College Football: 7 contenders that could backslide in 2015

7. Oregon Ducks

After years of being spoiled thanks to the unparalleled play of Marcus Mariota, the Oregon Ducks and their fans now find themselves in a strange position. With Mariota now playing in the NFL, on-field dominance is no longer guaranteed in Eugene, and that uncertainty has more than a few fans worried about this fall.

For all the people — fans, analysts, bloggers — who have spent years claiming that the Ducks are a gimmicky team with a plug-in-and-play offense that could be run successfully by an inanimate object, 2015 will be a fascinating season. Mariota is playing on Sundays, which means the keys to Oregon’s high-octane scoring machine will be either in the hands of longtime Mariota backup Jeff Lockie or Eastern Washington transfer Vernon Adams.

Both are unknowns: Lockie has played few significant minutes in his Oregon career, and Adams is making the leap from FCS to FBS competition. Perhaps whoever wins the starting job will prove to be adequate, even good, but it is highly unlikely that the Ducks will be able to maintain the level of success that they grew accustomed to under Mariota, who was a once-in-a-generation talent with skills that fit perfectly in the Oregon system.

Even with a strong supporting cast — and the Ducks have an embarrassment of riches when it comes to speed and athleticism at the skill positions — you can’t simply replace someone like Mariota. Oregon fans are used to the Ducks competing at a national level, and this upcoming season could prove to be a cold, cruel wake up call. The Pac-12 is stronger than ever, and every team in the conference wants to knock the Ducks off their perch. Oregon won’t flounder in 2015 — there’s just too much talent in Eugene for that to happen — but don’t expect the Ducks to be playing for the national title again.

Next: 6. Nebraska Cornhuskers