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2024-2025 Rules

Rules

  1. Entry fee is $10.

  2. The pool is open to anyone who submits picks and an entry fee. Players do not need to be in the Pigskin Mania regular-season pool to play.

  3. The pool begins with games on Dec. 26 and continues through the Bahamas Bowl on Jan. 4, 2025

  4. Each player picks 12 winners against the point spread from the list of 29 games in the Schedule of Games. Players may choose any 12 games they prefer, leaving 17 games that are not part of their entry. Only those games listed in the Schedule of Games are available to play.

  5. This is a "confidence pool." Players will assign a point value from 12 to 1 for each pick, with a point value of 12 for the game in which the player has the most confidence to cover the point spread, down to 1 for the player's least confident pick of the 12 games selected for action.

  6. If a pick covers the point spread, the player scores the points assigned to that game. If the pick does not cover or if there is a push, the player scores zero points for that pick. There are a total of 78 points possible for a player who picks 12 winners.

  7. The winner of the pool is the player who scores the most points.

  8. There is no tiebreaker. Entries that are tied in the standings will split winnings for those spots in the standings.

  9. The deadline for picks is kickoff of the ReliaQuest Bowl, Tuesday, Dec. 31, 12 p.m. EST. Players can select games early in the schedule or can wait up until the ReliaQuest Bowl to submit an entry or multiple entries. When the Reliaquest Bowl kicks off, there are no longer 12 games left to pick from and entries are closed.

  10. Players may submit up to three entries. Entries can be submitted anytime before the deadline. The player may submit an entry as soon as the games begin and submit additional entries up until the picks deadline.

  11. Entry fees must be received by kickoff of the first game in a player's picks, or, if the paymemt is sent by mail, it must be postmarked no later than the date of the first game in the player's picks. Entry fees can be paid with the player's Pigskin Mania account or submitted via Venmo, Zelle, Paypal, check or cash. Payment information is under Item 21 below.

  12. Official point spreads will be posted after the Dec. 21 first-round CFP games when matchups for the Fiesta, Peach, Rose and Sugar bowls are determined.

  13. Entries must be submitted using the Submit Picks page. The SUBMIT PICKS link is below.

  14. When you submit your picks, you should receive a Confirmation Page. You are advised to double check your picks and print or screenshot the Confirmation Page. If you do not receive a Confirmation Page, your picks did not go through and you should submit again.

  15. All entries must be numbered. The form on the Submit Picks Page will require you to number your entry. If you submit multiple entries be sure they are numbered accordingly. If you submit an entry with the same number as a previous entry, it will replace the previous entry.

  16. Players may change or correct their picks until one of their games in their entry has started by just resubmitting new picks. Once a game in a player's entry has started, ALL picks in the entry are locked and any errors in picks will remain as lost games.

  17. If an entry has a team whose game as already begun, that game will count as a loss.

  18. If there is a duplicate a pick, the pick with the higher value will count and the pick with the lower value will count as a loss.

  19. If both teams in a game are picked, the pick with the higher value will count and the pick with the lower value will count as a loss.

  20. If a game is cancelled for any reason, the following rule applies.

    • The player will be allowed to replace the cancelled game by submitting a new pick by email to poolmaster@pigskinmania.net. This applies even if some of the games in the entry have started.

    • The new pick will become the entry's #1 valued pick, and all other games up to the cancelled game will move up one spot. EXAMPLE: The game that is the #8 pick in an entry gets cancelled. Each pick below #8 will move up one spot. The #7 pick becomes the #8 pick, #6 becomes #7 and so on. The new pick then becomes the #1 pick.

    • It is the player's responsibility to be aware of cancelled games and submit a replacement pick. If a player does not replace a cancelled game, it counts as a loss at the point value assigned to the pick.

  21. PAYMENT INSTRUCTIONS. There are a number of ways to pay entry fees. They are listed below in order of preference:

    Pigskin Mania Account: If you have money on account in Pigskin Mania, including winnings from the current season, your entry fee will be automatically deducted from your account and you do not need to send an entry fee. The Accounts page will be updated to include prizes won during the current regular season. If you are using your PM account for your entry fee, please indicate when you submit your picks. If you want to use your account to pay for someone else's entry, send an email with your instructions to poolmaster@pigskinmania.net.

    Venmo: Our Venmo account is @Javier-Gonzales-5. You can also submit through Venmo using this email address jaygonzales@comcast.net, or cell number 520-444-3883.

    Zelle: Our email address for Zelle is jaygonzales@comcast.net

    Paypal: Our Paypal account is under the email address jaygonzales@comcast.net. If you do not have a Paypal account and are using a credit or debit card for your entry fees that results in a service fee being charged, please add the service fee to ensure we received the full entry fee.

    Check or Cash by Mail or hand-delivered: To 7656 E. Park View Drive, Tucson, AZ, 85715. Checks should be made out to Jay Gonzales.

  1. Standings will be updated and posted periodically on this page during the course of the bowl season. A link to all picks will be posted on this page to track the progress of the pool.

  2. Prize money will be paid to the top 10% and ties as indicated in the chart below which projects payouts for the 350 entries. There were 328 in last year's pool. Percentages for 1st through 5th place are based on the amount of the pot left after payouts for 6th through the top 10% are calculated.

Place Total Pot $3,500.00
1st Place 45% $1,102.50
2nd Place 25% $612.50
3rd Place 15% $367.50
4th Place 10% $245.00
5th Place 5% $122.50
6th through top 5% and ties (each)   $50.00
Top 6% through top 10% and ties (each)   $25.00
2024-2025 Schedule of Games and Results (Listed game times are Eastern Standard Time)

Click here for a printable version of the Schedule of Games

ALL TIMES ARE EASTERN TIME Game times may change without notice.

The actual start time determines the deadline to pick a game.

Point spread winners are highlighted in DARK BLUE. Point spread losers are highlighted in GRAY.

Bowl Line Score Bowl Line Score Bowl Line Score Bowl Line Score
GameAbove Dec. 26, 2:00 PM Fenway Dec. 28, 11:00 AM Music City Dec. 30, 2:30 PM Sugar Jan. 1, 8:45 PM
Pittsburgh -6.5   UConn     Iowa     Notre Dame    
Toledo     North Carolina -3   Missouri -3   Georgia -1.5  
Rate Dec. 26, 5:30 PM Pinstripe Dec. 28, 12:00 PM ReliaQuest Dec. 31, 12:00 PM Gator Jan. 2, 7:30 PM
Rutgers     Boston College     Alabama -11   Duke    
Kansas St. -6.5   Nebraska -2.5   Michigan     Mississippi -14.5  
68 Ventures Dec. 26, 9:00 PM New Mexico Dec. 28, 2:15 PM Sun Dec. 31, 2:00 PM First Responder Jan. 3, 4:00 PM
Arkansas St.     Louisiana     Louisville -2.5   North Texas    
Bowling Green -8   TCU -12.5   Washington     Texas St. -10.5  
Armed Forces Dec. 27, 12:00 PM Pop-Tarts Dec. 28, 3:30 PM Citrus Dec. 31, 3:00 PM Duke's Mayo Jan. 3, 7:30 PM
Oklahoma -3   Iowa St.     South Carolina -9.5   Minnesota -6.5  
Navy     Miami, Fla. -3   Illinois     Virginia Tech    
Birmingham Dec. 27, 3:30 PM Arizona Dec. 28, 4:30 PM Texas Dec. 31, 3:30 PM Bahamas Jan. 4, 11:00 AM
Georgia Tech -2.5   Miami, Ohio -3   Baylor -1.5   Buffalo -2  
Vanderbilt     Colorado St.     LSU     Liberty    
Liberty Dec. 27, 7:00 PM Military Dec. 28, 5:45 PM Fiesta Dec. 31, 7:30 PM
Texas Tech     East Carolina     Penn St. -11  
Arkansas -2   N. Carolina St. -6   Boise St.    
Holiday Dec. 27, 8:00 PM Alamo Dec. 28, 7:30 PM Peach Jan. 1, 1:00 PM
Syracuse -16   BYU     Texas -14  
Washington St.     Colorado -5   Arizona St.    
Las Vegas Dec. 27, 10:30 PM Independence Dec. 28, 9:15 PM Rose Jan. 1, 5:00 PM
Texas A&M -3.5   Louisiana Tech     Ohio St. -2.5  
Southern Cal     Army -17.5   Oregon    
Previous Winners

Here are the winners of the pool since 1994. For a sense of what it takes to win the pool, we have had the current format since 2007.

Year Winner Prize Entries Pts Wins Games Pct.
2023 Feder16 $1,003.50 328 73 10 12 .833
2022 Cover Em All 2 $783.00 279 70 10 12 .833
2021 Mantooth 1
Rob Hollnagel Jr 1
$650.63 261 68 8 8 1.000
2020 Poolmaster $947.50 277 74 11 12 .917
2019 B&J 4ever 2 $1,372.50 442 74 10 12 .833
2018 Velvet Milkman $1,277.50 398 70 10 12 .833
2017 George, Todd 1 $1,182.50 319 72 9 12 .750
2016 Hart, Jeff $865.00 263 73 11 12 .917
2015 Janczak, Greg 2 $1,037.50 295 70 10 12 .833
2014 Mika, Bob 2 $1,140.00 228 66 9 12 .750
2013 McGrail, Terry $1,080.00 180 66 8 12 .667
2012 Cape, Bob $984.00 164 65 9 12 .750
2011 Gomez, Brian $805.00 115 66 9 12 .750
2010 Kennedy, Butch $757.50 101 61 7 12 .583
2009 Campbell, Rodney $922.50 123 73 10 12 .833
2008 Leon, Jake $825.00 110 68 9 12 .750
2007 Gonzales, Rick 1 $960.00 128 75 10 12 .833
Current format introduced in 2007
2006 Nintzel, William $765.00 102 92 12 15 .800
2005 Agajanian, Carole 3 $682.50 91 61 8 12 .667
2004 Gonzales, Gene   $495.00 66 527 15 25 .600
2003 Purdy, Jim $517.50 69 767.5 19 25 .760
2002 Wiley, Scott $487.50 65 58 9 12 .750
2001 Messenger, Troy $510.00 68 49 7 10 .700
2000 Alubowicz, Brian $532.50 71 229 18 25 .720
1999 Hansen, Bill $510.00 68 147 13 20 .650
1998 Results not available
1997 Clem, Kim $522.00 87 167 14 20 .700
1996 Bull, Fred $408.00 68 120 11 17 .647
1995 Nintzel, William $372.00 Statistics unavailable
1994 Hansen, Greg $300.00 50 141 13 17 .765