Oregon’s 6-3 Start Revives Ducks’ Playoff Hopes: Which Teams Need to Lose?

Oregon must win its games

The No. 16 Ducks have won two notable games, defeating Northwestern and then former No. 10 Ohio State. Those results have put the team back in the national conversation and opened a possible route to Indianapolis on Dec. 5.

Oregon still needs to take care of Michigan on Nov. 14, then beat Michigan State and Washington. The story cites ESPN Football Power Index figures as of Nov. 13: Oregon has a 49.8% chance to win out and a 16% chance to win the Big Ten, the conference’s third-highest figure behind UCLA and Indiana.

Big Ten results to watch

Illinois faces undefeated, fourth-ranked UCLA on Nov. 13. An Illini upset could alter the conference-title race and help Oregon, particularly if the Ducks win their remaining games. USC plays No. 9 Indiana on Nov. 14. Oregon holds a tiebreaker over the Trojans after winning in Los Angeles on Sept. 26; if both finish Big Ten play 7-2, the article says Oregon would have the advantage.

Other games that could help

Colorado, which is 3-6, meets No. 14 Houston on Nov. 13. A Buffaloes upset could hurt the 7-2 Cougars’ playoff case. On Nov. 14, SMU faces No. 13 Wake Forest; a Mustangs win could strengthen Oregon’s argument compared with the Demon Deacons.

Duke plays Miami, giving the Blue Devils a chance to hand the Hurricanes a second regular-season loss. Baylor takes on No. 10 BYU, and a Bears victory would give the Cougars a third loss.

Oklahoma State can affect the picture by beating No. 12 Texas Tech, while Florida faces No. 11 Kentucky. The article says either upset, alongside an Oregon win, could benefit the Ducks’ playoff hopes.