The disrespect the Oregon Ducks are facing in USA TODAY Sports’ latest College Football Playoff projections is a problem, and it’s messing up CFP seeding for the Big Ten representatives.
According to Paul Myerberg of USA TODAY Sports, the Texas Longhorns could lose seeding based on their strength of schedule. The No. 5 seed in his current projections could win out and not have a win against a current LBM Coaches poll-ranked team unless the Texas A&M Aggies keep winning ahead of their matchup on November 30th.
It also benefits them to have the Vanderbilt Commodores, ranked No. 25 in both the Coaches poll and the AP poll.
Despite the dip in talented opponents, the Ohio State Buckeyes continue to be seeded ahead of the Ducks in CFP projections. The only valid reason to keep OSU at No. 2 is the close loss at Oregon. The Buckeyes are one of the best teams in the nation, but they also played a shorthanded Ducks team that night.
So why should the Longhorns be worried about their schedule if it benefits the Buckeyes in a weaker conference?
This is a tiring discussion, so let’s look at the remaining Big Ten teams in the CFP.
Same three Big Ten teams remain in CFP
The Penn State Nittany Lions join the No. 2 Buckeyes and No. 6 Ducks in this week’s projections. PSU remains clumped with the Ducks, a theme throughout Myerberg’s weekly projection.
The Nittany Lions could end up deciding their fate in the next two weeks. Their next game is on Oct. 26 at the Wisconsin Badgers, and then home against OSU on Nov. 2.
Oregon gets a strength of schedule boost with the Illinois Fighting Illini coming to Eugene this weekend. The Buckeyes get what’s left of the Nebraska Cornhuskers.
Indiana, Illinois knocking on the CFP door
The impressive rise of the Indiana Hoosiers and Fighting Illini get both mentioned, especially with the Hoosiers moon-pounding the Cornhuskers last weekend.
Indiana has a realistic chance of making the CFP projections next week with a loss from any team ranked 9-12. And if they do so without Kurtis Rourke, it will be even sweeter.
Illinois has to win at Oregon to have any consideration. It’s not because of the two losses, but the amount of teams with two losses that are better on paper and almost every Saturday.
If the two losses for the Illini remain only PSU and presumably the Ducks, with both on the road, then that’s progress.
Big Ten Bowl projections at a glance
USA TODAY Sports’ Erick Smith put together another massive college football bowl projection ahead of Week 9’s matchups.
The Big Ten is losing representatives because of the challenging schedule and parity outside of the top teams in the conference.
- Duke’s Mayo – Iowa Hawkeyes vs. Louisville Cardinals
- Citrus – Indiana Hoosiers vs. Alabama Crimson Tide
- ReliaQuest – Illinois Fighting Illini vs. Texas A&M Aggies
- Music City – Wisconsin Badgers vs. Tennessee Volunteers
- Pinstripe – Nebraska Cornhuskers vs. Syracuse Orange
- Guaranteed Rate – Maryland Terrapins vs. Oklahoma State Cowboys
- GameAbove Sports – Michigan Wolverines vs. Western Michigan Broncos
It looks like a mediocre matchup on paper (it is), but if the Wolverines and Broncos get to play each other in Detroit, it’ll be a party.
The Terrapins are the surprise addition over the Michigan State Spartans. The middle of the conference is a lot of teams with flaws, but it’s nice to see Maryland rewarded for their win against the USC Trojans.
Speaking of the former Pac-12 teams, only Oregon is in bowl consideration after joining the Big Ten. The UCLA Bruins got their road upset over the Rutgers Scarlet Knights, while USC is seeing how much deeper it’ll be to reach rock bottom.