Texas Makes Oregon Feel Even Worse

[FishDuck Article]

Outside of perhaps the most ardent Ohio State Buckeye haters among the Oregon faithful, we all wanted Ohio State to make mince meat of Texas to help ease the pain of Oregon’s Rose Bowl debacle. It did not happen. In fact, Texas played the Buckeyes tough until the end, leaving Oregon fans to bemoan, “Why the hell couldn’t we do that?!” ...

Texas Makes Oregon Feel Even Worse | FishDuck

FISHDUCK.COM

---

Darren Perkins of FishDuck.com shares a few thoughts as Oregon enters into the offseason.

[Smith72]

Excellent points Darren!  I always look forward to reading your articles.

[30Duck]

Great article, Darren. Of course, that year, Virginia lost to a 16 seed UMMBC by 20 points, OBD lost to 8 seed osu2 by 20.

[OregonDucks]

Ohio State, who had been up and down this season, might not have come out with their “hair on fire” like they did against Tennessee (coming off a loss to their rival, talk about their coach getting fired and a takeover of the Shoe by Vol fans) and Oregon (chance to revenge loss against B1G Champ earlier in the season). 
 

Texas also has better athletes and defense than Oregon does so that could have kept them in the game.  

[DanLduck]

Well, we got the O-line transfer from USC, who shunned Texas.

He must have read your article Darren and agreed with you.

That's a good omen.

 

Bring on the '25 season!

[cartm25]

I am one of the "most ardent" ohio st haters, so I was disappointed again with their win. My take is in line with @OregonDucks take: ohio st and Texas have better athletes . . . for now. It's astounding to me when I look at those two teams play. I always say, "Wow! Their players are massive." And it's always the Dline, DBs, and WRs that stand out to me.

 

I'll look at a listing of Oregon's roster and see heights and weights and think, "Wow they do have size on the Dline." 

 

However, our Dlines tend to look a bit round and smooth as compared to the etched from stone sculpture twitchy Dlines from tosu or Texas.I realize there are exceptions; Harmon and Burch looked the part, IMO. I think getting beasts on the DLine is Oregon's last hurdle to put them over the top. As a defensive guru, Dan Lanning should be the perfect person to make this a reality.

 

PS - In thinking about this, my respect for Nick Aliotti as a DC continues to climb. He churned out havoc-inducing defenses, often with consistently undersized defensive personnel.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Darren Perkins]

On 1/14/2025 at 6:34 AM, 30Duck said:

Great article, Darren. Of course, that year, Virginia lost to a 16 seed UMMBC by 20 points, OBD lost to 8 seed osu2 by 20.

That's a good sign!

[Darren Perkins]

On 1/14/2025 at 6:42 AM, OregonDucks said:

Ohio State, who had been up and down this season, might not have come out with their “hair on fire” like they did against Tennessee (coming off a loss to their rival, talk about their coach getting fired and a takeover of the Shoe by Vol fans) and Oregon (chance to revenge loss against B1G Champ earlier in the season). 
 

Texas also has better athletes and defense than Oregon does so that could have kept them in the game.  

They have been up an down, wonder if they'll come out flat in the championship game, that would be interesting. 

[Darren Perkins]

On 1/14/2025 at 8:58 AM, DanLduck said:

Well, we got the O-line transfer from USC, who shunned Texas.

He must have read your article Darren and agreed with you.

That's a good omen.

 

Bring on the '25 season!

It's rewarding to know that i'm making a difference! lol

[Darren Perkins]

On 1/14/2025 at 9:22 AM, cartm25 said:

I am one of the "most ardent" ohio st haters, so I was disappointed again with their win.

 

My take is in line with @OregonDucks take: ohio st and Texas have better athletes . . . for now.

 

It's astounding to me when I look at those two teams play. I always say, "Wow! Their players are massive."

 

And it's always the Dline, DBs, and WRs that stand out to me.

 

I'll look at a listing of Oregon's roster and see heights and weights and think, "Wow they do have size on the Dline."

 

However, our Dlines tend to look a bit round and smooth as compared to the etched from stone sculpture twitchy Dlines from tosu or Texas.

 

I realize there are exceptions; Harmon and Burch looked the part, IMO.

 

I think getting beasts on the DLine is Oregon's last hurdle to put them over the top. As a defensive guru, Dan Lanning should be the perfect person to make this a reality.

 

PS - In thinking about this, my respect for Nick Aliotti as a DC continues to climb. He churned out havoc-inducing defenses, often with consistently undersized defensive personnel.

Good points. Yup,it's crazy to see how far we have come in the past decade. Oregon has beefed up, now need to also get the depth of those schools. 

[HappyToBeADuck]

There are many pieces to the puzzle of building an elite roster that can win the National Title. Certainly the high level of recruiting since 2019 has elevated the quality of play on the field. 35-6 backs that up.

 

IMHO, the program is built to dominate a conference and compete for league titles. The 2024 BIG Title supports that. DL couldnt get it done last year, so he brought in some high level talent and got the title.

 

As for CFP games and Nattys, well there is obviously some work to be done. But OBD's are close. Last year we lost 2 games to udub who played in the Natty and 1 game to osu2 who is in tbis years Natty.

 

OBDF members those are the games we must win to put ourselves at the elite level. This years Rose Bowl was eye opening for this fan because the Ducks looked inept and lost.

 

With DL at the helm, i dont think he will sleep much until he gets to the next level.

 

Go Ducks.......

[Jon Joseph]

Texas? Easy-Peasy SEC in-conference schedule, again, but will Archie have anyone to play ball with?

 

The Longhorns roster turnover is as big as Texas.  Future 2025-26 champ odds: No. 1 Ohio State +450; Tied for 2nd. Texas and OBD +600. All three teams have many quality starters to replace. 

 

 

Texas stars Isaiah Bond, Matthew Golden declare for 2025 NFL Draft as Longhorns lose key offensive pieces - CBSSports.com

WWW.CBSSPORTS.COM

---

Texas will have to replace its top two wide receivers entering the 2025 season

[Jon Joseph]

Thanks, Darren. Sad but true. 

 

Are these commonalities a coincidence?

 

Notre Dame and Ohio State - No conference champ game. No Playoff Bye. 16th and not the 17th game for both. 

 

Among others, the Pac-2 and Notre Dame will not approve a change in format for next season. Will we see the same commonalities in 2025-26? 

 

Texas opens at Ohio State next season. I'm looking forward to watching the game but I do not want OBD to schedule these headline games. Will Sark have the horses to slow down the Buckeyes O with a new QB, probably Julian Sayin at QB?

 

Dear Rob, please play headline OOC games in the Playoff and not before.

 

Thanks again, Darren. As Lou Holtz said, 'You have a different team every week.' But for a non-call, the Buckeyes could and perhaps should have played ASU in the Cotton Bowl. The ASU O lit up the same D that tOSU struggled against. Go Figure? 

 

 

Texas stars Isaiah Bond, Matthew Golden declare for 2025 NFL Draft as Longhorns lose key offensive pieces - CBSSports.com

WWW.CBSSPORTS.COM

---

Texas will have to replace its top two wide receivers entering the 2025 season

 

 

[GatOrlando]

Big difference is no 16 seed in college basketball has a National Championship roster. Ohio State had more five stars than everyone they've faced this season.

 

Second difference is Oregon did something Texas couldn't.That Cotton Bowl was a pseudo home game for Texas btw, it was 70 percent burnt orange. So very close conditions to Oregon vs Ohio State the first time. Oregon beat Ohio State in that game . Coming close only counts in horse shoes and hand grenades. Ask Penn State how good almost winning feels.

 

Give Oregon a home game against Clemson and a Fiesta Bowl against Arizona State and I guarantee you that they play a much better game in the Semis or Championship against the two teams playing Monday Night in Atlanta. I'll go as far as to say they beat Notre Dame and get a much closer result vs Ohio State. 

Edited Tuesday at 07:45 PM by GatOrlando

[30Duck]

On 1/14/2025 at 11:41 AM, GatOrlando said:

Give Oregon a home game against Clemson and a Fiesta Bowl against Arizona State and I guarantee you that they play a much better game in the Semis or Championship against the two teams playing Monday Night in Atlanta. I'll go as far as to say they beat Notre Dame and get a much closer result vs Ohio State

This makes Oregon fans feel better & worse simultaneously. We're left with the worse part and next season, the B1G Championship will be something none of the teams will want. 

[OregonDucks]

On 1/14/2025 at 1:25 PM, Darren Perkins said:

Good points. Yup,it's crazy to see how far we have come in the past decade. Oregon has beefed up, now need to also get the depth of those schools. 

I believe that it’s more than just depth. When I’m watching the top programs (e.g.. Ohio State, Texas, Georgia), they still have bigger and faster athletes across the board. Their players look like future NFL players.  
 

Oregon has increased its size, depth and athleticism on the defensive and offensive lines (still not sure what the heck happened to them in the Rose Bowl) but not at linebacker, safety, wide receiver, etc.

 

For example, at wide receiver, Oregon is still relying on the smaller, faster receivers (E-Stewart is listed at 6’0” and Tez is listed at 5’10”). How many Oregon receivers have been drafted high and/or had a lot of success in the NFL? 

Edited Tuesday at 08:58 PM by OregonDucks

[Darren Perkins]

On 1/14/2025 at 10:42 AM, HappyToBeADuck said:

There are many pieces to the puzzle of building an elite roster that can win the National Title. Certainly the high level of recruiting since 2019 has elevated the quality of play on the field. 35-6 backs that up.

 

IMHO, the program is built to dominate a conference and compete for league titles. The 2024 BIG Title supports that. DL couldnt get it done last year, so he brought in some high level talent and got the title.

 

As for CFP games and Nattys, well there is obviously some work to be done. But OBD's are close. Last year we lost 2 games to udub who played in the Natty and 1 game to osu2 who is in tbis years Natty.

 

OBDF members those are the games we must win to put ourselves at the elite level. This years Rose Bowl was eye opening for this fan because the Ducks looked inept and lost.

 

With DL at the helm, i dont think he will sleep much until he gets to the next level.

 

Go Ducks.......

Great points! Yup, the ducks continue to improve... and it keeps on going!

[Darren Perkins]

On 1/14/2025 at 11:12 AM, Jon Joseph said:

Thanks, Darren. Sad but true. 

 

Are these commonalities a coincidence?

 

Notre Dame and Ohio State - No conference champ game. No Playoff Bye. 16th and not the 17th game for both. 

 

Among others, the Pac-2 and Notre Dame will not approve a change in format for next season. Will we see the same commonalities in 2025-26? 

 

Texas opens at Ohio State next season. I'm looking forward to watching the game but I do not want OBD to schedule these headline games. Will Sark have the horses to slow down the Buckeyes O with a new QB, probably Julian Sayin at QB?

 

Dear Rob, please play headline OOC games in the Playoff and not before.

 

Thanks again, Darren. As Lou Holtz said, 'You have a different team every week.' But for a non-call, the Buckeyes could and perhaps should have played ASU in the Cotton Bowl. The ASU O lit up the same D that tOSU struggled against. Go Figure? 

 

 

Texas stars Isaiah Bond, Matthew Golden declare for 2025 NFL Draft as Longhorns lose key offensive pieces - CBSSports.com

WWW.CBSSPORTS.COM

---

Texas will have to replace its top two wide receivers entering the 2025 season

 

 

Thanks, Jon, Yup, there is no logic or reason, and that's why we tune in to watch every week!

[Darren Perkins]

On 1/14/2025 at 11:41 AM, GatOrlando said:

Big difference is no 16 seed in college basketball has a National Championship roster. Ohio State had more five stars than everyone they've faced this season.

 

Second difference is Oregon did something Texas couldn't.That Cotton Bowl was a pseudo home game for Texas btw, it was 70 percent burnt orange. So very close conditions to Oregon vs Ohio State the first time. Oregon beat Ohio State in that game . Coming close only counts in horse shoes and hand grenades. Ask Penn State how good almost winning feels.

 

Give Oregon a home game against Clemson and a Fiesta Bowl against Arizona State and I guarantee you that they play a much better game in the Semis or Championship against the two teams playing Monday Night in Atlanta. I'll go as far as to say they beat Notre Dame and get a much closer result vs Ohio State. 

thanks. Sure, the basketball analogy is not an exact comparison, kinda apples and oranges. In football, the 64th ranked team (roughly what a 16 seed is ranked overall) would have virtually no chance at beating the top team in the in country. Much better odds in basketball to do so.  But, my main point was the "feeling" of the let down, which believe to be similar. 

 

Yes, woulda been nice to have a home game, hopefully the future changes include giving any team with a bye a home game for the quarterfinals. If the ducks had played the buckeyes again at home it would probably offset a lot of the "rust."

[Darren Perkins]

On 1/14/2025 at 12:56 PM, OregonDucks said:

I believe that it’s more than just depth. When I’m watching the top programs (e.g.. Ohio State, Texas, Georgia), they still have bigger and faster athletes across the board. Their players look like future NFL players.  
 

Oregon has increased its size, depth and athleticism on the defensive and offensive lines (still not sure what the heck happened to them in the Rose Bowl) but not at linebacker, safety, wide receiver, etc.

 

For example, at wide receiver, Oregon is still relying on the smaller, faster receivers (E-Stewart is listed at 6’0” and Tez is listed at 5’10”). How many Oregon receivers have been drafted high and/or had a lot of success in the NFL? 

I thought about that with Boetcher returning. A great walk-on story from Eugene. But, does a guy like that make it at Ohio State? Probably not. 

[GatOrlando]

On 1/14/2025 at 3:20 PM, Darren Perkins said:

thanks. Sure, the basketball analogy is not an exact comparison, kinda apples and oranges. In football, the 64th ranked team (roughly what a 16 seed is ranked overall) would have virtually no chance at beating the top team in the in country. Much better odds in basketball to do so.  But, my main point was the "feeling" of the let down, which believe to be similar. 

 

Yes, woulda been nice to have a home game, hopefully the future changes include giving any team with a bye a home game for the quarterfinals. If the ducks had played the buckeyes again at home it would probably offset a lot of the "rust."

It was a good comparison in pointing out how nothing is guaranteed. It's the first year of this expanded playoff and I think there are tiers from the top four and everybody else. One must look at 2019, you had three undefeated teams that were blitzing everyone and then Oklahoma. LSU made the Sooners look worse than any playoff team I've ever seen. Even worse than that Oregon vs FSU. Winston threw the Seminoles into oblivion.

 

Oklahoma just lost because LSU was too much. Now I believe they would've beaten anybody that year, but Clemson at least looked like they could hang for three quarters. You gotta remember Clemson had been in a heavyweight fight the week before when they overcame a 16 point deficit to beat Ohio State. LSU might as well had a bye.

 

Back to my point though. I think Oregon is still the second best team in the country and if they had faced Ohio State in the semis or championship rather than the quarters than we would've gotten a much closer affair. We're trying to find ways for Notre Dame to win. Most are saying Ohio State will have to handcuff themselves like they did against Michigan.

 

Oregon didn't need Ohio State to handcuff themselves to win back in October. They just outplayed them. Put Oregon against Notre Dame on Monday and I think Oregon beats them by two scores. 

[GatOrlando]

On 1/14/2025 at 1:21 PM, 30Duck said:

This makes Oregon fans feel better & worse simultaneously. We're left with the worse part and next season, the B1G Championship will be something none of the teams will want. 

I get it. You had a championship squad and your program is at a point where they aren't the happy little gadget wielding Duckies that celebrate making it to the stage. You want to be the freaking star out there leading the production. But you gotta realize that you've made the jump and you are now a program that Ohio State celebrates beating. You aren't Michigan to them but you are likely going to become a yearly thorn in their side.

 

It used to be USC that was considered the program Michigan or Ohio State feared. Now it's Oregon. The B1G hierarchy is Michigan, Ohio State, Oregon and Penn State. That's the big four in one of the two major conferences. Oregon is top shelf and Andy isn't taking you off that position anytime soon. USC is confined to the toybox.

[OregonDucks]

On 1/17/2025 at 4:06 AM, GatOrlando said:

Even worse than that Oregon vs FSU. Winston threw the Seminoles into oblivion.

LOL. You must have enjoyed this as much as Oregon fans did. 
 

FSU fans were amongst the most arrogant/smug fans I have encountered.  

 

 

 

 

Edited 1 hour ago by OregonDucks