We're halfway through the 2025 season. With the home loss to Indiana, Oregon does not have an easy path to repeat as the B1G champion and return to the College Football Playoff.

Autzen Zoo

Ducks on a collision course along a very tough road in B1...

Dan Lanning and his players performed so well to start this season that Oregon fans forgot this was a young team in a rebuilding/reloading year.

Two B1G teams are undefeated - 6-0 No. 1 Ohio State, and 6-0 No. 3 Indiana.

Four teams have one loss at the halfway mark - Oregon, Nebraska, USC, and Washington. No. 25 Nebraska is ranked behind No. 24 Cincinnati, a team the Cornhuskers defeated in its opening game in Kansas City, and behind several 2-loss teams. S(ec)MH!

Two-loss teams, Illinois, Michigan, Northwestern, Minnesota, and Maryland, are still in the B1G title and playoff hunt. But none of these teams are odds-on to play for a conference title or be included in the playoff field.

Except for USC and 5-2 Illinois, all Big Ten teams have six conference games remaining. This Saturday, before finishing with five conference games, USC plays Notre Dame in South Bend. No. 26 Illinois is 5-2.

A back-of-the-envelope strength of schedule using future opponents' records to date has USC tied with OBD with games against the most difficult remaining B1G opponents. USC, with the game at Notre Dame, does have the overall most difficult remaining slate of games.

All of the below schedule-ranked teams have three home and three road games left. Two of USC's five remaining B1G games are on the road.

1. No. 20 USC opponent records, including No. 13 Notre Dame - 24-12/ +12

USC B1G opponent records - 20-10/ +10 - including road games at No. 25 Nebraska and No. 8 Oregon.

2. No. 8 OREGON - 23-13/ +10 - including No. 20 USC and at No. 28 UW.

3. No. 25 NEBRASKA - 22-14/ +8 - including No. 20 USC.

4. No. 28 WASHINGTON - 20-17/ +3 - including at No. 27 Michigan and No. 8 OBD.

5. No. 3 INDIANA - 17-18/ -1 / No ranked opponents remaining. The most difficult remaining game is on the road at 4-2 Maryland. Once ranked, Penn State is also a road game. Indiana hosts an improving UCLA.

6. No. 1 OHIO STATE - 15-21/ -6 / This is the B1G murderers' row remaining for the Buckeyes: At Wisconsin, Bye, Penn State, at Purdue, UCLA, Rutgers, at No. 27 Michigan. If Ryan Day doesn't get the Wolverine off of his back this season, then when?

Easy to project from the above - December 6, 2025 - Ohio State vs. Indiana in Indianapolis.

Considering 2-loss Notre Dame is ranked No. 13, and 2-loss Texas is ranked No. 21, and with G6 USF ranked No. 19, Washington at No. 28, with its only loss to No. 1 Ohio State, is inexplicable. Both No. 26 Illinois and No. 27 Michigan could be ranked. Tony Pettiti, do not back away from your AQ playoff model, please!

It's prove-it time for Lincoln Riley at Notre Dame, but based on results to date, including SC's beat down of Michigan, USC at No. 20 is absurd.

GO DUCKS!

Even with all that said Jon the path to the playoff is still simple.

Just Win!

Even if USC and Washington are ranked and potentially in play for a playoff seat by the time they meet the Ducks the Ducks can knock them out of their way.

The B1G Championship game is more difficult but I am frankly not as concerned about that at this point as I think conference championship games are more detrimental at this point. Outside of a strange scenario like Clemson last year, it's probably better just to get into the playoff and have a first round game to get your feet wet rather than an extra bye week.

Is Oregon going to have a Top 25 win at the end of the season? It’s possible they may not. They probably need to win out.