Oregon Ducks' Playoff Potential: A Critical Analysis

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00:00If I start with you, because you were a little bit more critical of the Ducks throughout

00:06this season in terms of their big picture outlook to be a true college football playoff

00:11national championship contender.

00:13What have you seen out of Oregon in the last seven days?

00:16You're right.

00:17I was, and I, again, I was proven correct.

00:21And I said, though, going into the game, it didn't mean they were incapable of beating

00:25Ohio State.

00:26It's just, again, Oregon had preseason pricing as if they were Ohio State, Georgia good.

00:31And I don't think they are.

00:33And I don't think this result, by the way, changes that.

00:35Like, I understand how we do rankings, and Oregon belongs in front of Ohio State now.

00:39Beating a team by one in your building in that fashion, like, if you told me, hey, line

00:45these two teams up tomorrow on a neutral field and you favor Oregon, I think that would be

00:48a mistake.

00:49I do.

00:50So for the Ducks, it's a monster win.

00:54It's easily the biggest win Dan Lanning's ever had in his career, right?

00:58I mean, I don't even know what the close second would be, probably beating, like, Colorado

01:01by a ton of points.

01:02I mean, honestly.

01:03So it's great for Oregon.

01:05The way the Big Ten schedules lined up now, Leecey, this team should go unbeaten.

01:10I know that that's, you know, it's easier said than done.

01:13They're 7-0.

01:14There's only five remaining.

01:15That Michigan game, which I know a lot of us had circled, again, the Wolverines are

01:19on their third quarterback here.

01:21The Ducks are huge favorite to make that Big Ten title game.

01:25I don't see any way they don't.

01:26No, I don't either.

01:27And they're minus 2,000 to make the college football playoff.

01:30They're leading everybody right now after last night's matchup.

01:34They're running the football more consistently with Jordan James.

01:37They're protecting Dylan Gabriel.

01:39Remember, when they struggled against Idaho and Boise State, their offensive line was

01:43atrocious.

01:44What was it?

01:45Seven sacks in the first three games.

01:47They only have nine allowed now.

01:48So they've shifted around players.

01:50They found some continuity, and they have success.

01:53And Dylan Gabriel, that's the added dimension, right?

01:56He's a battle-tested quarterback that has big-game experience.

02:00He proved that again last Saturday night.

02:02He did it with his arm and his legs.

02:04And I think this team is trying—I thought this was the best team on paper at the start

02:08of the year.

02:09I did believe in them.

02:10You did?

02:11We'll see how it plays out.

02:12Again, I still think it's a tough schedule because you never know.

02:15In college football, 28-point dogs knock off favorites all the time.

02:19You never know.

02:20Best team right now.

02:21Like Texas in the SEC, Oregon, entering the year in its first in the Big Ten, had the

02:26second-best price to win that conference crown.

02:29Now a co-favorite alongside Ohio State, who is a minus-money favorite, to win the Big

02:34Ten championship, entering last week in Eugene.

02:37Ohio State had allowed 34 total points in its first five games.

02:42The competition level, probably not all that drastic.

02:45They allowed 32 last week to Oregon.

02:49And again, the Ducks cruise into West Lafayette.

02:52So there's the good.

02:53There's an Oregon team now at minus-$2,000 to reach the college football playoff.

02:58And, Ted, there's also the beauty of this new era in college football.

03:01The atmosphere not diminished by any means for another game of the year last week inside

03:07Autzen Stadium.

03:08And we look at Ohio State's odds.

03:10Still a co-favorite to win the Big Ten.

03:12Still minus-$700 to reach the college football playoff.

03:15A better national championship price still than that of Oregon.

03:18The second-best only behind Texas at plus-$450.

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