You never want to be an undefeated team that falls to an unranked rival in the division. That goes without saying.
However, this may not be the doomsday scenario that many Oregon fans are probably envisioning right now. The season isn’t over. The Ducks still have a chance to make it to the College Football Playoff at the end of the year.
They just no longer have any room for error.
As the expected Pac-12 Champion, Oregon can still end the season with an 11-1 record, and wins over Ohio State, Fresno State, and whoever the eventual challenger is in the Pac-12 Championship. Should they accomplish this, it will come down to resumes, and that’s where things get tricky.
How valuable is a win over Ohio State? How about Fresno State? Did the Playoff Committee watch this game and see the numerous bad officiating calls that went against Oregon down the way in the 4th quarter? These are questions that we now have to concern ourselves with if we follow the Ducks, which previously we were immune to.
Going forward, every game is a must-win for the Ducks if they wish to keep their playoff hopes alive. We also are now fans of Ohio State, Fresno State, UCLA, USC, and any team who is eventually on our schedule. Yes, that means Washington and Oregon State as well.
We are mortal enemies of Oklahoma, Penn State, Iowa, and Cincinnatti, the likes of the rest of the top 10.
That’s just how it goes.
Oregon had some wiggle room coming into this game, but that is no longer something that they can rest on.
From here on out, they need to be perfect. Anything less than that, and this season will feel like a massive bust.
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