The College Football Playoff Committee unveiled their rankings last night and the Ducks moved up into the number two slot. Oregon hopped an undefeated Florida State and there is a realistic possibility that Oregon could take over the number one ranking following this weekend.
Though Oregon is idle then, this Saturday could have a huge impact on how the playoff picture shapes up for the Ducks. Current No. 1 Mississippi State takes on No. 5 Alabama in Tuscaloosa for what can only be billed as “the game of the year.” If Mississippi State can go into Tuscaloosa and upset Alabama (yes, it’d be an upset. The Crimson Tide are 6.5 to 8.5 point favorites depending on who is making the odds); you can see that here http://www.vegasinsider.com/college-football/odds/las-vegas/?s=2713) then Dak Prescott and Co. will undoubtedly maintain the No. 1 ranking, and deservedly so.
But if Alabama wins, now that’s really going to shake everything up. If the Crimson Tide wins in convincing fashion, could they jump from No. 5 to No. 1? Would Mississippi State drop out of the top four? What if they play in what ESPN commonly refers to as an “Instant Classic” game with the Crimson Tide pulling out a narrow victory in the end? Would both teams remain in the top four? Could Oregon move up to No. 1? There won’t be another game this season that affects the landscape of college football the way that the Mississippi State v. Alabama showdown will.
Oregon fans cheer on their beloved Ducks
Other thoughts:
The College Football Playoff Committee appears to be immune to the “SEC bias.” As of now only No.1 Mississippi State would represent the SEC in the College Football Playoff; not even traditional powerhouse Alabama has cracked the top four. The SEC still leads all conferences with six teams in the top 25 (No.1 Miss State, No.5 Alabama, No. 9 Auburn, No. 10 Ole Miss, No. 15 Georgia, and No. 17 LSU). But the PAC 12 is right behind them with five teams (No. 2 Oregon, No. 6 Arizona State, No. 11 UCLA, No. 14 Arizona, and No. 23 Utah). The BIG 12 is also well represented with No. 4 TCU and No. 7 Baylor. You can see the full rankings here: College Football Playoff Rankings
Top Photo Credit: Gary Breedlove
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Tyler graduated from the University of Oregon’s journalism program back in the spring of 2010. Tyler has loved the Ducks since the days of his youth, and that love has only grown as he’s gotten older. Outside of Oregon football Tyler dives deep into Major League Baseball every year, and considers himself to be a baseball historian of sorts. He also has a Black Labrador named “Page” after Jimmy Page of the mighty Led Zeppelin. In his spare time he enjoys fishing, golfing, and snowboarding even if his skills are questionable at best in those areas.
