NFL Tickets
Wearing uniforms that suggested gamma radiation poisoning, the Oregon Ducks flew past Oregon State 47-19, capturing the 118th Civil War rivalry game, and broadcasting a loud statement for the Playoff selection committee.
The Beavers may have been 5-6 entering this home game, but how Oregon handled their rival was nonetheless impressive. Considering how Ohio State, Florida State, Baylor and Louisville struggled with their ostensibly weaker rivals on Saturday, Oregon’s thrashing of the Beavers in Corvallis jumps from the scoreboard.
Call me brave, but I don’t believe the SEC is overrated. I believe it’s still a tough conference that is still the premier standard in college football. I do, however, believe that the gap is closing. The Pac 12 and the Big 12 have cultivated strong teams, and the ACC just so happened to turn the SEC East into dog food on Saturday, going 4-0 head-to-head.
The pertinent debate now settles between Alabama and Oregon. The leading question is, who is better?
The answer is Oregon.
On a neutral field, in a dome, in January, it will be Oregon. The Ducks’ only loss happened when they were decimated, and in January, they’ll be healthier than they’ve been since they rolled Michigan State back in September. A rematch against Arizona on Dec. 5 can show the nation who these two teams really are. Oregon’s line will be healthy, and they won’t catch themselves looking past the Wildcats again.
Alabama’s schedule was gruesome, and how they weathered it was noteworthy. Dominating Mississippi State early, destroying Auburn late, and running Texas A & M out of the building has so far been the signature on their season.
Handling the uptempo attack of Oregon will be a different story. The Tide have seen this fast pace before, but nobody in the country brings it like the Ducks. Nobody executes this intense offense like Marcus Mariota. The Heisman front-runner has produced 44 touchdowns while doing so efficiently, playing with an adjusted QBR of 91.9 — playing as if he’s Russell Wilson 2.0. Until Nick Saban can get another rule changed, the green in Oregon’s uniforms might as well be Kryptonite.
Alabama’s brutal schedule rarely affords the Crimson Tide an opportunity to catch their collective breath — especially during their Oct. 4 through Nov. 15 stretch where they played five top 25 teams in a little over a month. Oregon can’t equal this assertion — when they played Arizona and UCLA back-to-back (and nine days apart), those games were bookended with Washington State and Washington.
Oregon can stake claim in the firepower they’ve shown on the field. The Ducks boast a point differential of +272, which, diluted schedule or not, is a trademark of a National Champion — similar to what we witnessed from 2013 Florida State. Oregon has put so many games out of reach early, that even their impressive numbers fail to tell the whole story.
Alabama appears to be getting better by the week, and their offensive system finally seems fluid. I’m a big believer in a tough schedule defining a team, but I’m also a big believer in players who make a difference, and the only factor we can analyze to differentiate the Tide from Oregon comes down to an x-factor. In this case, it’s Mariota vs. Amari Cooper. Both are outstanding players with a bright future for Sunday, but Mariota’s greater value to his team and his dual-threat presence means he can alter the outcome more than Cooper, and will be tougher on Alabama’s preparation. This is what will matter when the Ducks play the Tide for it all on Jan. 10. A night that will crown the closest thing to our first bona fide college football champion, and will finally answer the hotly-contested question, who is better?
The best will be Oregon.
Jerry Landry is a writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @Jerry2Landry, “Like” him on Facebook or add him to your network on Google.
Share 
