Preview: Oregon vs Boise State in Influential Pac-12 Clash
Oregon clashes with Boise State in a pivotal college football playoff game. Both teams face a must-win to stay competitive. How does this game go down?
Video Transcript
It's Oregon who play in the game with the shortest number, hosting a team that a lot of people actually think can make the college football playoff in Boise State.
They are supposed to be the, the best team in the newfound Pac-12, and it could give Boise a, a clean path.
Though, I'm not so sure getting absolutely drilled in week one to Oregon is something that will be easily forgiven when people decide who gets that last spot.
So I think this is a big game for Boise State.
I don't particularly love them in this spot, but talk to me, about this game, David, or maybe even just where you sit on this Oregon program heading into this season.
I actually would not be surprised at all if the Big 10 went four straight years with four different winners, 'cause I absolutely love this Oregon team.
I think Dan Lanning has gotten this team close before, and it's always, can he get over that step?
And, you know, two years ago they were number one in the country, won the Big 10 and then, you know, it, it had such a bad draw in the playoff that they had to change the rules of the playoff 'cause they then wound up drawing Ohio State who sh- shouldn't have been a number eight team, which that's just dumb, as they changed the rules.
You got Dante Moore back.
You got a loaded team out there.
They're right there toe for toe if you look at the most talented teams in the country.
I think they come out and drill Boise State today.
I'm not gonna lie and tell you that the hook at 24 and a half doesn't bother me and makes me double think it.
But i- if you were to tell me that Oregon comes out there and wins this game 41 to 10, I'm not gonna be surprised.
It was tighter than people expected last year in this game, so you gotta think about that.
But I just think this Oregon team has everything it needs to have to go win the Big 10, get to the playoff, and win the national title.
And if you told me that the Big 10 won it again and it was Oregon, I would say, "I can absolutely see that."
I think this will be the most fascinating race of the year between Indiana, Ohio State, and Oregon.
And I say that as an SEC homer who has for years said, "SEC, SEC, SEC."
Well, the Big 10 has proved its chops.
They've won three straight national titles.
And you used to say, "Well, the SEC's top-heavy."
Well, now the Big 10's top-heavy, and they've gotten there.
Because I look at the SEC as a two-team race, and we've talked about Georgia and Texas, but Indiana, Ohio State, and Oregon is a great big three.
I actually think Oregon's the best of the three.
So I, I think this Oregon team, yeah, I mean they're clearly loaded, right?
They're very, very balanced.
There are two things that I specifically though find my-- And, and again, like when we do this with these teams, right?
Like you're, you're splitting hairs, they're all good.
I, I think they're all college football playoff teams.
But there were two things for Oregon that I just was not thrilled with.
One is the loss of the coordinators.
That matters.
You know, may- maybe people can tell me I'm scarred 'cause I watched the Philadelphia Eagles lose coordinators and, it, you know, it's, it, it does not go well when you lose good ones.
And, and they lost good ones, right?
To real programs, you know, with, with of course, you know, Will Stein maybe being the biggest, heading over to Kentucky.
There's real buzz in Lexington, around that football program, and I think that can be difficult to replicate.
You know, Nick Saban, who w- you know, we've now probably talked more about than I even thought we would, but it's fine, for arguably the GOAT.
Saban, you know, churning out new coordinator year after-- Like it was a different time, right?
Mm-hmm.
You could-- Like Dabo Swinney's not recovered since Brett Venables left his side in Clemson.
So y- you know, with Tosh gone, and again, we'll, we'll see them in action tonight with Cal and UCLA and I, I think that matters.
The other thing that I keep a little bit at arm's length with Oregon is I think Dante Moore gets discussed in a way that is very similar to Drew Aller and is completely detached from reality.
It's like, "Oh, Dante Moore, man.
Future first round p-" Based on what, guys?
Because like Dante Moore last year got into the college football playoff and started throwing it to the other team with regularity.
So I think they'll look good today.
I played an Oregon first half team total over.
I think that they, they've always started very, very fast in Eugene.
I think that'll be the case here.
But I am not in lockstep with everyone else that Oregon are gonna kind of, you know, roll here and find themselves national champions at the end.
Dan Lanning also gets a level of grace that some coaches could dream for.
Like it's, it's pretty funny that we just went back to back talking about Kalen DeBoer being fired and, and Dan Lanning winning a national championship when Kalen DeBoer flatly owned Dan Lanning at twice in a season- that Oregon were big favorites to win, those two football games.
