Who Oregon Duck fans should be rooting for in Conference Championships
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Less than a month ago, the Oregon Ducks were preparing for a four-game stretch coming off their second bye week that would decide their fate for the postseason. Matchups with the Iowa Hawkeyes, Minnesota Golden Gophers, USC Trojans and Washington Huskies remained, with the Ducks holding a 7-1 record.
With chaotic outcomes occurring across the country, Oregon's margin for error — as in having the cushion of one loss during those games — evaporated quickly. In order to control their own destiny, the Ducks had to win each game. They did exactly that, bolstering their resume in the process.
Entering conference championship weekend, the Ducks will have the opportunity to kick their feet up, rest, relax and nurse numerous injuries, especially on the offensive side of the ball.
Holding the No. 5 seed in the latest CFP reveal, Oregon is in a favorable spot. If the season ended today, they'd host a home first-round playoff game at Autzen Stadium against a team that's not expected to actually be ranked inside the top 12, likely against the Group of Five participant.
But there's also a world where the Ducks acquire a first-round bye and a week of more rest, with a couple outcomes in particular pointing towards that possibility. Both instances are favorable in different ways; but for Duck fans, which is more favorable?
Deciding on that is the first step towards your viewing guide this weekend, with the conference championships taking place. We broke down the outcomes for both situations in the five prominent championship games this weekend.
AAC Championship — No. 24 North Texas vs. No. 20 Tulane
When: 5:00 p.m. PST — Friday
Where: Yulman Stadium | | New Orleans, LA
TV: ABC
What to Root For: While this one won't impact the Ducks' seeding, it very well could be a preview of their first-round opponent in Autzen Stadium. North Texas is led by quarterback Drew Mestemaker, who has been one of the most intriguing stories in the country this year. Despite not starting a single game at the varsity level in high school, he leads the country in passing yards as a redshirt freshman while throwing for 29 touchdowns and just four interceptions. Taking on Oregon's stout pass defense on the game's biggest stage of the CFP would be must-watch. There's also some draw with Tulane, who's led by former BYU quarterback Jake Retzlaff. He's scored a combined 28 touchdowns, leading the way for the Green Wave.
Big 12 Championship — No. 11 BYU vs. No. 4 Texas Tech
When: 9:00 a.m. PST — Saturday
Where: AT&T Stadium | | Arlington, TX
TV: ABC
What to Root For: For Duck fans wanting to enjoy another home game at Autzen, root hard for the Red Raiders on Saturday morning. A Texas Tech win would secure their first-round bye, almost certainly ensuring that Oregon would stay at No. 5 and host. But if you're looking for the Ducks to sneak into a first-round bye, a BYU win is the best shot. The Playoff Committee would be in a tough spot as far as penalizing the Red Raiders for making the conference title game, so there is a slight chance that they stay at No. 4 if the game is close. But more than likely, Oregon would slide up a spot and claim a bye. So, depending on what you want, you'll be rooting for different things in this game.
SEC Championship — No. 3 Georgia vs. No. 9 Alabama
When: 1:00 p.m. PST — Saturday
Where: Mercedes-Benz Stadium | | Atlanta, GA
TV: ABC
What to Root For: This is a similar situation as the Texas Tech-BYU matchup for Duck fans. Georgia is No. 3, but if they suffer what would be their second loss to Alabama this season, the committee will be in a tough spot. How far up would they move the two-loss SEC champion Crimson Tide? How far would they drop the Bulldogs? All of that uncertainty would be alleviated with a Georgia win, keeping the Ducks at No. 5 and potentially bumping Alabama — a program with championship pedigree — out of the field altogether.
Big Ten Championship — No. 2 Indiana vs. No. 1 Ohio State
When: 5:00 p.m. PST — Saturday
Where: Lucas Oil Stadium | | Indianapolis, IN
TV: FOX
What to Root For: This one's simple: enjoy what should be an entertaining, high-level football game. If Oregon makes it far enough, in all likelihood they'll face one of these teams. We've seen some great play from the Ducks in the last month. Let's see how they compare to the Buckeyes and Hoosiers.
ACC Championship — Duke vs. No. 17 Virginia
When: 5:00 p.m. PST — Saturday
Where: Bank of America Stadium | | Charlotte, NC
TV: ABC
What to Root For: If you're looking for the lowest-ranked team for the Ducks to face in their first-round matchup, root for the Blue Devils to pull off the improbable as an ACC champion at 8-5. That doesn't ensure that they get in however, as it's just the five highest-ranked conference champions. If Duke wins, that opens the door for either James Madison or even UNLV in the Mountain West to sneak in. That would likely push the AAC champion to the 11-seed, as both Tulane and North Texas are ranked, and lead to a lower-ranked opponent in the 5-12 matchup that Oregon would be in. But if Virginia wins, they'd likely claim the No. 11 seed and Tulane or North Texas would take No. 12. This may not be the main channel on at 5 p.m. as it's competing with Ohio State versus Indiana, but definitely worth checking in on.
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This article originally appeared on Ducks Wire: What Oregon Duck fans should root for during conference championships
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