Dan Lanning doesn't have to admit it, but when Ohio State beat Michigan in their annual border war and clinched a spot in the Big Ten Championship Game, the top-ranked team in the country did the Ducks a favor.
If Ohio State had lost to Michigan for a fifth consecutive year, Oregon would have been next in line to play in the conference title game. Winning the Big Ten is certainly a great honor, especially for a team that jumped to the Big Ten last year, but preparing Oregon for that game would take away from the team's chances to have a successful run in the College Football Playoff.
Lanning was asked by the CBS broadcast crew if he wanted his team to play in the Big Ten title game, and analyst Gary Danielsen reported that the Oregon coach gave a “firm no comment.”
The Ducks (11-1) are the No. 6 team in the CFP rankings and they defeated archrival Washington 26-14 in their regular season finale. The Ducks are almost certain to move up in the rankings since undefeated Texas A&M was defeated by archrival Texas in their Black Friday game. A spot in the top four would result in an opening round bye, but that may be unlikely since No. 5 Texas Tech trounced West Virginia 49-0.
Even without a bye, the Ducks appear to be peaking at the right time. Oregon has won 6 games in a row since dropping a 30-20 decision to the Hoosiers in mid-October. That loss came at Autzen Stadium and while it certainly hurt, the Ducks have demonstrated that they are an excellent road team. The victory at Washington was their 12th consecutive win away from home.
Moore has been a dynamic trigger man for the Ducks
Lanning has entrusted the Oregon offense to sophomore quarterback Dante Moore. He has done an excellent job of leading the offense, and his numbers are impressive. He has completed 227 of 313 passes for 2,734 yards with 24 touchdowns and 6 interceptions. He also has demonstrated that he can escape pressure when he has to. Moore has run with the ball 57 times for 191 yards and he has 4 rushing touchdowns.
He was at his best in the fourth quarter against the Huskies. After Washington had pulled within 5 points midway through the final quarter, Moore threw a perfect 64-yard touchdown pass to Malik Benson that basically clinched the victory for the Ducks.
Moore gets support from the ground game. Running back Noah Whittington lead the Ducks with 774 yards and 6 touchdowns while averaging an impressive 7.5 yards per carry. Jordan Davison has added 535 yards while averaging 6.4 yards per carry. He has scored 13 rushing touchdowns this season.
The Ducks have an excellent crew of receivers and Moore is in sync with three of them. Tight end Kenyon Sadiq has caught 40 passes for 490 yards with 8 TD receptions. Wideout Dakorien Moore has 28 receptions for 443 yards and 3 scores. Benson clearly has explosive speed and he demonstrated that in his clinching TD reception against the Huskies. He has caught 31-526-4 this season.
Versatility has been the key to Oregon's success
While none of the Oregon skill-position players have put startling numbers on the board, the Ducks have shown they can win in multiple ways. They can make big plays through the air and light up the scoreboard. They can win with a solid ground game that allows them to maintain possession. They can also come through with a solid defensive effort when it is needed.
The Ducks can bring pressure on opposing quarterbacks at key moments. Lanning is not always going to ask his key pass rushers to bring the heat, but he will do it when it's time to take the life out of his opponents.
Linebacker Teitum Tuioti has 7.0 sacks while fellow LB Matayo Uiagalelei has 5.5 QB traps. In addition to those two, the Ducks depend on linebacker Bryce Boettcher, who leads the team with 100 tackles, while safety Dillon Thieneman has 64 stops and 2 interceptions.
The Ducks are clearly a dangerous team and they have played their best football in the second half of the season. If they don't get a first-round bye in the College Football Playoffs, they will get a home game. It would not be a shock to see this perennial college football power make a long run in the postseason.
