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Here is a cut and paste article I get free with an email address. Not behind their pay wall . . . An especially anxious opening round The initial part of any tournament is emotionally fraught. All that jockeying just to make it into the field. (Plus lobbying, in sports that are especially fraught.) A fired-up home crowd, rewarded by success and desperate for more. (We now have home crowds! Briefly.) The obvious stakes: Crush it, or hit the couch. This year's College Football Playoff starts with especially big feelings all around. Among the power-conference reps, there's no just-happy-to-be-here fan base like last year's Arizona State, Indiana or SMU. At the time, Ryan Day was the lightning rod for all postseason angst. In two of this year's first-round games, the losing team will suffer such psychic damage in front of 10 million pairs of eyeballs that we'll wonder whether it might just be healthier to go hide at the Citrus Bowl instead. (The winning fans, meanwhile, will begrudgingly admit that their unique blend of demons and/or rich-kid problems has been momentarily held at bay.) Imagine being Texas A&M. After reaching 11-0 with a top-two seed in sight and building a 10-3 lead over the nemesis Longhorns, A&M instead melted down, missed on an SEC title shot and is now just a 3.5-point BetMGM favorite against No. 10 Miami. Now imagine losing this game. At home. Perpetually nervous Aggie fans would never trust their team ever again. At the same time, imagine Miami losing. The ACC, blanked in the 12-team Playoff for the second time. No wins in the four-team era after 2019. Granted, that would just add to the ever-simmering panic known as Being The ACC. For the Canes themselves, a road loss to a team with comparable talent would only fuel frustrations about Mario Cristobal's losses to teams with less. The night before that game, either No. 8 Oklahoma (-1.5) beats No. 9 Alabama and we all trade confident fanfic about Kalen DeBoer wanting to leave — or Bama wins, and we just keep doing that anyway. Sure, maybe he does! I haven't had a chance to ask. Regardless, Ralph Russo ranks Nick Saban's successor as the Playoff coach doing the most sweating. (The Sooners are by far the least grumpy team among these four, but you know what'd change that? Becoming the first team to ever lose an FBS Playoff game at home, probably while scoring like 11 points despite having brought in a whole new offense in the offseason.) In the other two first-round games, teams from zillion-dollar conferences host three-score underdogs with seemingly nothing to lose, seeing as the little guys are already set to lose their head coaches as soon as their seasons end. But assuming Ole Miss and Oregon win against Tulane and JMU, we'll endure a repeat of last year's griping about early-round blowouts, this time targeting small conferences personally. Two striving programs, carrying banners for their schools while staring up at behemoths? Intense enough already. But in college football, where every outcome must serve as a referendum on the state of whatever, loud voices will also declare Tulane and JMU responsible for the respectability of every other university outside the Power 4 as well. Lot to ask. Then again, if a big upset happens, we'll have the emotional catastrophe of the season. Especially if it's an Oregon that also got embarrassed in its Playoff debut last year (against Ohio State) and still doesn't have a title, despite all those investments. Or if it's ... good heavens ... an Ole Miss that suddenly looks like it badly needed Lane Kiffin all along. Oh, and in the next round, a No. 4 Texas Tech loss would draw lots of chortling about new-money narratives, No. 1 Indiana risks squandering by far the greatest moment in program history and ... well, whenever No. 3 Georgia or No. 2 Ohio State end up with any record besides 15-0, it's a national emergency. Also, losses by Oregon or Ole Miss would hit almost as hard in that round, since they retroactively wouldn't get any credit for having beaten a G5 in Round 1. No pressure!

Yes, the season is a success. 11- 1 with nail biters vs Penn St. and Iowa, plus closeness vs ewe dub. Exciting football. But we need unmitigated success! SCO 🦆s

Top players on teams OBD will play in 2026 who are off to the NFL - USC - WR Makai is out of eligibility. QB Mavai returns, but Safety Kamair Ramsey and WR Ja'Kobi Lane have declared for the draft. And DC D'Anton Lynn is rumored to be returning to his alma mater, Penn State, in the same role. Nebraska - Big Ten RB of the Year, Emmett Johnson, has declared for the draft. Moore to follow?

I always find the idea of _______ or bust to be an interesting mentality. The season is a book and each game is its own little chapter in that book. If Oregon wins the National Championship this year that makes this an INCREDIBLE year and you put that book on the shelf as a part of a longer Oregon Football history. But if we fail to reach the title game or a semi final game or whatever was this season just a waste? Personally, I have enjoyed the journey so far this year (minus the one bump) and I am excited to see how it all ends, though I would personally love to see it end on a win and there is only one way that happens. Maybe I just don't get on the "bust" mentality. I want a national title as much as any other Duck fan but I know that each season brings its own story and I'm here for that.

My expectation going into this year with no context, was one playoff win. I definitely want to win it all, and think we have a shot, but it really is a crapshoot once you enter the tournament. Context is everything. If we win the first and second round, but then lose by 1 point to an undefeated team that goes on to win at all, it would be tough not to call that a great season. Likewise, winning against JMU, but then losing to Tech would meet my original expectation, but would also be very disappointing. Luck is when preparation meets opportunity…but good opportunity is way better than bad 😆

Eugene is predicted to get FIVE INCHES today, as much rain in a month coming down in one day? It is supposed to let up on Saturday morning...

On one of the pay-sites....someone reported a video made by a CFB content creator where Dak Moore was actually interviewed. He explained the injury, and when run by a doctor who specializes in such injuries--the estimate was given that it would only take about six weeks to heal. And it was noted that we are right at six weeks at the moment!

It was an accurate slip, as it is not a "new" Pac-12, but a "New World" Mountain West. Those teams are targeting an NIL budget of only seven million a year, as it is all they can afford. Whew!

Freudian slip? Or just saying out loud what we here at OBD think! Either way, it's a very funny gaffe. I'm curious to see which of these 8 schools can compete with the likes of Tulane, or mighty JMU.

Appreciate you and all of the team members who work together to provide this outstanding resource! Excited to be here for another Natty Run! Or swim, as it may be Saturday...

Didn't realize Kirby Moore was Kellen's brother. New Washington State coach makes 'Mountain West' blunder He may be right about where he is coaching sooner rather than later.

I agree Darren. "Four more" should be the mantra now. Agreed, JMU should be Liberty 2.0. TT, they are like sc, Iowa, ewe dub. Games we shouldn't lose and so far Dan has held serve since season 2. Semi, I hope it is Cig and frigid inside Mercedes Benz stadium for the serving of revenge. Natty, let someone else leave in the bride's maid outfit, my closet is full enough.

On this week's episode of Talkin' Ducks, Jordan Kent, Aaron Fentress, Anthony Newman, and George Wrighster preview Oregon's first-round playoff matchup again.

Darren, for Happy to be HappyToBeADuck, the thought that OBD's don't win their first Natty has not entered my mind! This old Duck is a homer whose 30,000 foot view comes thru green and yellow colored glasses. Coupled with Duck bias filled to the brim with confidence for 4 more CFP victories. First Round Game: I will be didappointed if the Ducks dont cover the spread, Dante plays past the first 2nd half Duck possession and the #3's and #4's don't get significant playing time. Second Round Game: I will be disappointed if the Duck D allows TT 17 points. DL has plenty of bulletin board material for both sides of the ball to be motivated. Semifinals: If OU or Bama get past IU in their second round game, I will be disappointed. This Duck fan wants a rematch with IU and a chance to wipe that smirk off Cignettis face. (He has earned the right to wear that smirk. Now OBD's need to earn the right to wipe that smirk off into the off srason.) Natty: Whether it's Georgia or tOSU in the title game it matters not. The last time we faced either of these teams they wiped the field clean with the Ducks. That is enoigh reason for any team. End Result: Oregon Ducks National Chsmpions!

The next atmospheric river has now arrived. We're finally getting some snow in the cascades. Check out Tripcheck, Though a few cameras are out.

Good news to see DT Immanuel Bush probable. He is JMU’s 348 lb DT and second strongest player on the team. While he won’t make a ton of sacks or TFLs , he does command 2 blockers every play which frees up the other defenders to be freed up and cause problems.

It is my belief that if this season is to be considered a “success,” the Ducks must at least advance to the CFP semifinals. Here are my thoughts on all potential outcomes: A First-Round Loss: The only way the Ducks could ... Semifinals or Bust for the Ducks

And Jordon Davison lined up in the backfield and Dak Moore just on the field as well. Though in truth I think Johnson will be a bigger threat next year than Harrison just because he'll be more polished. But the future is absolutely bright at Oregon.

Imagine red zone passing downs with Gatlin Bair heading for one corner of the end zone and Kendre Harrison the other.

I'm moved.

I'm not surprised. He's pretty good and works hard... But pretty good doesn't get you on the field with the Ducks. He got knocked out of the rotation this year by freshman and transfers. He got back in rotation because of injuries. And next year he'll probably be out of the rotation by some up and coming redshirts and true freshman. All the power to him in finding a place to play. He's been a benefit to the Ducks for sure and stepped up when his number was called.

Perfect!

Saturday Down South likes OBD B1G - I differ on his picks of Bama over Oklahoma and Miami over A+M - But his pick of Ole Miss isn't Lame 😁 Saturday Down SouthPredictions for each Round 1 Playoff gameWhat will the first round of the 2025 College Football Playoff look like? Let's predict the weekend action.

Initial availability report for Saturday’s CFP game: Questionable: WR Dakorien Moore, WR Gary Bryant Jr., DB Sione Laulea, DB Trey McNutt, WR Evan Stewart Out: OL Gernorris Wilson, RB Da’Jaun Riggs, WR Kyler Kasper, WR Justius Lowe, DB Solomon Davis I believe there can be daily updates Thursday, Friday ...and final 90 minutes before kickoff.