By : Rodney Cofield
(Photo/Rodney Cofield- The Mojo Network)
College Football Playoff hunt. The Ducks delivered when it mattered most, earning a convincing 42–27 victory over the Trojans on Saturday that kept both their Big Ten title hopes and postseason ambitions very much alive.
Oregon improved to 9–2 and remains in the mix for a spot in the conference championship game. The Ducks now need to win at Washington next weekend and receive help from Michigan, which must defeat Ohio State, in order to return to Indianapolis for a second straight year as the league’s defending champion.
The loss dropped USC to 8–3 and eliminated the Trojans from the remaining conference title scenarios. The league race now moves into rivalry weekend with Ohio State and Indiana leading the standings, followed closely by Oregon and Michigan. The Wolverines strengthened their position by rolling past Maryland with a dominant win.
The Ducks seized control in the second quarter when Malik Benson broke free for an 85-yard punt return that gave Oregon its first lead. They never trailed again. USC made one final push in the fourth quarter, cutting the deficit to eight on Jayden Maiva’s touchdown pass to Lake McRee. Oregon responded with a decisive scoring drive, capped by Noah Whittington’s touchdown run with five minutes remaining to seal the win.
Before examining what this means for the College Football Playoff picture, here is where the Big Ten title race stands following Week 12.
Big Ten Championship Scenarios After Oregon’s Victory
The conference uses a series of tiebreakers that weigh head-to-head results, records against common opponents, performance against the league’s best teams, and rankings from SportSource Analytics. In the rare case the tie still cannot be broken, the league resorts to a random draw conducted by the commissioner.
Here is how next week’s results would shape the title game:
• Oregon reaches the championship if it defeats Washington and Michigan beats Ohio State.
• Michigan reaches the championship if it defeats Ohio State and Washington beats Oregon.
• Ohio State clinches a spot with a win over Michigan.
• Indiana reaches the championship with a victory over Purdue.
Michigan has beaten Ohio State four straight times, but a win next weekend over the top-ranked Buckeyes would be the biggest upset of the current run.
What the Ducks Still Need for a Playoff Push
Oregon remains firmly in the mix for a top-eight seed and an opening-round home game in the expanded College Football Playoff. That path requires a win at Washington. A loss would send the Ducks to 10–2 and could push them into a crowded group of at-large contenders that includes Oklahoma and Notre Dame.
Both the Sooners and the Fighting Irish strengthened their résumés Saturday. Oklahoma earned another quality win by defeating Missouri, while Notre Dame overwhelmed Syracuse and still has Stanford remaining.
In the latest projection from CBS Sports, the Ducks were placed as the eighth seed hosting Oklahoma. If Oregon, Oklahoma, and Notre Dame all win out, the expectation is that Oregon could move up to the sixth seed, potentially passing Ole Miss depending on how the Rebels finish the season.
How the Committee Views Oregon
Selection committee chair Hunter Yurachek said Oregon’s balance on both sides of the ball is a major factor in its current ranking. Even though Oklahoma has a stronger strength of schedule metric, Yurachek noted that the Ducks have top-ten statistical profiles in several categories.
He also referenced Oregon’s recent ranked road win at Iowa and the early-season win at Penn State, which the committee continues to view as valuable despite the Nittany Lions’ struggles.
Yurachek added that Penn State remains a difficult place to play, pointing to Indiana’s need for a last-second touchdown to escape with a win there earlier this month. Because of the overall résumé and performance metrics, the Ducks remained one spot ahead of the Sooners in the latest rankings.