The latest round of our License Plate Bracket is finished. Here’s what the bracket looks like now:
If you’d like to vote in the Quarterfinals, there are three ways to do so (and yes, you can vote on all three, but be cool about it). Voting closes around 9:00 PM EDT tomorrow (Monday).
1. This Google Form:
https://forms.gle/kG6q8cLFTSrm7tgZ6
2. Our Instagram stories:
https://www.instagram.com/thebarkingcrow/
3. This Twitter thread:
Now, detailed results from the Round of 16, with commentary and previews of the Quarterfinals. We’ll start in the top left corner of the bracket:
1. Wyoming defeats 16. Washington, 39-13
Instagram: Wyoming 13, Washington 6
Twitter: Wyoming 9, Washington 3
Google Form: Wyoming 17, Washington 4
Wyoming didn’t thoroughly dominate this—it was decisive, but not the biggest blowout we’ve seen. Still, another solid performance from the top overall seed.
9. Hawaii defeats 8. West Virginia, 32-24
Instagram: Hawaii 13, West Virginia 7
Twitter: Hawaii 9, West Virginia 6
Google Form: West Virginia 11, Hawaii 10
The question coming into the Hawaii/West Virginia matchup was what kind of optimism the people wanted right now. Earnestness, of the Wild and Wonderful variety? Or transcendent sunshine, captured in the form of a rainbow? Today, the rainbow won out.
Quarterfinal: 1. Wyoming vs. 9. Hawaii
On paper, Wyoming’s the favorite, but license plate polls aren’t conducted on paper, and we haven’t seen enough out of either of these plates to know with any certainty what to expect. Yes, the rope border looks great, but how well does it show up on a cell phone screen?
13. Arizona defeats 4. Vermont, 32-23
Instagram: Arizona 15, Vermont 6
Twitter: Vermont 8, Arizona 5
Google Form: Arizona 12, Vermont 9
Vermont did win the Twitter portion of the polling, but Arizona ran away on Instagram, riding the least anonymous of all the polls to victory. Some have argued that novelty carries weight with license plate voters, something that could be translating better to Instagram than Twitter in the case of the Grand Canyon State. Whether that’s the case or not, Arizona is not a plate to be trifled with.
5. Idaho defeats 12. Delaware, 39-14
Instagram: Idaho 18, Delaware 2
Twitter: Idaho 7, Delaware 5
Google Form: Idaho 14, Delaware 7
Speaking of lopsided results on the ‘gram, the potatoes did well there. Very well. Great day for potatoes.
Quarterfinal: 5. Idaho vs. 13. Arizona
Some skepticism exists around Idaho’s overall competitive strength. Pundits have said that Instagram voters, in particular, don’t value simplicity the way some of their counterparts do, and that this pushed Delaware out of the picture for a number of them.
The storyline here is the collision between aesthetic pleasure and potatoes. One helps give our life meaning. The other is nice to look at.
2. North Dakota defeats 18. Georgia, 30-24
Instagram: North Dakota 10, Georgia 10
Twitter: North Dakota 8, Georgia 5
Google Form: North Dakota 12, Georgia 9
For all the news surrounding voters trying to sink North Dakota as an “up yours” to the seedings, or out of strategic motivation as a North Carolina or New Mexico fan, the votes did not materialize for the Peach State. The Peace Garden it is, with its biggest test yet awaiting in the quarter’s.
7. North Carolina defeats 10. New Mexico, 29-25
Instagram: New Mexico 11, North Carolina 9
Twitter: North Carolina 9, New Mexico 4
Google Form: North Carolina 11, New Mexico 10
The vote of the tournament so far. Both these plates had both the raw power and the fervent followings to win this whole thing. Only one still has a chance, though, and that’s a dusty, lovingly crafted homage to the Wright Brothers. Fly on, North Carolina.
Quarterfinal: 2. North Dakota vs. 7. North Carolina
Will objectivity triumph over heart? And which result would that yield, anyway? Stylistic differences. Emotional differences. Practical differences (North Carolina’s probably got more cars, right?). There will be no losers here. Except for the plate that loses.
14. Wisconsin defeats 3. Alaska, 28-26
Instagram: Wisconsin 12, Alaska 9
Twitter: Wisconsin 6, Alaska 6
Google Form: Alaska 11, Wisconsin 10
A great day for dairy. Sorry it had to come at Alaska’s expense, but the people know what they want (side note I watched a calf nurse today—pretty cool).
11. Colorado defeats 6. South Dakota, 27-25
Instagram: South Dakota 10, Colorado 9
Twitter: Colorado 8, South Dakota 6
Google Form: Colorado 10, South Dakota 9
We wouldn’t have been surprised by any result here, but we would have been unprepared for a tie. We have no plan if one of these votes ends in a tie. Should probably make one of those.
Thankfully, though this did come down to the final vote (shoutout to old friend Matt Phillips over on the Google Form), that final vote went to Colorado, saving us some discomfort.
Quarterfinal: 11. Colorado vs. 14. Wisconsin
Both have performed above their seed so far. One moves on to the semifinals. Difficult choices will be made.
Image credits can be found in this post.
