q.Ram has been known on a very, very rare occurrence to make a mistake, and we will correct errors up until the following week has been played. Q.Ram will make his picks known on the message board prior to deadline, so that everyone will know the contest administrator is not rigging the game to win all of the prizes. Remember, if you are in the market for text books and CSU gear, Rams Book Store should be your first choice. Their sponsorship is what helps make RamNation go. All registered posters are welcome to join the contest, but remember all you Ram foes out there…the prizes are limited to what Rams Book Store has in stock, which is primarily CSU-related gear! Thanks and best of luck to everyone (except Buffaloes, Cowboys, and Falcons). –Q.Ram, Good SHEP, and CSURamFan