Oregon Softball is Killing-It, and DROPS in the Polls?

[Charles Fischer]

I was surprised to see these polls, where Our Beloved Ducks went from No. 4 in the nation, to No. 5 in the NFCA poll, while UCLA was No. 6.

 

In the ESPN/USA poll, Oregon was No. 6, while UCLA was No. 5. The good news is that the Ducks and Bruins will settle it in a three-game series this weekend at the Jane!

 

 

[30Duck]

Yeah, a lot of shuffling and OBD got a bad hand. No.1 Texas lost 2 of 3 to previous No.5 Tennessee. Texas dropped to No.3 Tennessee jumped to No.2. No.3 Texas A & M swept No.6 LSU and jumped to No.1, LSU dropped to No.9.  If No.6 Oregon sweeps No.5 UCLA this weekend, they might still be in the Top 10. 

[HDuck]

Well, reading 30Duck's list of schools...all from the SEC....apparently there is SEC polling bias in softball also?   That is, "if we beat another SEC school we must be superior."

 

That being said, there are 9 SEC schools in the Top 15.  Only Oregon and UCLA from the B1G.

 

As the season winds down, these SEC schools will dominate the locations for home games to open the regionals for the softball world series due to "ranking.".

 

If the CFP expands, and the home openers are based on "polls" the CFP will also become an SEC centric tournament.  That has always been the scenario that the B1G, ACC and Big12 feared.

 

 

[Washington Waddler]

     Getting to be that hairsplitting time for poll rankings as the season starts to move into its final games. About now, provincial prejudice and bias starts to trump objectivity among rah-rah poll voters.

 

     Like fans who will side with their conference after their team is no longer in play, the east coast-centered sports media voters apparently will side with any team east of the Mississippi River.

 

     Oregon’s youthful inconsistency in home losses to inferior teams (Oregon State and LMU) most likely came into play to justify their hairsplitting. 

 

 

 

[JB89]

I hate to see us drop in the polls this late in the year. I understand why it happened. The loss at home to LMU really hurt. LMU has a losing record 18-22. In early march UCLA beat them 11-1 & 12-0. LMU has been shut out in games versus Oklahoma, Utah, Cal., Long Beach State and San Diego. We also struggled to beat Minnesota in two of the three games this past weekend. Minnesota is 14-26 overall.

 

I hate the SEC but with the addition of Oklahoma and Texas they are the top softball conference. They look like the old PAC12 when looking at the rankings. They are recruiting many of the top California players that used to stay in the PAC12. Maybe NIL is the reason for so much of the talent heading to the SEC. 

 

Since the Duck's opportunities to play against top 10 teams are limited a series win against UCLA is extremely important. That along with a strong showing in the conference tournament might be enough to get a coveted top 8 seed.

 

 

[HDuck]

Ducks are 38-4 for the best start in their program history.   Div 1 teams can lose 4 games from the pitcher getting up on the wrong side of the bed.

 

No. 1 A&M is 37-5, outscored 31-14 in 5 losses.  Two of the 5 by 1 run each, the other 3 losses by combined 15.   

 

Oregon outscored 18-11 in the 4 losses.  Two of the 4 by 1 run each, the other 2 losses by combined 5.

 

Will be interesting to see how the Ducks play in Corvallis on Wednesday?  Will they try to "save players" for the weekend showdown with UCLA?   UCLA does not play mid-week before arriving in Eugene.