Oregon is still salty about getting worked by Ohio State in CFP rematch

They used to be called the Oregon Webfoots. While they are now known as the Oregon Ducks, they should be called the Oregon Sad Boys after how horribly their fans are still taking their Rose Bowl bludgeoning from the hands of eventual national championship Ohio State. Winners find ways. Losers find excuses. At the end of the day, what has the Oregon program ever won of note before?

Oregon went 13-0 (9-0) in its first year in the Big Ten. However, the Ducks did not show up to play in the Rose Bowl vs. a battle-tested Ohio State squad, a group that had to play every Big Ten team who made the College Football Playoff this year at least one, and Oregon twice. I may have had Oregon as a playoff lock to start the season with Ohio State, Georgia and Texas, but I was not impressed at all.

As a Georgia alum and a fan of the Bulldogs, I do find myself continually rooting for Dan Lanning because I think he is special. Kirby Smart's greatest protege has returned Oregon to national prominence. However, I can never quite overcome the biggest fault with Oregon. The Ducks are forever soft as Charmin. This is a program my fraternity brother Mike Bellotti helped make matter!

So instead of complaining about playoff seeding, wear only two uniforms and learn to play defense.

I do not see anyone else who made the playoff complain about the end result other than Oregon.

Oregon needs to see early playoff exit as a total program referendum

I really do not want to harpoon Oregon like 19th century New England whale, but this program's Moby Dick is winning a single national title. Prior to Phil Knight investing a ton of Nike money into its athletic department, the football program was not a national power. I am totally okay with the Ducks being a force in the sport now and forever going forward, but winners write history and losers get forgotten.

The good news for Oregon is the Ducks have the blueprint right in front of them. Go be Ohio State. Better yet, go be Georgia! Where it stands now, there are only three active college football head coaches who have won a national title before Dabo Swinney did it twice at Clemson in 2016 and 2018. Kirby Smart repeated in 2021 and 2022. The third just joined the party in Ryan Day in 2024.

Yes, there are other college football head coaches who need to win a national just as bad or worse as Lanning. He is in a group with the likes of James Franklin, Brian Kelly, Lane Kiffin, Lincoln Riley and Steve Sarkisian among others. Oregon may not have the in-state talent of an Ohio State or a Georgia, but they have the NIL war chest to compete with anyone they so choose on a national stage.

I do think Oregon does eventually win a national title under Lanning, but the Ducks need to level up.