Mark Schlabach, ESPN: Updated 2022 Preseason Top 25

[Jon Joseph]

Mark Schlabach of ESPN, has updated his 2022 Preseason Top 25.

 

OREGON comes it at No. 16, previously ranked (PR) No. 12. (?????)

 

2022 opponents - Georgia is No. 3, PR 3. Utah is No. 4, PR 7. BYU is No. 19, PR 18.

 

Based on these rankings there is no doubt that in 2022 Oregon will have one of the most difficult out-of-conference schedules in the nation.

 

Below are Schlabach's top 13, including No. 13 Houston, PR 13, that as the G5 participant would knock No. 12 USC, PR 22, out of a 12 team Playoff. A 12 team Playoff with all P5 champs and a G5 representative in the field and with the top 4 teams earning a 1st round bye.

 

This would be the Schlabach-field for the 12 team, 2022 Playoff:

 

1. Alabama - SEC vs. 9. Michigan AL at 8. Michigan State AL

 

2. Ohio State - B1G vs. 10. Oklahoma State - B12 at 7. NC State - ACC

 

3. Georgia - AL vs. 11. Clemson AL at 6. Notre Dame AL

 

4. Utah - Pac-12 vs 12. Houston AAC/G5 at 5. Texas A+M AL

 

As noted above, No. 13. Houston as the G5 representative would knock out No. 12 USC. Should the Playoff field expand come the 2026 season, Houston will be in the B12.

 

Why Oregon drops 4 spots, Utah moves up 3 and USC moves up 10 (!) I have no idea; except, in the case of SC the earlier poll was released prior to signing QB Caleb Williams. Williams is good, but 10 spots up good? 

 

All of these preseason 'guesses' are long distant dart tosses; including, Schlabach's human guess and computer programmed guess work.

 

Personally, with the Utah game being played in Eugene, I think the Ducks will finish better than 16. Utah will miss the 4 team playoff and USC will not finished higher ranked than Oregon.

 

In 2022, Oregon can go 10-2 in the regular season and still win the Pac-12 with a win in the conference champ game. THIS is what I think is going to happen. But I am also throwing darts.

 

 

 

 

[30Duck]

On 4/21/2022 at 1:19 PM, Jon Joseph said:

 

Why Oregon drops 4 spots, Utah moves up 3 and USC moves up 10 

He's obviously in cahoots with Cowherd. 

[Goutes18]

He’s obviously an idiot.  No one wants Utah at 4 more than me, but that is crazy.  Show up in Eugene 10-0 and then you can be 4.  And usc top 15 after last years dumpster fire - give me a break.  Chip must be super pissed that the trojans are everyone’s favorite without having done anything.  I think Utah and Oregon split this year - it will be interesting to see who wins last.

[Jon Joseph]

On 4/21/2022 at 9:43 PM, Goutes18 said:

He’s obviously an idiot.  No one wants Utah at 4 more than me, but that is crazy.  Show up in Eugene 10-0 and then you can be 4.  And usc top 15 after last years dumpster fire - give me a break.  Chip must be super pissed that the trojans are everyone’s favorite without having done anything.  I think Utah and Oregon split this year - it will be interesting to see who wins last.

Great take. But I think 'stuff' like this probably makes Chip happy as he embraces the underdog role?

 

Huge opening game at UF for the Utes. Cannot afford to get off to a slow start like in 2021. 

 

I'd love to see the Ducks in the Final 4. But if not the Ducks in 2022, then I would like to see a Pac-12 team finally back in the playoff field. With media rights renegotiation coming up soon, so would commissioner GK.

[savagefund]

I love Utah at 4 but only after the season. Pre season it is a joke. 

 

As for the PAC it would be great if going into the championship game both teams had a shot at the playoff.

[Jon Joseph]

BTW, as I should have noted in the initial post, the 12 team field would have 3 B1G and 3 SEC teams in the field, with 2 SEC teams getting a 1st round bye.

 

I expect this, if the field goes to 12, will be the rule and not the exception? 2 spots for the ACC + Notre Dame? I'm optimistic that come 2026 the Pac-12 will consistently put 2 teams in the field.

 

One thing that needs to be mandatory, all P5 conferences play 9 conference games and Notre Dame plays 13 regular season games.

 

If Commissioner Warren and the B1G get their desire to have all P5 champs in and I think this will happen, I don't see any reason why the B1G would not approve a 12 team field?

 

The Pac-12 has said it is good with 8 or 12 teams. GK demurred to 2026 because he was not going to vote in favor of expansion before knowing the make-up of the field and how revenue will be disbursed. I agree with this long term business thinking.

 

The ACC wants 8 only but come 2026, a majority vote will rule. No unanimous vote will be required.  And if the playoff continues to include the P5, G5 conferences and Notre Dame, the ACC will be out-voted. And ACC teams will likely be poached by the SEC and the B1G?

 

Regardless, with Amazon taking over the NFL Thursday night broadcast and Apple TV taking over the NFL 'Package' from DirecTV, I'm thinking that GK will bring home a better than expected $60M a year per team deal for the Pac-12?

 

 

[Goutes18]

On 4/22/2022 at 10:40 AM, Jon Joseph said:

Great take. But I think 'stuff' like this probably makes Chip happy as he embraces the underdog role?

 

Huge opening game at UF for the Utes. Cannot afford to get off to a slow start like in 2021. 

 

I'd love to see the Ducks in the Final 4. But if not the Ducks in 2022, then I would like to see a Pac-12 team finally back in the playoff field. With media rights renegotiation coming up soon, so would commissioner GK.

I agree that Chip will be happy to use the snub to fire up his team.  

 

Utah is a notoriously slow starter and has looked terrible in week 1 games many, many times including last year.  The big stage should help with focus, but I think it is very possible that they could fall flat in the swamp.  Hope not!  Would be great to see Utah and Oregon get big wins week 1