(Graphic from footballstudyhall.com)
Ducks remain solidly in the BCS race, with the inside track to the Rose Bowl and a slim, outside shot at a berth in the championship game that would require chaos at the top. The easiest route would be late-season losses by Florida State, Baylor and Ohio State, with Alabama remaining at #1.
Auburn and Alabama square off in the Iron Bowl in two weeks, at Auburn. Auburn beat Georgia this last weekend and has a bye to prepare for the Tide. Baylor doesn’t face a conference championship game but they have remaining contests at #10 Oklahoma State, at TCU, hosting 7-3 Texas. Ohio State ends the year with a home game against Indiana, at Michigan, then the Big Ten title game against #13 Michigan State. Florida State, with the 58th-rated schedule in the country, ends the regular season with a home game versus 1-9 Idaho, then travels to Tallahasee to face a punchless, slumping 4-6 Florida Gator squad. Right now their likely opponent in the ACC title game is #25, 8-2 Duke, surprise winners over Miami this weekend.
Oregon’s best, most viable outcome remains a PAC-12 Championship and a Rose Bowl matchup with undefeated Ohio State, an opportunity to reset the impression left by the loss to Stanford. While some fans might be disappointed by missing out on the perfect season and the BCS Championship, getting to the Rose Bowl and winning a fourth PAC-10/12 title in five years would be a tremendous achievement. If they complete it, it would be a fitting extension of the greatest run of success in Duck football history.
It’s wonderful to have a vision and possibilities while Northwest rivals OSU, UW and WSU are reduced to fighting over scraps. But for any of it to happen, the Ducks have to embrace the present and considerable challenge of containing Kadeem Carey and the Arizona Wildcats in Tucson on Saturday afternoon.
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