How Oregon State, Oregon, And Washington Control Their Own CFP Destiny

By STEVEN VAUGHAN, 750 THE GAME

The College Football Playoff only has four teams for one more season. It’s going to be better when more teams get in, but that’s the format we have. So it’s always a puzzle to figure out who is going to make to the Playoff.

Fortunately John Canzano and the Bald Faced Truth knows the College Football Matrix, Dave Bartoo. Bartoo tracks the trends and formulas the CFP committee uses to come up with the final four teams.

After the loss to Washington on Saturday the Ducks only dropped one spot in the AP poll. But that’s not what matters. The CFP is what matters. John Canzano asked Dave Bartoo if Oregon wins out, are the Ducks in the CFP?

“Yeah they are,” said Bartoo. “They are as long as they continue to do what they do because their margin of victory is excellent. They have one loss. It was a good loss. If you’re going to lose, you don’t want to lose to Stanford. You lost to Washington on the road by three. So the margin of loss is low. It’s a quality loss.”

The Pac-12 hasn’t made the CFP since Washington made it back in 2016-17. Bartoo says at this point, there are three teams in the Pac-12 who control their own destiny to make the CFP and they are all in the Northwest.

“Oregon, Washington, and Oregon State I would say are really the three that control their destiny in terms of winning out. Any one of those three winning the Pac-12 title I believe right now in looking at the schedule they are going to be in.”

Oregon State has a bye week this Saturday. Oregon is taking on Washington State at Autzen Stadium where, according to betonline.ag, Oregon is a -20 favorite. Washington is taking on Arizona State at Husky Stadium where Washington is -26.5.

Listen to the full interview with Dave Bartoo by clicking the podcast below. Catch the Bald Faced Truth with John Canzano weekdays 3-6 p.m. in Portland exclusively on 750 The Game.

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