January 2nd 2025.
As the fourth quarter kicked off, the sound system at the Rose Bowl roared to life with the iconic tune "Shout" from the movie Animal House, a beloved tradition at Oregon home games. The sea of green-clad fans joined in, their voices echoing off the San Gabriel mountains as the sun began to set. However, on the Oregon sideline, the players stood still or huddled quietly with coaches.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the field, Ohio State's star defensive ends, Jack Sawyer and JT Tuimoloau, immediately recognized the song and started dancing along. The Buckeyes had dominated the Ducks throughout the game, and why not add insult to injury by hijacking their beloved tradition?
The final score of 41-21 in favor of Ohio State may not have reflected the true lopsidedness of the game. It was a decisive victory for the eighth-seeded Buckeyes, who will now face Texas in the next round. Sadly, this meant the end of the road for top-seeded Oregon, and it's safe to say that one particular onlooker was feeling quite mixed emotions.
Big Ten commissioner Tony Petitti was in attendance at the game, but he was unavailable for interviews, according to a conference spokesperson. One can only wonder what his reaction was to the result. On one hand, he must have been thrilled that Penn State had also secured a spot in the semifinals after their win over Boise State. However, he may have also been disappointed that the conference couldn't claim a third spot due to the flawed CFP process that prioritizes conference championships.
In fact, if the 12 teams had been seeded based on their final rankings, the Ducks and Buckeyes would not have faced each other in the quarterfinals, and both could have potentially advanced to the next round along with Penn State. It's a frustrating aspect of the current format that Petitti and the other conference commissioners will likely discuss when they gather in Atlanta in a few weeks.
It's safe to say that Petitti will push for a format change, and he may find an ally in SEC commissioner Greg Sankey. In order to make changes for next season, they would need unanimous support from the other FBS conferences. However, for the 2026 postseason, there are no such restrictions, and the Big Ten and SEC could potentially push through any changes they desire with the blessing of ESPN.
One potential change could be eliminating the deference given to conference champions when it comes to seeding. This year, Oregon's 24-day break between games may have contributed to their lackluster performance, as it has for many other teams in the past. However, the Buckeyes had only played 11 days prior, putting the No. 1 overall seed at a disadvantage against the No. 8.
The final scores of the last two playoff games for Oregon speak for themselves: 42-20 and 41-21, both in favor of Ohio State. While the Buckeyes are a talented team year after year, this also highlights the challenges of facing such a formidable opponent. But for the Ducks, who are still chasing a national championship for their 86-year-old benefactor Phil Knight, it begs the question: was 2024 their best chance?
It's a difficult question to answer. This year's team was a perfect combination of talent, experience, coaching, and favorable circumstances. They were better prepared for life in the Big Ten than other West Coast teams and even benefited from a subpar season from Michigan. However, it's entirely possible that with a slightly lesser regular season, the Ducks could make a stronger postseason run with tweaks to the CFP format and without the pressure of an unbeaten record.
The recent expansion of the playoffs has created a March Madness-like atmosphere, where anything can happen and momentum can shift in an instant. It's worth noting that the year the Ducks reached the Final Four, they were only a No. 3 seed. So while the loss to Ohio State may sting for a while, there is still hope for future success.
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