CFL Simulation Predicts Season, Playoffs and Grey Cup Champion
Data has become a critical part of football as the CFL punched up the numbers on which team has the best chance of winning divisions and winning the Grey Cup.
On Monday, the CFL Simulation went through the numbers and made projections on everything that involves the results of the season and the playoffs.
The Montreal Alouettes were the leaders of three categories including “Odds to Make Playoffs,” “Odds to Host a Playoff Game” and “Odds to Win East.” Ottawa was second in all three categories as well as the Redblacks have a 97.43% chance of hosting a playoff game, but just a 27.72% chance of winning the East Division.
In the West Division, the BC Lions have the highest chance of winning it at 74.72%. Winnipeg is second with a 20.77% probability of winning the West Division.
Montreal is projected to have the best record in the CFL at 13-5. Ottawa comes in second with 11-6-1 and the BC Lions are third with an 11-7 record. The Hamilton Tiger-Cats are expected to have the worst record at 5-13 despite the fact that the Calgary Stampeders are the lowest odds to make the playoffs at 2.62%.
The most likely scenario for the Grey Cup matchup is BC and Montreal with a 35.45% chance of that game happening. BC and Ottawa are in second place with 24.43% probability.
In the most surprising of the results is the Lions being most likely to appear in the Grey Cup at 63.79% and have the highest odds to win the Grey Cup at 48.98%. Even more surprising is the Edmonton Elks are getting some love as they are second in the odds to win the Grey Cup at 13.29%. The Alouettes have the second best shot at appearing in the Grey Cup at 55.62% and the third best odds to win it at 13.23%.
It’s clear the numbers are in favor of teams that are on a hot streak right now as BC has won two straight and the Elks have won five of the last six games. Montreal has the best record in the CFL at 10-2. The numbers will continue to change in the next few weeks, but the probabilities give an interesting perspective on what the league is trending toward this season.
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ANTHONY MILLER