With the college football season now underway, the time for predictions is coming to a close, and the time for results is beginning. However, I want to highlight one recent end-of-season prediction before we get too far into the 2023 season.
On Sunday, Josh Pate of 247 Sports announced his picks to win each Power 5 conference as well as who will make up the College Football Playoff this season. Contrary to the opinion of most analysts, Pate predicted that the Oregon Ducks will not only win the Pac-12 in their final year in the conference but will also make the College Football Playoff as a three-seed.
“I think Oregon’s the most underrated team in the Pac-12,” Pate said on his live show.
Pate had plenty more praise for the Ducks’ 2023 team specifically about Bo Nix and the defensive line, but he also highlighted that there are plenty of other contenders in the Pac-12 this season saying, “It’s anybody’s ballgame.”
One of the reasons Pate values Oregon more than most of the media is his belief in the Ducks’ offensive line.
“Offensive line is not going to be a weakness for Oregon,” Pate said.
I agree with Pate that the O-line won’t be a major problem for the Ducks because a lack of experience on the upfront won’t necessarily translate to a lack of production or talent. Regardless, a strong O-line would mean everything for the Ducks in 2023 as they seemingly have most of the the other pieces needed to be successful, especially on the offensive end of things.
A prediction is just a prediction, but Josh Pate has a pretty good track record when picking games in recent years so it is worth taking note of. A College Football Playoff berth would mean everything for Oregon Football, but a conference championship would still be an amazing way to cap off the season, so hopefully, at least some part of Pate’s prediction comes true.
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