PASADENA — Two minutes into the fourth quarter, the Rose Bowl sound system played “Shout,” the famous song played at every Oregon home game. Tens of hundreds of green-clad fans sang in unison because the shadows lengthened and the sun set behind the San Gabriels. But on the Oregon sideline, players stood motionless or huddled silently with coaches.
Across the sector, the scene was very different: Jack Sawyer and JT Tuimoloau, Ohio State's star defenders, immediately recognized “Shout” and started dancing to the music.
Ohio State had done all the things else for the Ducks over the course of a remarkable Wednesday afternoon. Why not adopt their beloved tradition too?
And so the team not playing for the Big Ten title defeated the conference champions with a 41-21 victory within the quarterfinals of the College Football Playoff that was much more lopsided than even the rating would suggest.
The result put eighth-seeded Ohio State in a matchup with Texas next week, eliminated the top-seeded Ducks and undoubtedly left an interested viewer with mixed feelings.
According to a conference spokesman, Big Ten commissioner Tony Petitti was present at the sport but was not available for interviews. So we’ve to guess his response.
In one respect, Petitti is probably going pleased: Penn State will advance to the semifinals alongside Ohio State after a decisive win over Boise State within the Fiesta Bowl on Tuesday.
But Petitti left the Rose Bowl perhaps frustrated that his conference couldn't get a 3rd team to the semifinals — because Oregon and Ohio State needed to play one another due to a flawed CFP process that prioritizes conference championships.
If the CFP selection committee had seeded the 12 teams based on the ultimate rankings, the Ducks and Buckeyes wouldn’t have played an elimination game within the quarterfinals.
Ohio State would have been a No. 6 seed, not a No. 8 seed, and faced Texas within the quarterfinals. And as a No. 1 seed, Oregon would have needed to play the winner of the sport with Nos. 8-9, Boise State or Indiana.
Both the Buckeyes and Ducks could have advanced to the semifinals, together with Penn State, which might have been a No. 4 seed in a bunch based on the rankings.
Petitti and the opposite conference commissioners who make up the CFP Management Committee are scheduled to satisfy in Atlanta in three weeks.
It's obvious that Petitti will push for the format change. Over the years, the Big Ten's top teams are more likely to be ranked higher than the ACC, Big 12 and Group of Five champions.
Our guess: SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey will agree with Petitti, perhaps in return for Petitti's support on whatever issue Sankey cares about most.
To make format changes in time for next season, the Big Ten and SEC will need unanimous support from the opposite FBS conferences (and Notre Dame).
But that won’t be the case for the 2026 postseason. There isn’t any agreed format. There isn’t any unanimity requirement. The Big Ten and SEC can impose whatever changes they need — with ESPN’s blessing, after all.
At the highest of the list may very well be eliminating the seed reference given to conference champions.
More reactions from the Rose Bowl:
– The Ducks looked slower and more out of sync than they’ve all season – and never within the slightest. The 24-day break clearly had an impact on their performance.
This has been the case with quite a few playoff teams up to now. This will not be an Oregon-specific problem. Layoff causes rust and heavy legs.
The difference this time: Oregon's opponent didn't have a 24-day break. The Buckeyes played within the opening round of the CFP 11 days ago.
In other words, the No. 1 overall seed was at a competitive drawback in comparison with the No. 8 seed.
That too has to alter.
(Notable: The higher-seeded quarterfinalists with weeks off, Oregon, Boise State and Arizona State, were outscored 42-3 in the primary quarter by lower-seeded opponents who played 10 or 11 days ago.)
— The results of Oregon's last two playoff games are as follows:
Ohio State 42, Ducks 20 (2014 championship)
Ohio State 41, Ducks 21 (2024 Quarterfinals)
The opponent is, after all, a part of the issue – Ohio State is as talented as any team within the country on an annual basis. But the top game stays unchanged: The Ducks proceed to pursue a national championship for 86-year-old benefactor Phil Knight.
Was 2024 their best likelihood?
Nope.
This team was an impressive combination of talent, experience, coaching and circumstances. The Ducks were higher prepared for all times within the Big Ten than Washington and USC and benefited from Michigan's poor season.
But it's entirely possible that a rather weaker regular season results in a more successful postseason – that tweaks to the CFP format and no 24 days off and never fidgeting with the pressure of an undefeated season result in an unexpected run through the postseason.
Playoff expansion has created a tournament environment much like March Madness, where momentum comes from nowhere and momentum is fluid.
Remember, the yr the Ducks reached the Final Four, they were a No. 3 seed.
Originally published:
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