Haywarduck Moderator No. 1 Share Posted January 10 I ask this not to compare teams, but the position in polls. Is it really better to be #2 at the end of the season, or just in the top 10? I wonder this for a program which has never won a men's title. A perspective difficult for Oregon with its 20 mens titles. If Oregon had never won an NCAA mens title would it be worse to be #2. To be that hauntingly close, it might be better to be #6. I imagine we will hear about how close they were, but I suppose they really were 1st when you look at it. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MicroBurst61 No. 2 Share Posted January 10 I suppose it's a lot like Fantasy Football. Need a win to get in to a playoff spot and some meaningless 35 yard pass play to your opponents wide receiver in the last minute of the game, on Monday night football, causes you to lose the match by 0.75 points and derails your whole season. Soooo close, but no cigar! In those situations I'd have rather lost by 20, at least you would then know you never really had a chance...but I digress and have shared my pain. Have to resign myself to...there is always next year! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Marsh No. 3 Share Posted January 10 Sadly... No However, I'd put it this way... this year's Oregon team is designed to beat teams like Michigan, Alabama, and Texas. Washington and it's pass heavy offense was not what this team was really built to beat. This is something that Lanning is continuing to address and will need to continue to improve upon. Even with an expanded playoff field, Oregon can't afford to drop a game due to a mismatch of scheme. 1 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
anyotherduck No. 4 Share Posted January 10 On 1/10/2024 at 9:43 AM, David Marsh said: Sadly... No However, I'd put it this way... this year's Oregon team is designed to beat teams like Michigan, Alabama, and Texas. Washington and it's pass heavy offense was not what this team was really built to beat. This is something that Lanning is continuing to address and will need to continue to improve upon. Even with an expanded playoff field, Oregon can't afford to drop a game due to a mismatch of scheme. Until Oregon can develop a defense more along the lines of Michigan or Georgia we will struggle with top tier teams. Aggressive, lockdown and brutal will get the job done, anything less will not. We're not there yet, but hopeful we're getting closer! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Krsmqn No. 5 Share Posted January 10 Recruiting. That's the only thing I could see being advantageous. Finish the season second best, and you have a pretty good recruiting pitch. Not so far off is finishing number 6, though. However, as we've learned, doesn't really matter where Washington finishes the season. Their recruiting is terrible regardless. Luckily for those bozos, they've got a great coaching staff who can coach up players. Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock... But things are going to catch up to them. Quick! 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Marsh No. 6 Share Posted January 10 On 1/10/2024 at 10:06 AM, Krsmqn said: However, as we've learned, doesn't really matter where Washington finishes the season. Their recruiting is terrible regardless. Luckily for those bozos, they've got a great coaching staff who can coach up players. And a senior class laden with 4,5 and 6th year players. This is a roster that Petersen and Lake brought in. Lake for his on field flaws was still a pretty good defensive recruiter. This is a team that DeBoer added some key transfers to and a better offensive scheme and made it into a very good team. However, Washington is in for rough seasons ahead as they have not matched the recruiting of 2018-2020, of which many of the players on the roster do come from that time period. Like what Lanning has done at Oregon... it's amazing what a good scheme can do with players and how a bad scheme can take talented players and make them look pedestrian. But can Washington make up for their lost talent? Maybe a bit... but this is probably as close to a National Championship the butt sniffers are going to get to for some time. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Haywarduck Author Moderator No. 7 Share Posted January 10 I suppose if you have never seen anything else your use to it! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
HDuck No. 8 Share Posted January 10 No. 2 in the AP final poll ranking history - the AP is the oldest commonly accepted poll dating back to 1936 What was the program's record over the next 5 seasons after No.2 ranking? Washington 1984 - 36-21-2 - (No. 2 behind Miami) 1991 - 39-18-1 - (No. 2 behind BYU) 2023 - ?? -?? - (No. 2 behind Michigan) Oregon 2001 - 37-25 - (No. 2 behind Miami) 2012 - 44-22 - (No. 2 behind Alabama) 2014 - 41-24 - (No. 2 behind Ohio State) 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
