What would beating Ohio State mean for Oregon's path to the College Football Playoff?

The Oregon Ducks have passed their first two Big Ten tests. Consider those primers though because no conference game is as big as the Ducks’ upcoming game against Ohio State. 

While most may view this as a game that could have College Football Playoff implications, I’d like to think, this is more of a true welcome to the Big Ten game than a game that determines the future of the CFP for either team for that matter. 

But if Oregon welcomes the Buckeyes to Eugene and runs them out of the state, beware, the Ducks may be the best team in college football. 

We’ve seen Alabama falter against a far more inferior Vanderbilt team just a week after getting its marquee win. 

Does that set the tone for monumental wins this season in college football? For the Ducks sake, I hope not. 

If Ohio State loses this game, which is more likely than not, Oregon could get away with a loss or two and still backdoor its way into the expanded College Football Playoff. 

It’s kind of unspoken that the Big Ten and SEC will take up over half of the invites to the CFP fraternity. 

Oregon is certainly one of those teams. USC doesn’t look like it will make it in and Michigan’s latest loss proves this season is far different than last. Penn State could be one of those teams but it’s more likely the Nittany Lions play themselves out of the playoff rather than into it. 

And as of now, Oregon has just two ranked opponents on its schedule after Ohio State — Michigan and Illinois. 

Why the Oregon Ducks will validate their Big Ten debut with a CFP appearance

The SEC and the Big Ten are undoubtedly the most loaded conferences in all of college football this season. And it’s hard for me to see a scenario in which the Ducks are left out of a playoff that favors the Big Ten heavily. 

Though there are tie-ins to the highest ranked conference champions, I’d anticipate most of the at-large bids will go to either the Big Ten or the SEC, simply because their strength of schedules will make them more attractive to the CFP committee.

Oregon is doing exactly what the CFP committee has asked of every team in consideration. They’re winning the games they’re supposed to, they’re dominating the teams they're supposed to and they’re playing like a top-3 team in the country. 

A win over Ohio State all but rolls out the red carpet for the college football playoff. Even if Oregon happens to lose a game or two. 

The expanded playoff opens the opportunity for multiple loss teams to find a way in if they win the right games. And as long as Oregon doesn’t collapse and goes into the CFP healthy, it’s hard to see a CFP without them.