The License Plate Bracket Quarterfinals are finished. Here’s what the bracket looks like now:
There are three ways to vote in the Semifinals (and yes, you can vote on all three, but be cool about it). Voting closes around 10:00 AM EDT tomorrow (Wednesday).
1. This Google Form:
https://forms.gle/x34NFzUQBT8CR98X6
2. Our Instagram stories:
https://www.instagram.com/thebarkingcrow/
3. This Twitter thread:
Now, detailed results from the Quarterfinals, with commentary, and previews of each Semifinal. We’ll start in the top left corner of the bracket:
1. Wyoming defeats 9. Hawaii, 28-10
Instagram: Wyoming 15, Hawaii 3
Twitter: Wyoming 7, Hawaii 4
Google Form: Wyoming 6, Hawaii 3
Doubts had persisted about Hawaii’s ability to vanquish anything picturesque. Those doubts proved reasonable yesterday, as the top overall seed rolled to a spot in the semifinals. That cowboy-silhouette spacer does something to the soul.
13. Arizona defeats 5. Idaho, 26-13
Instagram: Arizona 15, Idaho 4
Twitter: Arizona 6, Idaho 5
Google Form: Arizona 5, Idaho 4
Not a huge surprise here, but Arizona has certainly traveled a difficult road after receiving such a disrespectful seeding. Their latest victory nullifies our hopes of a potato/dairy championship.
Semifinal: 1. Wyoming vs. 13. Arizona
Arizona’s is better-known, because, you know, population (and U-Hauls). But Wyoming’s has the rope border, the cowboy silhouette, and no strange hat/UFO on a sun that sometimes is there and sometimes isn’t there (remind me to post about this sometime after the tournament). Neither plate has had a particularly potent challenge so far. That changes today.
2. North Dakota defeats 7. North Carolina, 28-13
Instagram: North Dakota 16, North Carolina 5
Twitter: North Dakota 7, North Carolina 4
Google Form: North Dakota 5, North Carolina 4
We’ve heard a lot about North Carolina’s passionate following. When push came to shove, that passion showed up. But. North Dakota’s broader coalition carried it through to a semifinal appearance, silencing the haters as it did so.
11. Colorado defeats 14. Wisconsin, 22-21
Instagram: Colorado 14, Wisconsin 8
Twitter: Wisconsin 7, Colorado 5
Google Form: Wisconsin 6, Colorado 3
Heartbreak for Wisconsin, and for all fans of dairy. Still, what a run. Picturesque plates and well-known plates have done well in this tournament, but Wisconsin was in a category unto itself, proving that heart (and calcium) are enough to compete with the very best license plates in the land.
Semifinal: 2. North Dakota vs. 11. Colorado
In a similar vein to the Wyoming/Arizona matchup, North Dakota is the lesser-known, higher-seeded competitor here, while Colorado brings an iconic, but possibly flawed, plate to the mix. Were I handicapping this one, I’d give the edge to Colorado, but I’m no license plate handicapper. I’m simply a license plate blogger/ranker/bracketer.
Vote on.
