Lucky Ducks

[flatus]

After being shafted with a raw sausage last year, Oregon has played it's way into arguably the best position in the playoff this year, the #5 seed.
But several games needed to go Oregon’s way yesterday for us to stay #5 and have our path optimized:
TTU win. Check. Keeps them in 4th place, Ducks avoid a bye and get the weakest of the top 4 in the 2nd round.
UGA big win. Check. Keeps them in the top 4 and unlikely to drop behind TTU.
IU close win. Check. Moves IU up to #1 while not dropping OSU more than a spot. Now, IU will be Oregon’s likely semifinal opponent should we? get that far. I'd much rather rematch with IU than play OSU for the first time.
Duke win. Check. Moves JMU into the 12 spot for an even weaker 1st rd opponent for Oregon.
It's not as easy as Penn State's garbage path as the 5 seed last year, but it appears to be the most favorable possible this year.

 

[DawgOfTheAges]

you would think, but somehow the committee finds a way to screw Oregon annually, can’t wait to see how that works this year.

 

[whlinder]

The #5 vs TT sets up quite well. Cotton Bowl on New Years Eve is nice since Oregon plays better in hostile environments now. Extra day of rest then before the Semis… not sure if that would be Peach or Fiesta. If it is the Fiesta then that's very advantageous.
I don't know if the committee would do anything like flip Ole Miss and Oregon to avoid Ole Miss vs Tulane again in round 1 and set up the bracket with more teams that haven't played yet (avoiding Oregon - Indiana and Georgia - Miss rematches unless in title game).
Since ESPN runs everything and hates the B1G maybe they'll drop tOSU to 4 and stick all the B1G teams on the same side. What is tOSU's best win anyway?

 

[DawgOfTheAges]

i can see the Ole Miss / Oregon Flip and The CFP committee never imagined adding 2 bottom feeding conference teams ~ the largesse was only intended to add one team to the parade so do they surprise anyone with adding Texas at 12 instead?

 

[whlinder]

The CFP committee never imagined adding 2 bottom feeding conference teams ~ the largesse was only intended to add one team to the parade so do they surprise anyone with adding Texas at 12 instead?

They have to take 5 conference champions. Indiana, Georgia, Texas Tech, and pick 2 from the rest of the dreck of College football. Tulane, JMU, Duke, Western Michigan, Boise State (lol), beats me who else won a conference.
It's too bad the top 4 conference champs get a bye rule went away, Tulane as the 4 seed would be even funnier than Boise State last year.

 

[DawgOfTheAges]

Do they really “have” to? Aren’t the “rules” supposed to be merely guidance? Can’t they use their imagination? These are very imaginative people after all.

 

[flatus]

i can see the Ole Miss / Oregon Flip and The CFP committee never imagined adding 2 bottom feeding conference teams ~ the largesse was only intended to add one team to the parade so do they surprise anyone with adding Texas at 12 instead?

Flipping Ole Miss and Oregon would be nonsensical, but I guess it's possible but incredibly unlikely.
The committee is going to catch enough crap without making unnecessary changes like this one.
As for Texas at 12, have you boned up on the rules for playoff seeding? Yes, they have rules and this is impossible. Texas has to be 10 or is out. Zero chance of Texas making it.
It's down to Miami or Bama for the last spot (#10). My lean is Miami because of the ND win and no ACC representation.

 

[BarbarasHedge]

It looks like the Ducks will get a very favorable path.
Will Duck fans please commit, now, to not complaining later no matter how the games go?

I was really struggling with the narrative last year of being "disadvantaged" by having a bye and then getting to play in the Rose Bowl.
The reality last year is that the Buckeyes were just that much better (than everyone).
Avoiding them for round one in Pasadena wouldn't have done much I don't think. It's not like that game was even remotely close, and OSU had to play the week before.

 

[creepycoug]

It looks like the Ducks will get a very favorable path.
Will Duck fans please commit, now, to not complaining later no matter how the games go?

I was really struggling with the narrative last year of being "disadvantaged" by having a bye and then getting to play in the Rose Bowl.
The reality last year is that the Buckeyes were just that much better (than everyone).
Avoiding them for round one in Pasadena wouldn't have done much I don't think. It's not like that game was even remotely close, and OSU had to play the week before.

Every single fan here would have bitched to the moon after winning the conference and drawing a pissed and greased Buck. Come on. I would also add that a lot of people right here were laughing about it.
As to the reality, I think the locals here tend to get stars in their eyes with Buck like they used to with USC. They were playing better than everyone else last year at the right time last year but were ostensibly beatable. You don't lose to Oregon on the road and Michigan at home and carry the status of '95 Husker.

 

[BarbarasHedge]

It looks like the Ducks will get a very favorable path.
Will Duck fans please commit, now, to not complaining later no matter how the games go?

I was really struggling with the narrative last year of being "disadvantaged" by having a bye and then getting to play in the Rose Bowl.
The reality last year is that the Buckeyes were just that much better (than everyone).
Avoiding them for round one in Pasadena wouldn't have done much I don't think. It's not like that game was even remotely close, and OSU had to play the week before.

Every single fan here would have bitched to the moon after winning the conference and drawing a pissed and greased Buck. Come on.
As to the reality, I think the locals here tend to get stars in their eyes with Buck like they used to with USC. They were playing better than everyone else last year at the right time last year but were ostensibly beatable. You don't lose to Oregon on the road and Michigan at home and carry the status of '95 Husker.

Whatever man
They absolutely pushed the shit in on the Ducks in Pasadena.

Hard to understand how Oregon having the week off to prepare and get/stay more rested and healthy, while the buckeyes played, is somehow an advantage for the buckeyes.

 

[creepycoug]

It looks like the Ducks will get a very favorable path.
Will Duck fans please commit, now, to not complaining later no matter how the games go?

I was really struggling with the narrative last year of being "disadvantaged" by having a bye and then getting to play in the Rose Bowl.
The reality last year is that the Buckeyes were just that much better (than everyone).
Avoiding them for round one in Pasadena wouldn't have done much I don't think. It's not like that game was even remotely close, and OSU had to play the week before.

Every single fan here would have bitched to the moon after winning the conference and drawing a pissed and greased Buck. Come on.
As to the reality, I think the locals here tend to get stars in their eyes with Buck like they used to with USC. They were playing better than everyone else last year at the right time last year but were ostensibly beatable. You don't lose to Oregon on the road and Michigan at home and carry the status of '95 Husker.

Whatever man
They absolutely pushed the shit in on the Ducks in Pasadena.

Hard to understand how Oregon having the week off to prepare and get/stay more rested and healthy, while the buckeyes played, is somehow an advantage for the buckeyes.

whatever man? Ok.
it was the draw, dude. the draw.
people here were ecstatic about it. if it were just a narrative nobody would have had anything to be ecstatic about.
to wit,

the outcome of the game is the outcome of the game and doesn't really need elaboration. we all saw it.

 

[BarbarasHedge]

It looks like the Ducks will get a very favorable path.
Will Duck fans please commit, now, to not complaining later no matter how the games go?

I was really struggling with the narrative last year of being "disadvantaged" by having a bye and then getting to play in the Rose Bowl.
The reality last year is that the Buckeyes were just that much better (than everyone).
Avoiding them for round one in Pasadena wouldn't have done much I don't think. It's not like that game was even remotely close, and OSU had to play the week before.

Every single fan here would have bitched to the moon after winning the conference and drawing a pissed and greased Buck. Come on.
As to the reality, I think the locals here tend to get stars in their eyes with Buck like they used to with USC. They were playing better than everyone else last year at the right time last year but were ostensibly beatable. You don't lose to Oregon on the road and Michigan at home and carry the status of '95 Husker.

Whatever man
They absolutely pushed the shit in on the Ducks in Pasadena.

Hard to understand how Oregon having the week off to prepare and get/stay more rested and healthy, while the buckeyes played, is somehow an advantage for the buckeyes.

whatever man? Ok.
it was the draw, dude. the draw.
people here were ecstatic about it. if it were just a narrative nobody would have had anything to be ecstatic about.
to wit,

the outcome of the game is the outcome of the game and doesn't really need elaboration. we all saw it.

Keep your fucking AI slop to yourself.

 

[creepycoug]

whatever man.

 

[creepycoug]

don't PM, bro. I do that with like two or three posters here, mostly to talk shit about lightweights like you.
say it in the forum or don't say it all you salty little bitch.

 

[WoolleyDoog]

I think any fanbase would have complained about that draw last year. I think it looked stupider though when every other team that played Ohio State played them tougher in what was a really weak field. That Buck team had some great talent, especially compared to the field but are one of the worst champions I can ever remember, especially since their OL was injured and their coach was Ryan Day.
Buck should be able to win again this year with a pretty boring team as we continue to progress towards private high school football vibes in college but Day is still their coach and seemed to slip a bit into the old Bad Ryan Day last night.

 

[BarbarasHedge]

I think any fanbase would have complained about that draw last year. I think it looked stupider though when every other team that played Ohio State played them tougher in what was a really weak field. That Buck team had some great talent, especially compared to the field but are one of the worst champions I can ever remember, especially since their OL was injured and their coach was Ryan Day.
Buck should be able to win again this year with a pretty boring team as we continue to progress towards private high school football vibes in college but Day is still their coach and seemed to slip a bit into the old Bad Ryan Day last night.

Exactly that Wooley.
Draw not great? Sure, fine.
That's no excuse for getting BLOWN off the field in the first half in Pasadena.
The best coaches/teams don't bitch. Line up and win. It's literally the only way to win the title.

 

[creepycoug]

I think any fanbase would have complained about that draw last year. I think it looked stupider though when every other team that played Ohio State played them tougher in what was a really weak field. That Buck team had some great talent, especially compared to the field but are one of the worst champions I can ever remember, especially since their OL was injured and their coach was Ryan Day.
Buck should be able to win again this year with a pretty boring team as we continue to progress towards private high school football vibes in college but Day is still their coach and seemed to slip a bit into the old Bad Ryan Day last night.

That was really my only point. The draw. Oregon's performance was dreadful. The score reflected that and doesn't need much interpretation or elaboration. But they beat that same team earlier, so no, this wasn't the 1995 Nebraska Cornhuskers.
Imagine crying over this discussion, especially around here.

 

[creepycoug]

I think any fanbase would have complained about that draw last year. I think it looked stupider though when every other team that played Ohio State played them tougher in what was a really weak field. That Buck team had some great talent, especially compared to the field but are one of the worst champions I can ever remember, especially since their OL was injured and their coach was Ryan Day.
Buck should be able to win again this year with a pretty boring team as we continue to progress towards private high school football vibes in college but Day is still their coach and seemed to slip a bit into the old Bad Ryan Day last night.

Exactly that Wooley.
Draw not great? Sure, fine.
That's no excuse for getting BLOWN off the field in the first half in Pasadena.
The best coaches/teams don't bitch. Line up and win. It's literally the only way to win the title.

I'm struggling to see where flatus was talking about the first half of the game here.
People all over this forum bitch about DeBoer maybe being distracted in the game against Michigan. Just line up and win, right? Coaches, ADs, fans, and players have been bitching for 3 weeks about being let in to the playoffs. You may be following the wrong sport, sport.
I hope this response doesn't offend your delicate sensibilities, Alice. I do not intend to leave you alone, though.

 

[flatus]

It looks like the Ducks will get a very favorable path.
Will Duck fans please commit, now, to not complaining later no matter how the games go?

I was really struggling with the narrative last year of being "disadvantaged" by having a bye and then getting to play in the Rose Bowl.
The reality last year is that the Buckeyes were just that much better (than everyone).
Avoiding them for round one in Pasadena wouldn't have done much I don't think. It's not like that game was even remotely close, and OSU had to play the week before.

My OP laid out why this was the best scenario possible for Oregon. I won't complain. About this year anyway.
But of course last year was BS. If you think having OSU and Oregon play in the quarterfinals (Oregon's first game), then why aren't you advocating for IU and OSU to play right away, too, so that marginal teams like Miami and Oklahoma can make a deep run against the softest teams?
They changed the fucking playoff because it was such a ridiculous 1st game draw for Oregon. I accepted the defeat and moved on, but trying to spin it like anything but an egregiously flawed early matchup between the two favorites to win it all is deliberately senseless.

 

[flatus]

I'll add that winning playoff games results in bonuses for assistant coaches, not to mention the narrative. Does anyone think Oregon wouldn't have made the semifinals at least with Penn State's draw, a team we beat to win the conference?
Instead, "Oregon hasn't won a playoff game since 2015" etc.
Unironically, Ohio State barely made the playoffs in 2014-15 thanks to politics. It was the first year of the 4-team playoff. Instead of Oregon playing a flawed Bama for the title in a 2-team format we got a greased up Ohio State. So, last year wasn't the first time changes to the playoff fucked Oregon.
There is such a thing as momentum. Oregon absolutely would have played better in a semifinal or finals matchup last year. Nevermind that it was a rematch against a team we already beat.