Oregon tops the list in this first College Football Playoff rankings; an early sign to give hints of their prospects on the deciding day to have a good chance at the play-off.
Body What has every ingredient to turn out to be a thrilling path to the national championship, Oregon scooped up the No. 1 spot in the first season’s Top 25 rankings – opening up the College Football Playoff door. Oregon, on decision day, had earned a hard-fought performance throughout the season that left them as vital selectors for the coveted number-one ranking and positioned them front and center in the playoffs conversation.
Oregon has proven itself both offensively and defensively all season long. Bo Nix has commanded that offense, and the Ducks have dominated everyone in their way with their high-powered offense. The Ducks won these games so decisively that they have built a real resume to go along with it. Their number-one defense stopped some of the most potent offenses Oregon has seen all year, and the Ducks did a little bit of everything.
Huge in magnitude, this ranking is a monumental accomplishment for head coach Dan Lanning, who promised to attract only championship-caliber players who could keep his team on top. In his post-ranking remarks, Lanning beamed with pride but called the fans into accountability, letting them know that the season is far from over. “It’s an honor to be recognized, but we are staying focused on the end goal,” Lanning said as he pointed out Oregon’s drive to keep building momentum.
Behind Oregon is a plethora of other top-ranked teams who are looking at the playoffs, and schools such as Georgia, Michigan, and Ohio State round out those very top spots. All of these pretenders will be on the horizon, and the results of the next games will certainly bring some changes in ranking as they jostle for places in the playoffs.
Strength of schedule and key victories obviously are factors, and Oregon’s strong play probably puts it on the committee’s top tier going into this week. There will still be weeks remaining in order for Oregon to maintain this lead and avoid being upset and to stay in line for a playoff position.
For now, it is a huge day both for the team and the fans because Oregon’s top ranking makes them believe that the Ducks may keep this good vibe moving forward into the playoffs. As the season goes by, everyone would be expecting Oregon to fight for its number-one ranking in a very competitive field to inch closer to the national championship.
