OhQuack

Can we just give some extra love and praise to Evan for that insane catch that got called back?? That is all

Just a thought, but with the playoff as it is now, does strength of schedule really matter anymore? If you can get yourself into a position to win the conference championship, then you're in the playoff and get a 1st round bye. So if that's the case, wouldn't we want to root for the "worst" team to play against in the conference championship in order to give OBD the best chance at getting the victory and the 1st round bye?

I've always heard and believed that you should be putting yourself in a position where the refs calls, whether good or bad, don't dictate the outcome of the game. I think that this year Oregon has done a really good job of playing that way. I felt like against Illinois was a prime example. They had a few calls (or lack thereof) that were seemingly pretty big. And, in a close nail-biter type game, they would probably have been extremely controversial. (I'm thinking back on some fumbles, blocks in the back, facemasks) BUT, Oregon was dominating both sides of the ball and taking care of business where it needed to. The result was that, although annoying and frustrating, Oregon had put themselves in a position where those things didn't really make a difference. Wouldn't it be fun though, to have ref stats become more public, and be used as an additional metric with regards to sports betting?? (Maybe it already is and I'm just oblivious)

It seems like preseason most experts were saying that Oregon would be faster than almost any team in the Big10, but might not match up physically. I think it's fair to say Oregon has shown they are more than able to handle themselves in the trenches. It's been fun to watch! On a slightly separate note, after seeing Ohio State struggle this past week, what does the Big10 championship race look like now for Oregon? Does the new playoff setup favor playing a weaker opponent in the conference championship to secure the win and a first-round bye? Or do we still hope to get the toughest competitor to improve our perceived strength of schedule? How would you rank the next best teams in the Big10? Penn State, then Indiana, then Ohio State? Ohio State, Penn State, Indiana? Some other combination or even some other team? Just curious what to be rooting for.

I'm no expert on this, so I am curious what criteria are considered when making the decision? Looking at a Dan Lanning team that wasn't "in shambles" to begin with when he took them over, but now seeing how talented and competitive they've become is still impressive, but maybe not as impressive as someone like Cignetti who DID take a team that was "in shambles" and has quickly turned them into a threat in the conference. If that were the only criteria, I'd say Cig definitely gets the vote. But when you look at the way Lanning COACHES, his game management, his ability to motivate, the culture he's built, his recruiting prowess, etc. etc., That type of data surely pushes the needle more in the direction of Lanning in my opinion. Again, not an expert, so I could be way off the mark, but I do think those two must be some of the top contenders for the award! (Even if, to Nevada Dawg's point, it's still early).