FishDuck Article Administrator No. 1 Share Posted November 19 Track City USA, with its history and state-of-the-art track and field facilities, is well versed in the term “home stretch.” The Ducks are 11-0 and have not yet peaked, as they can play much better football. Which, begs the question, “Will they peak?” Oregon slowly improved during the first half of the season. They had improved just enough that by ... Can the Ducks Peak? How Many Losses for Oregon in the SEC? | FishDuck FISHDUCK.COM Darren Perkins of FishDuck.com ponders on whether the Ducks will peak this year. And, how would the do in the SEC. 3 1 Two Sites: FishDuck and the Our Beloved Ducks forum, The only "Forum with Decorum!" And All-Volunteer? What a wonderful community of Duck fans! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
30Duck Moderator No. 2 Share Posted November 19 I agree, Darren, it's hard to see Oregon, no team in the SEC is undefeated, finishing unscathed. In some ways the win at Wisconsin was the most impressive of the year. But, and hopefully. Tez and Harper will be back as the offense will be needed to show up for 60 minutes in the Playoffs. I feel like they won't be necessary against the Pups. Burch isn't a must for the defense against them either. Can't really think of a team that is playing great football as the season winds down with the Playoffs looming. tOSU looked broken after losing to OBD, but their D has put up impressive numbers. Go Army, beat Notre Dame! 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Haywarduck No. 3 Share Posted November 19 Great ponder point, but the big question is which conference gets a program ready for the long haul of the playoffs? The SEC use to be the conference to get ready, for the one, maybe two big games, to win it all. Now with three, maybe four big games to win it all the SEC death march may be a detriment to a programs chances. The BIG provides plenty of travel, and some competitive games, but you don't see great teams losing two games. Maybe the playoffs are just what we need to neutralize the SEC advantage? I tend to think Lanning would do well against the SEC teams. He would probably lose a few more over the years, but I don't want anything to do with what the SEC has, or does. Iron sharpens iron, but maybe too much and you break the best.... 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeotechDuck No. 4 Share Posted November 19 (edited) Great article. In most cases, I would agree that Oregon would would probably not be undefeated in the SEC. However, if they had the same schedule as Texas, they would easily run the table. Difficult to know who is really good with these unbalanced schedules. Edited November 19 by GeotechDuck 1 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
HappyToBeADuck No. 5 Share Posted November 19 Darren, this team has the talent and depth to compete in and with the SEC beasts. However, based on how our OBD's have actually played this season??????. Including the injuries that the Ducks suffered thru out? Careless penalties? Red zone turnovers? Including 3rd quarter scoring droughts? Not playing a full 4 quarter game on offense. (Except against tOSU)? Lets say we had Tennessee, South Carolina, Florida and Texas A&M at home and road games with MSU, Vandetbilt, Arkansas and Bama 6-2 at best! Maybe 5-3. No knock on DL and this awesome team...... However, the 2024 schedule allowed the Ducks to thrive on teams that could not really compete witb the Ducks.... Fortuneately, with thr new 12 team CFP format our Ducks get a chance to prove me wrong. OBD's have played 2 top 12 teams and came away with hard fought victories. We have 4 or 5 potential top 12 teams left to play to win the Natty. Chances are good we will have an SEC team or 2 and tOSU standing in our way....... If the team is healthy with all hands on deck, well I do like our chances. As long as DL, WS and DG put points on the board in the 3rd quarter. GO Ducks....make sure the huskies are a speed bump. 1 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just Ducky No. 6 Share Posted November 19 Depends on who we get at home and away. If we got the easier teams on the road and the blue bloods at home I think we would do quite well. Problem is those blue bloods won’t come to Autzen because they all know what the outcome will be. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darren Perkins No. 7 Share Posted November 19 On 11/19/2024 at 6:20 AM, 30Duck said: I agree, Darren, it's hard to see Oregon, no team in the SEC is undefeated, finishing unscathed. In some ways the win at Wisconsin was the most impressive of the year. But, and hopefully. Tez and Harper will be back as the offense will be needed to show up for 60 minutes in the Playoffs. I feel like they won't be necessary against the Pups. Burch isn't a must for the defense against them either. Can't really think of a team that is playing great football as the season winds down with the Playoffs looming. tOSU looked broken after losing to OBD, but their D has put up impressive numbers. Go Army, beat Notre Dame! Thanks. yup, get the key players back in time for the stretch run and not bring them back before they are ready. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darren Perkins No. 8 Share Posted November 19 (edited) On 11/19/2024 at 6:41 AM, Haywarduck said: Great ponder point, but the big question is which conference gets a program ready for the long haul of the playoffs? The SEC use to be the conference to get ready, for the one, maybe two big games, to win it all. Now with three, maybe four big games to win it all the SEC death march may be a detriment to a programs chances. The BIG provides plenty of travel, and some competitive games, but you don't see great teams losing two games. Maybe the playoffs are just what we need to neutralize the SEC advantage? I tend to think Lanning would do well against the SEC teams. He would probably lose a few more over the years, but I don't want anything to do with what the SEC has, or does. Iron sharpens iron, but maybe too much and you break the best.... Good point. This year is a down year for the B1G. Could you imagine if UW and UM were like they were last year? Yikes, would be as good as the SEC. Even USC was dangerous last. It goes in cycles. Edited November 19 by Darren Perkins Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darren Perkins No. 9 Share Posted November 19 On 11/19/2024 at 7:28 AM, GeotechDuck said: Great article. In most cases, I would agree that Oregon would would probably not be undefeated in the SEC. However, if they had the same schedule as Texas, they would easily run the table. Difficult to know who is really good with these unbalanced schedules. True, I just glanced at the UT schedule. Yeah, a lot depends on which teams are having an up year, and which school are having a down year on the schedule. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darren Perkins No. 10 Share Posted November 19 On 11/19/2024 at 8:04 AM, HappyToBeADuck said: Darren, this team has the talent and depth to compete in and with the SEC beasts. However, based on how our OBD's have actually played this season??????. Including the injuries that the Ducks suffered thru out? Careless penalties? Red zone turnovers? Including 3rd quarter scoring droughts? Not playing a full 4 quarter game on offense. (Except against tOSU)? Lets say we had Tennessee, South Carolina, Florida and Texas A&M at home and road games with MSU, Vandetbilt, Arkansas and Bama 6-2 at best! Maybe 5-3. No knock on DL and this awesome team...... However, the 2024 schedule allowed the Ducks to thrive on teams that could not really compete witb the Ducks.... Fortuneately, with thr new 12 team CFP format our Ducks get a chance to prove me wrong. OBD's have played 2 top 12 teams and came away with hard fought victories. We have 4 or 5 potential top 12 teams left to play to win the Natty. Chances are good we will have an SEC team or 2 and tOSU standing in our way....... If the team is healthy with all hands on deck, well I do like our chances. As long as DL, WS and DG put points on the board in the 3rd quarter. GO Ducks....make sure the huskies are a speed bump. Nice observations. All I have to say is thank goodness for the new expanded playoffs. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darren Perkins No. 11 Share Posted November 19 On 11/19/2024 at 8:18 AM, Just Ducky said: Depends on who we get at home and away. If we got the easier teams on the road and the blue bloods at home I think we would do quite well. Problem is those blue bloods won’t come to Autzen because they all know what the outcome will be. There is talk of a SEC and B1G scheduling alliance. So, of course, those would be home and home matchups. We'll see.... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
JabbaNoBargain No. 12 Share Posted November 19 (edited) Nice read! As others said, depends on the draw and who is in what cycle. When these conferences get to be 16+ there is definitely a larger element of chance when you are only playing half the teams. Substitute PSU/Indiana for Michigan/Purdue, which on paper would look have looked like an even swap going into the season, and our schedule would have been a lot tougher. In fact, this is why divisions used to exist. Ironically enough, one of the original reasons for getting rid of divisions is now not even a factor with the expanded playoff imo. Edited November 19 by JabbaNoBargain Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheRunningDuck No. 13 Share Posted November 19 Troglodytes in the SEC think at least half the teams in the playoffs should be from their conference. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maebee No. 14 Share Posted November 19 When did (does) Texas prove they are not fraudulent ? 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanLduck No. 15 Share Posted November 19 It seems that we have all been so inundated with how great the SEC is all these years that we believe that exaggeration unquestionably. Remember, they only play 8 conference games. If we had played Mercer instead of WU last sat, we'd be thinking how great we were. The "playoff" structure has favored the SEC since the BCS days. That's why they have won so many titles. Imagine if they played 9 conference games, half would have 1 more loss. You would end up with a lot more 8-4, 9-3, even 7-5 records. The result, fewer high ranked teams. If Oregon played the SEC this year, I believe we would beat everyone except maybe Georgia (always tough to beat your former headcoach). We've had some issues, but since OSU, we've been rolling. The offensive letdown at WU can be written off as 8 in-a-row fatigue. Every team has a game or 2 each year like that. Remember, we beat tOSU without Burch. WU without our #1 receiver Tez. We may not be undefeated in the SEC, but I'm sure we'd be playing for the SEC championship. Our team is special this year and DL is finding creative ways to keep them motivated and focused. I for one don't buy the SEC hype. Our Ducks are the real deal. Thanks Darren for a great conversation starter. 1 1 1 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
30Duck Moderator No. 16 Share Posted November 19 (edited) On 11/19/2024 at 10:20 AM, DanLduck said: I for one don't buy the SEC hype. Our Ducks are the real deal. The SEC hype is really shrill this year. Texas's schedule is only slightly tougher than Indiana's, mostly because they played Georgia. Georgia's close win over Kentucky had nothing in common with Oregon's triumph over Wisconsin. Alabama played great in the 1st half against Georgia, then escaped with the win, then would lose to Vanderbilt. Ole Miss could be the best in the SEC this season but have losses to Kentucky and LSU. ATM lost to Notre Dame & SC. None of these teams are head & shoulders above the rest. Edited November 19 by 30Duck 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Joseph Moderator No. 17 Share Posted November 19 Thanks, Darren. If the Ducks are not the B1G conference champion, OBD, if it played for the title in Atlanta, would have Six Games left to play. Home vs. UWho and the 1st round PO game. On the road in Indianapolis, a game in the Fiesta, Sugar, or Peach Bowl, a game in the Cotton or Orange Bowl, and 1/20/25 in Atlanta. Whew! Echoing comments above: Is Oregon in the SEC playing Georgia's 2024 schedule or Texas' 2024 schedule? Oregon defeated the common opponent, Michigan with both games played in Ann Arbor. Oregon would go 4-0 vs. Texas OOC slate. Again mirroring the Texas schedule, Georgia would have played OBD at Autzen Stadium. I think Oregon could have won a close game over UGA, especially if Beck threw three Picks like he did vs. the Horns. OBD would have been favored on the road vs. Mississippi State, Vandy, Arkansas, and the upcoming game at TX A+M, versus Oklahoma at any neutral site, Florida, and Kentucky. Again, if OBD played Texas' schedule the Ducks would be headed toward the SEC champ game in Atlanta. Thanks again. 1 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Haywarduck No. 18 Share Posted November 19 My take, the SEC isn't really all that good. USC beat LSU and LSU beat Ole Miss, which many say is the best in the SEC. If the spoiled children can beat the best of the SEC, through an easy connect the dots, then I am not too impressed with the SEC! I mean imagine if we lost to Michigan State and now were being touted as the best in the conference, just wouldn't happen, only in the SEC! Bring them on, we will play whoever the schedule, pundits, committee members assign us! 1 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
HDuck No. 19 Share Posted November 19 Alabama has 4 conference home games this season. And, 4 road games. 246 miles to Vanderbilt - a loss 314 to Tennessee - a loss 349 to LSU 700 to Oklahoma Georgia 378 to Kentucky 274 to Alabama - a loss 1,000 to Texas 404 to Ole Miss - a loss Oregon 857 to UCLA 2236 to Purdue 2365 to Michigan 2095 to Wisconsin How long before we hear the SEC bellyaching about those "long trips" to Austin and Norman? 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drake Moderator No. 20 Share Posted November 19 According to Ichabod Finebaum, all of the BIG teams would have a tough time beating Vanderbilt. Any given season a schedule can be difficult, or easy within a mega-conference. Many projected the Ducks to have 2 losses with our current conference schedule. They were wrong…I suspect if we played a schedule of nothing but top teams of every conference we might lose. Happiness is not about getting all you want, but enjoying what you have. 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Kamikaze Kid Moderator No. 21 Share Posted November 19 On 11/19/2024 at 10:20 AM, DanLduck said: I for one don't buy the SEC hype. Our Ducks are the real deal. Thank you DanL I really don’t get why the undefeated number one team in the country must submit superiority to the SEC. Until somebody actually beats the Ducks, NOBODY has proven that they can. Was Wisconsin a close call? Sure. They were also outscored 10-0 on their home field in the fourth quarter while being held without a first down and shoved back deep in their own territory the entire time. Boise St was three and outed on their final possession then quickly marched back to their own end zone before OBD simply wound down he clock before kicking the game winning field goal. Not even the number two team in the country can claim to have dominated the Ducks in crunch time. Someone’s going to have to prove they can do it before I give OBD an automatic L. 2 1 1 1 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeotechDuck No. 22 Share Posted November 19 On 11/19/2024 at 10:20 AM, DanLduck said: It seems that we have all been so inundated with how great the SEC is all these years that we believe that exaggeration unquestionably. Remember, they only play 8 conference games. If we had played Mercer instead of WU last sat, we'd be thinking how great we were. The "playoff" structure has favored the SEC since the BCS days. That's why they have won so many titles. Imagine if they played 9 conference games, half would have 1 more loss. You would end up with a lot more 8-4, 9-3, even 7-5 records. The result, fewer high ranked teams. If Oregon played the SEC this year, I believe we would beat everyone except maybe Georgia (always tough to beat your former headcoach). We've had some issues, but since OSU, we've been rolling. The offensive letdown at WU can be written off as 8 in-a-row fatigue. Every team has a game or 2 each year like that. Remember, we beat tOSU without Burch. WU without our #1 receiver Tez. We may not be undefeated in the SEC, but I'm sure we'd be playing for the SEC championship. Our team is special this year and DL is finding creative ways to keep them motivated and focused. I for one don't buy the SEC hype. Our Ducks are the real deal. Thanks Darren for a great conversation starter. And this exact reason (8 conference games) is why the SEC has ended up with 11 teams in the playoff since expanding to 4. While the next best conference (BIG) only has 7 appearances. The more teams you put in the playoffs, the better the chances. 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Marsh No. 23 Share Posted November 19 On 11/19/2024 at 12:31 PM, GeotechDuck said: The more teams you put in the playoffs, the better the chances. Kinda... the reality is that there are a whole lot of teams that don't stand a chance at the National Championship. Would ensuring four or five Big 12 teams in the playoff increase their chance of winning the National Championship? Not really, they'd all probably lose to superior teams. The SEC probably only has two maybe three true contenders for the National Championship. But no one in the SEC looks especially dominant and adding more to the mix just seems like giving opporunties to teams that will be competitive to the other mediocre teams in the playoff but not be true contenders. I'd say the B1G has two in Oregon and Ohio State, outside of those two I don't see Penn State getting it done. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steven A Moderator No. 24 Share Posted November 19 Come Jan 20, it will all be academic when we are 16 - 0. 1 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeotechDuck No. 25 Share Posted November 19 (edited) On 11/19/2024 at 2:12 PM, David Marsh said: Kinda... the reality is that there are a whole lot of teams that don't stand a chance at the National Championship. Would ensuring four or five Big 12 teams in the playoff increase their chance of winning the National Championship? Not really, they'd all probably lose to superior teams. The SEC probably only has two maybe three true contenders for the National Championship. But no one in the SEC looks especially dominant and adding more to the mix just seems like giving opporunties to teams that will be competitive to the other mediocre teams in the playoff but not be true contenders. I'd say the B1G has two in Oregon and Ohio State, outside of those two I don't see Penn State getting it done. Agree for sure now with the 12 team playoff. I was referring to the 2-4 team playoff. There were a lot of years that the SEC got 2 teams in because of the reduction in conference games and skewed rankings. If you get two teams in that are competitive at an elite level, I would argue that your chances of winning the title go way up in a 4 team playoff. They even got two teams (one with 2 losses) in the 2 team playoff. There were a lot of good teams that got left out because of that 8 game SEC schedule or ND’s G5 schedule with no CCG that could have won it all. Oregon in 2012 immediately comes to mind. Edited November 19 by GeotechDuck 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
fred flintstone No. 26 Share Posted November 19 IMO Oregon would have won them all......because Dillon plays to his competition.......and he has talent not many in the SEC have.......the 7th gear. Combined with the line and receivers, RB's.......and our DE's.......some games might have been close but all wins. In the playoffs, playing so many quality teams in a row.....anything can happen......but.......I would not bet against them. 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
spartan2785 No. 27 Share Posted November 19 I think if we played in the SEC we would have one loss, it's a league where I don't think the elite are any better and maybe slightly worse than the B1G, but the middle of the league is better I think. I would take the number 5 team in the SEC over the B1G. The dregs of the conference are about the same. Auburn, Miss. St., Arkansas are all about the same as UW, UCLA, Maryland (those types). In the end it depends who we play. We play Texas' schedule we are undefeated I think, we play Georgia's schedule we have one or two losses I think. It's hard to say since the two leagues barely ever play each other. I also don't take bowl games to be much of an indicator, even before opt outs, the SEC has home field advantage in basically every bowl game they play since they're all in the South. 1 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just Ducky No. 28 Share Posted November 20 I’m waiting for Dillon to peak. Dillon has not been sharp the last couple games and quite honesty it makes me a little nervous. Need him to have a big game against the squatters so he has some confidence going into the B1G championship game. Go DG! 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
