College Football: 10 Teams who could dethrone Clemson and Alabama
9. Oregon
Justin Herbert‘s decision to spurn the NFL to return to Oregon for his senior season should make the Ducks the PAC-12 favorites in 2019.
Oregon finished Mario Cristobal’s first season at 9-4, winning a forgettable Redbox Bowl over Michigan State to earn the ninth win. The Ducks have a ton of talent returning with 17 starters expected back in the fold in Eugene.
The only loss on offense is expected to be WR Dillon Mitchell. Mitchell was the only Oregon receiver with more than 500 yards receiving last season, so replacing his production will be tough. Regardless, Oregon returns several talented running backs led by 1000 yard rusher C.J. Verdell.
The Ducks can lean on their ground game if necessary thanks to returning all five of their starters along the offensive line. Rising senior Calvin Throckmorton and rising sophomore Penei Sewell may be the best bookend tackles in the country.
Working in Cristobal’s favor is also the PAC-12’s best recruiting class. The Ducks currently sit at No. 7 in the 247Sports composite rankings, and landed the nation’s No. 2 overall player in DE Kayvon Thibodeaux. Thibodeaux should be able to contribute right away, helping to replace the production of the departed Jalen Jelks.
The PAC-12 has won only one playoff game in the five years of its existence, with the Ducks knocking off Florida State in 2014. The conference has been shut out of the last two playoffs, with no team making it since Washington in 2016.
For Oregon to buck that trend, they’ll have to navigate a tough schedule. The opening game in Arlington against Auburn will be a good litmus test for where the Ducks are in terms of competing on a national stage.
Along with that neutral site matchup against the Tigers, Oregon must get past road games at Stanford and Washington to even capture the PAC-12 North. They also face tough cross-divisional road games against USC and Arizona State.
If the Ducks can navigate their way through this schedule with only one loss en route to a PAC-12 Championship, then Oregon’s resume would be deserving of inclusion in the playoff.