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I’ve just gotta say that you all make ME look pretty smart and well informed among the group of guys I play poker with each week. Thank you all for that, and especially to Charles for the opportunity he gave us all.

I really really want Oregon and Lanning to win the Peach Bowl and get a shot at the Natty. I'm fighting the pessimism right now.

I think the term "blueblood" is just a warm blanket for a program like Nebraska. The B1G has two teams left in the CFP. It isn't Ohio State, Michigan, or Penn State. It's the second to worst program in winning percentage, and a former Pac Twelve school, in it's second ever season in the league. The SEC has one program remaining, and it's not Georgia, Alabama, Florida, LSU, or Tennessee. It's a program with the second smallest stadium in the league, located in a city you associate with a more prominent university in the UK. Hotty totty, it's the program you relate with the movie "The Blind Side", it's Ole Miss. This is the first year in the CFP era, that you won't have at least one of Alabama, Georgia, or Ohio State in the F4. We're eleven years into it.

My reaction is problem for who? Selfishly, I want us to attract/develop the best college QB that will lead us to be good enough to make the playoff. Mission accomplished. If he translates to the NFL, that’s cool, but I also really don’t care that much if he doesn’t. Really doesn’t keep me up at night seeing Marcus make a career out of being a backup, or Joey not becoming a hall of famer.

Joel Klatt: 'Everything' Oregon Coach Dan Lanning Criticized About CFP 'Is Right'FOX Sports college football analyst Joel Klatt, speaking in reaction to the quarterfinals games on the latest episode of "The Joel Klatt Show," wholly agreed with Lanning.

While I agree that Dante could use another year (although I would still advise him to enter the draft if he’s going to be a top 5 pick), I disagree with the author’s reasons. Dante is a very good game manager, which is even more important in the NFL than in college. He was almost certainly asked to protect the football against Texas Tech and take what the defense gave him. He is more than capable of making all the throws including into tight windows. Did the author not see the pass to our TE on a clutch play with the defender in his back pocket? Comparing him to Cam Ward? He’s the last QB I would want to be compared to. Sure he made spectacular plays and could put up points but he always seemed to turn the ball over, at the end of the game, in a crucial situation. Dante does not do that.

This isn't entirely new... College football is the unofficial lower league for the NFL and the NFL treats it as such. QB development doesn't really happen in the NFL anymore and instead they are looking for ready made talent. I remember ten years ago an article complaining about how many spread QBs are in college and how that didn't mesh with what the league was looking for. The reality is that CFB and the NFL are two different metas in terms of how the game is played. I don't think any college teams anymore have the talent to fully execute an NFL style of offense and defense because the talent required isn't condensed on any one roster. The NFL has ALL the athletic freaks from CFB and as a result the worst NFL team has more freakish athletic talent than even that 2022 Georgia team that was freaky good. Dante Moore is not ready by NFL standards to be a starting QB unless they want to develop him but that's not realistic. The Ducks are also not an NFL roster. It's one of the reasons why trying to predict the best NFL talent from college is so difficult and how players who seem good but not great in college may rise to NFL super stars. Anyways... Rant over.

Indiana is a unicorn as they have defied all established logic. They were given a gift in a game between either Alabama or Oklahoma as both are awful in different ways and they pulled Bama. I'm not sure if Simpson in the second half would have made a difference for the Bama offense because of how bad that offensive line is and their lack of run game but it didnt hurt to make sure it was a lopsided score. Oregon's offensive line needs to deflect that pass rush and establish a run game at around 4-5 yards per carry to win. Oddly enough in the previous game Davison was averaging about 5 yards per carry. I think in the second half against TT Lanning wanted to get the run game going more and focused more on it. Abandoning the run against Indiana was one of the things that lost that game. There were others but feeding Davison will be key.

The middle of the TT defensive line is where they were the weakest. The problem I think stemmed from Poncho having a bad day. The middle run blocking just wasn't there like it had been. The edges were always going to be difficult to attack as TT has fantastic edges. Bailey is a first round draft pick for sure. The run game never got in rhythm and there was never really a hot hand but Whittington wasn't the answer for sure as he seemed the least effective.

“The transfer portal opening today is my only worry for prep this upcoming week. I hope Tosh and Will can stay on the same page with Dan, keeping this squad locked in for their last two games of the year.” =============== I wonder if there is a bit less work for our coaches than there would be for other opponents since we’ve already faced Indiana once? I’m sure that the Oregon coaches looked back on that first game and thought what they would have done differently (e.g., stick with the ground game). Now they are going to have their opportunity. Coach Lanning, Stein and Tupoi were out coached by Indiana’s more experienced coaching staff last game, as they were in last year’s Rose Bowl game. Let’s hope they have the best games of their careers because Indiana might be the best team remaining in the playoffs.

The Athletic's ($ wall) Austin Mock's PO Mock predicts the chances of the Final Four winning it all: Indiana - 39% Oregon - 28% Miami - 18% Ole Miss - 15%

Will Indiana "...get too many pats on the back" and overlook the Ducks? Let's hope they do! It is hard to beat a team twice... Oregon Ducks On SIKirk Herbstreit Gives Unfiltered Take on Indiana vs. OregonThe Chick-Fil-A Peach Bowl is set to be a rematch between the No. 1 Indiana Hoosiers and the No. 5 Oregon Ducks, and ESPN analyst Kirk Herbstreit gave some of h

I'm somewhat surprised by the love being shown to Miami's defense. In the Big Ten champ game, the Indiana defense shut down the Ohio State offense in the same manner as Miami in the Cotton Bowl. In the Rose Bowl game, Mendoza threw fewer incompletions than he did touchdowns against a Bama defense that carried the Tide all season long. Even with the game in Miami, if Indiana can defeat OBD for a second time this season, I think Indiana, with a defense as good or better than Miami's and with more weapons on offense than Ohio State, including a better O-line, will defeat Miami by two or more scores. It's close in team defense with Indiana, 2nd ranked, and Miami, 4th. Massey SOS has Indiana 11th and Miami 24th, and this is with Miami getting a boost from playing Notre Dame. In Massey's top 25, one ACC team, No. 7 Miami, is ranked. Nine B1G, nine SEC, Notre Dame at No. 6, and five B12 teams are ranked in the top 25. I think Indiana is the better-coached football team. I hope we do not have the opportunity to see if I'm correct. In Miami on 1/19, I want to see OBD playing Ole Miss. If OBD wins it all without a win over an SEC foe, Paul et al will call it an aberration.

Well, whoop. dee. doo-doo. Tell us something the average OBD members hasn't been speculating all season.

I know this is off the original topic, but I can't stand the venue and location selection here. Miami and Ole Miss should play in Atlanta, and Oregon and Indiana should play in AZ. Distances: To Phoenix Oregon ~1,000 miles Indiana ~1,500 miles To Atlanta Oregon ~2,100 miles Indiana ~425 miles Just another home game for Oregon's opponent. And both venue selections are a slap in the face to fans (except for Indiana) that have to travel.

Analyzing Oregon's dominant Orange Bowl winToday in the Fifth Quarter…Oregon didn’t just beat Texas Tech in the Orange Bowl quarterfinals — it smothered the Red Raiders, 23-0, with the kind of playoff performance that feels less like a game script and more like a slow constriction. This was the matchup we circled all week: an Oregon offensive line trying to survive a Texas Tech front that arrived with 39 sacks, and a Ducks team that knew the math of this opponent was always going to be turnovers and chaos. Texas Tech never got either. Oregon didn’t play a clean offensive game — not in the conventional, box-score-pretty way — but it played the kind of game that travels in January: it protected the quarterback (mostly), owned the field position and the clock (37:23 possession), and let its defense turn the contest into a series of shrinking windows until Tech ran out of oxygen Duck Sports CentralFifth Quarter: Analyzing Oregon's dominant Orange Bowl winOregon Ducks football, Dan Lanning, Oregon recruiting, college football, NIL, Big Ten, Pac-12, Scott Reed, Duck Sports Central, recruiting news

Interesting review in the Miami Herald of Dante Moore & the supposed "QB developmental problem in college football". What do you think of his analysis? https://www.miamiherald.com/sports/spt-columns-blogs/omar-kelly/article314101230.html

Right back at you! 👍👌❤️

Charles, i did hear that comment but there wasn't much information offered, other than the comment. We, as Duck fans are in a special place, for sure! Who would have foreseen that OBD's only loss last year was to the eventual NC. And our only loss this season is to the current #1 team. With a clear shot at redemption. Over the years, Duck coaches have lost games to teams they should have beaten. In some cases, those losses kept Oregon out of title games or a shot at the Natty. DL seems to have that resolved. Now the only challenge left is to win the Natty. Wonderful time to be a Duck and to be a OBDF member. Thanks Charles for this unique forum.

The Hits Just Keep On Coming for Lame Kitten - https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ncaaf/sec/2026/01/02/ole-miss-cfp-run-shows-rebels-didnt-need-lane-kiffin-after-all-pete-golding-charlie-weis/87992341007/?utm_source=usat-path-to-playoff-nletter76&utm_

At the end of the game when the outcome was not in doubt....they announced that Dan Lanning has the highest winning percentage of any current FBS coach. Now that is pretty incredible, but I assume they attached some requirements such as coaching for four years? Otherwise Cignetti would have the highest percentage, I believe. Regardless, it is pretty amazing and I have to appreciate what we have. No matter how good it gets--things change, and you can point to a bunch of programs currently as proof. So we have to savor it while we can, and what a wonderful moment we bask in now. Practicing gratitude will make you happier, and live longer. For example...I am grateful for all of you!

Orange Bowl struggles make clear the path for Dante Moore at OregonAutzen ZooOrange Bowl struggles make clear the path for Dante Moore...One thing Duck fans love about Dante Moore is that he seems so unflappable. Though still a young quarterback who makes some mistakes, he stays calm and focused.

I failed, as usual, but blindsided is my specialty, lol! Congratulations, VD, er, VegasDuck!

At this point when IU and OBD's face off next week, they will both be facing the best team they have played against all season. Again! I give the Hoosiers a slight edge because of their consistency all season in all 3 phases. However, if IU plays like they did against PSU then they will lose to the Ducks. As long as OBD's plays crisp, clean and brutal! Follow the coaches game plan and move onto the Natty...... This will be a great game! If they reranked the teams then IU would still be #1 and the Ducks #2. This is gonna be special. Go Ducks!

Great article Alex, and you made a superb observation of how this team can win different type games. A shoot-out, or a defensive rock-fight, and that team strength is one I did not see coming on. That defensive performance is something NOBODY saw coming, and the confidence it builds going forward is huge.