Major" What If?" Scenario

[GatOrlando]

Four weeks in, and I'm convinced Oregon and Washington may be the two best teams thus far. The SEC is at it's weakest right now due to QB play. Outside of LSU, who already has a loss. I'm convinced there isn't a guy that is a first round talent. 

 

USC and Utah are both impressive, but they aren't as dynamic on both sides as Oregon and Washington imo. As far as my possible scenario goes. Is there a possibility that the PAC and B1G gets two teams in a piece. Say Washington loses to Oregon, but then wins out. Oregon goes undefeated and USC only has two losses. Then over in the B1G, you have Ohio State go undefeated, Michigan only has one loss, and Penn State has 2.

 

I see FSU losing, and the ACC is pretty weak. I can see Georgia taking a couple losses. Imagine a playoff with two PAC teams, but they are gonna be B1G teams next year. Pretty slim chance, I know. But an interesting one.

 

Edit:

Actually scratch that, the PAC doesn't do divisions anymore. So my premise is not realistic

[DrJacksPlaidPants]

I could see Oregon losing to Washington and then meeting them again in the PAC 12 CG if they only have one loss. If they beat them in Vegas then I could see 2 PAC 12 teams in the playoff.

 

They could also put a one loss PAC 12 team in the playoff who doesn’t make it to Vegas. The loser of the CG would have to have 2 losses though. Bama has won the NC twice without being in the SECCG, so anything is possible.

[Haywarduck]

I suppose it all comes down to how teams play as the season comes to a close, and if they have any bad losses. I could see a tight loss away, and a tight Championship game loss not looking too bad the BCS decision makers. 

 

A blowout loss, or not looking competitive late in the season and any chance would be over.

 

The one thing Oregon has going for it is its depth. This time of year there are posers who get exposed, and teams who don't have depth who fade as the season progresses. 

 

We may lack depth at QB, but otherwise we should be good to go as we get deep into the season. I think we are also seeing Lanning playing that depth, and keeping players fresh, the guy has a plan! 

 

I think sc might have depth problems as they come to Eugene in November. They also probably aren't tough enough to play in November away from the sun, and fun of cali. The dawgs game is going to be huge, I mean gargantuan, extremely prodigious! The Utah game is also one we shouldn't sleep on.

[DanLduck]

My opinion, not a chance.

Too much negative towards the Pac from ESPN et al.

West coast teams not named USuC will never get benefit of the doubt.

 

As soon as our teams start to give each other a loss, they will sink in polls.

 

A 1 loss SEC or B1G will always rank higher than 1 loss Pac.

 

That's why, after this year, there won't be no Pac.

[GatOrlando]

I think there is a stigma around PAC programs being soft. Maybe that was the truth, but there is nothing soft about Utah. Colorado found out how soft Oregon was. Michigan State found out how soft Washington was in East Lansing. Still waiting to see if a Lincoln Riley coached team can ever be as tough as they are talented. 

 

Lou Holtz may think the PAC is soft, and Notre Dame is still the best team in the land. It's a false premise though. Four top ten teams is no joke. Three potential first round QB's in the PAC. I think the media is giving the PAC more credit this year, one silly reason may be that four of them are future B1G teams. The SEC and B1G carry cache. You may be getting more respect and eyeballs due to your future allegiance, as much as the on field success.

[Steven A]

On 9/26/2023 at 10:32 AM, Haywarduck said:

We may lack depth at QB

I think most teams have lack of depth, and I like what I have seen from Ty.

 

Utah scored 7 pts with a back-up.  Penix played the whole game in a blowout, that didn't make sense.

 

ucla's backup is starting.  

 

Not sure about sc.

[Babyjesus615]

1 PAC team will get in if it is 1 loss and the conference champ. They are not giving a 1 loss non-champ in the PAC a shot if the BIG and SEC also have 1 loss non-champs. That bias won't simply wear off just because of how many teams we have ranked to start the season. The CFP committee has always, and is just looking for reasons to slide our teams down the rankings.

 

I do think that IF Oregon, Washington, and USuC were in the BIG in 2023 there would definitely be a path to getting two teams in. But in the PAC? That's as likely as Aaron Rodgers coming back this season.

[Jon Joseph]

On 9/26/2023 at 1:56 PM, DanLduck said:

My opinion, not a chance.

Too much negative towards the Pac from ESPN et al.

West coast teams not named USuC will never get benefit of the doubt.

 

As soon as our teams start to give each other a loss, they will sink in polls.

 

A 1 loss SEC or B1G will always rank higher than 1 loss Pac.

 

That's why, after this year, there won't be no Pac.

DanL, historically, at least in the last decade or two, you are spot on my friend.

 

However, notwithstanding Lee Corso's comments in regard to no one watching the 'Pac-2 champ game' played in Pullman last Saturday, the media is not ignoring the Pac-12 this season. 

 

10M+ (thanks Prime) watched the Ducks beat down the Buffs on ABC, not the Pac-12 network that has slightly more than 10M subscribed viewers, the national media is buying in. Barrett Sallee at CBS Sports is one of many who have the Pac-12 ranked as the top conference to date in 2023.

 

It's still a 4 team playoff field so 2Ls and you are out but IF and this is a big IF, a Pac-12 team running a 9-game gauntlet in this conference this season finishes 12-1, that team is a playoff lock. 

 

Yes, CU with its first loss dropped out of the top 25 but TCU is not the 2022 TCU, Nebraska is a bad football team, and Colorado State was blown out at home by Wazzu. UCLA? The Bruins were 3-0 because UCLA had played no one. But UCLA is still right up there in the AP poll ORV and if UCLA defeats WA ST in LA, UCLA will move back into the top 25, and if the game is competitive, I see WSU remaining in the top 25.

 

My dream? #2 FSU meets #3 Oregon in the Rose Bowl, a rematch of the 1st playoff game ever played, and Oregon tunes up FSU the same way it did Jameis, Jimbo, and FSU back in Marcus' Heisman Trophy season. And who knows? Another Heisman winner, Bodacious, could be QBing the Ducks in this hoped-for hypothetical game. 

 

The Left Coast is, ironically, on the nation's radar screen in 2023, and with many top 25 vs. top 25 Pac-12 matchups coming up, the conference will not disappear before 10 members say so long in 2024. 

[criticalduck]

One loss Pac team should make it but we've have been on the outside before. FSU v UO would be great but I would prefer Miami! Hey coach let's see if you can out coach Dan??

[Jon Joseph]

On 9/26/2023 at 4:58 PM, criticalduck said:

One loss Pac team should make it but we've have been on the outside before. FSU v UO would be great but I would prefer Miami! Hey coach let's see if you can out coach Dan??

Crit, since the playoff began, I don't think a 1L Pac-12 conference champ has been left out.

 

I think the only 1L conference champs left out were Baylor and TCU in year one. 

[noDucknewby]

OK if I'm reading the schedule correctly, the Ducks, fuskies, Utah and the spoiled children all play each other this year.  If one of those teams is fortunate enough to beat the other three and win the rest of their conference games, they still will most likely have to face one of the others in a rematch in the P-12 Championship.  Sounds like your typical Pac-12 bloodbath to me, so it's going to be hard enough to get one team into the playoffs, let alone two.

[OhioDuck]

It will be quite an accomplishment for anyone to run the table in the PAC this year, even 1 loss will be a terrific season for anyone who does it. 

 

But we see how there is already a bias against the conference. Who could watch FSU the last two weeks and rank them ahead of UW or UO? I wouldn't put Penn St. ahead of them either. And Ohio St. hasn't been that impressive either. 

 

But here we are, 4 top ten teams, but ranked 7-10. 

 

I'm hoping a 1 loss team gets into the playoffs and that it is Oregon, but it will be interesting to see the playoff rankings when they come out. 

 

I still find it a great irony that in the last year of the PAC it just might be the best conference in the country.

[fred flintstone]

I'd like the pac to win the NC. Is it probable.....no......possible......yep......would be a nice way to say goodbye. 

[Just Ducky]

 With the pack being the toughest conference means nothing on selection day. We will continue to pound on each other to the point that the pack will be extremely lucky to get 1 team in. How can you respect a conference that won’t be one next year.

 

 My prediction is the pack gets gets no one in unless Usuck goes undefeated.