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College Football Confidence Pools
A college football confidence pool asks entrants to pick winners amongst a slate and then rank their selections in order of confidence. Each correct pick earns the weight assigned to it.
The same scoping controls apply as the rest of ALA's college football formats: pools can be configured to rank games across the entire FBS, specific conferences, or Top 25 games only — which matters more here than anywhere else, because ranking sixty games in confidence order may not be anybody's idea of a good Friday night. Straight-up and against-the-spread modes are also both supported, along with optional tracking for weekly prizes and tiered buy-ins.
Pools can be configured to lock picks at the first game of the week, a commissioner-set deadline, or at each individual game's kickoff. Missed-pick insurance, multiple entries and re-buys are all supported, and the highest season point total amongst entrants wins the pool.
How to set up a CFB Confidence pool
- Scope the slate firstThis matters more in confidence than any other format: a Top 25 or conference-scoped slate keeps the weekly ranking task reasonable. An unscoped FBS slate is a lot to ask.
- Choose straight-up or against the spreadStraight-up rewards knowing the sport. Making confidence picks against the spread rewards knowing the market, and compresses the confidence range considerably.
- Add prize tracking, if you want itNeither is required, but if your group plays for prizes you can track weekly prizes for the best point total and tiered buy-ins with sidepots.
- Invite your groupWeights, scoring and standings are handled automatically.
Create your College Football Confidence pool — free to set up. Payment is due only after your game has kicked off and you are certain ALA's software can provide you with everything you need.
Frequently asked questions
- How does confidence scoring work?
- You rank every pick in the week from most to least confident. If the slate has 12 games, your most confident pick is worth 12 points down to 1 for your least. You earn the weight for each correct pick and nothing for each miss. Highest season total wins.
- Can I run a confidence pool on Top 25 games only?
- Yes, and it is the configuration many college confidence pools are likely to use. Ranking a Top 25 slate is a manageable weekly task; ranking every FBS game is not.
- What happens if a game is cancelled or postponed?
- The confidence weights are recomputed across the games that are actually played, so no entrant gains or loses points because of a schedule change.
- Can a college confidence pool use point spreads?
- Yes. Picks can be made against the spread instead of straight-up, with the confidence ranking working the same way on top.
- Can I limit the pool to one conference?
- Yes. Scoping to one or more conferences works in confidence pools exactly as it does in the survivor and pick'em formats.
Compare every format in survivor vs pick'em vs confidence, or look up a term in the sports pool glossary.