HIGH POINT - If Madden NFL’s prediction is correct, the Carolina Panthers will top the Denver Broncos 24-20, on Sunday.
"Go Panthers!” exclaimed one fan when she heard the prediction.
The question is -- how accurate is the EA Sports simulation?
"Madden NFL has been able to correctly predict 9 out of 12 of the last winners at a 75-percent success rate that's insane.” said High Point University Associate Professor of Communications Stefan Hall. “No bookie in Vegas would ever give you those odds."
Odds no one thought were in Carolina's favor.
"Everyones kind of been saying the Panthers don't have a chance, they're not worth it, and they were even putting down their winning streak," said Panthers’ fan Sara Kirkpatrick.
However, it's not about likability it's about logarithms and crunching season stats.
"Player stats and the history of different play fields,” said Hall. “All of these variables get put together in these rather complicated mathematical formulas that then are used to extrapolated behaviors or make these types of predictions."
Hall said one thing that the game doesn't account for is human emotions.
"The game isn't programmed for that yet, so basically it runs the players as if they're going to do the actions that they're going to do within the statistical parameters that have been created,” said Hall.
This season has shown that the human element can account for an impressive record.
"I think really good players are going to get themselves into the zone and all they're doing is concentrating on the game saying, ‘I have to play this the best to my ability, run these plays, respond to what's happening and be dynamic.’"