I'm in the lab, making homemade odds for the @The2trongest Grand Finals. Here's rambling thoughts
*The top half of the bracket is absolutely disgusting -- AV and iJoe are tier 1 guys in CUT. itsRGS would be a top 4 or 5 seed if he played in more of the weekly events. Therealtay and luccilue won their respective win-and-get-in's so they are both super hot. Mongy is the ultimate spoiler and will have opponent-specific game plans. Hendrix has been ass lately, but there was a time not long ago where he was arguably the best non-MCS cut player. CFBgrob has a special bust and unique scheme. The top half is fucking hell.
*There's way less certainty in the bottom half. Guys like Nolisity and Velus Jones haven't been playing much (nolisity has been binge drinking, while Velus has been binge gooning). Neither are likely to be in top form compared to how they were playing in the Spring season. There's also a lot of off-meta schemes in the bottom half with nolisity, mr. unethical, and zackattack. These types of schemes really are capable of making a run in CUT; however, lukeXbl has a shitpile of reps against every off-meta scheme. This isn't a situation where an MCS guy is figuring things out on the fly, Luke is a CUT player in every sense of the word.
*HightowerDior is lurking in this bottom bracket like Ted Bundy on sorority row. He's been playing really well lately -- the only person I've seen truly outplay him in recent weeks not in this event (notNoah). That said, he's playing one of the more unique schemes in the first round, ZackAttack, who runs the swinging gate and bust.
*Upset watch --
Mongy > RGS. Mongy will treat this game like it's an MCS live event that he had two weeks to prepare for. His defense is also way better with grip breakers. RGS is a favorite here for a reason, but there aren't many dudes more "comp" than Mongy.
Nolisity > Velus Jones. The most terrifying opponent in the tourney is not the former MCS live event participant, Velus Jones. It's Nolisity. He's just a fucking maniac in the most toxic scheme in CFB26. Half the time he's also shitfaced. Zero fear. Snap the ball and bust for 80 yards. But as mentioned above, he hasn't really been playing much lately. Of course, neither has Velus, who most definitely will not be preparing for this tournament, so he will be trying to figure out how to stop the QB runs as the game goes. Velus is on major upset watch.
Bray > Mr. Unethical. Unethical has played really well this summer season, but Bray1k has been a bad matchup for him all year, for whatever reason.
There will be as much or more passion in tonight's tourney than any virtual football tournament all year. Dead ass, no cap. I'm standing on business with that statement 10 toes all the way down.