Heather Dinich on CFP: Texas and Oregon have 'best statements, best resumes' of one-loss teams
The top five-ranked teams in college football — Georgia, Michigan, Ohio State, Florida State and Washington — remain undefeated heading into Week 10.
One loss for any of these programs would see No. 6 Oregon or No. 7 Texas replace them among the programs most likely to make the coveted field of four in the College Football Playoffs’ final year in the original four-team format.
ESPN senior writer Heather Dinich joined the Paul Finebaum Show on Monday to explain why the Longhorns and Ducks have the two best odds of making the cut out of any one-loss team in college football today.
“I think Texas and Oregon both have the best statements, best resumes, in terms of making that case for the best one-loss team,” Dinich told Finebaum. “I do think that the Texas win against Alabama in Tuscaloosa is the best nonconference win of the season. I would still say that Washington’s win against Oregon is overall the best win as we sit here right now. Oregon certainly has a claim to that top spot as a one-loss team.”
In terms of statements — Texas’ 34-24 victory over Alabama in Tuscaloosa takes the cake as the most impressive victory of the season, and thanks to that win was ranked in the top four for an entire month until the Longhorns’ last-second 34-30 loss to Oklahoma in the Red River Rivalry. They’ve since outscored their opponents 66-30 in the two games since — and are still winning games while quarterback Quinn Ewers is out with injury.
For the Ducks, Oregon’s lone loss was a game of the year candidate against Washington. While the Huskies emerged victorious 36-33, Oregon heads into Week 10 following a 35-6 victory over the reigning Pac-12 Champion Utah Utes. The Ducks’ 42-6 victory over a then undefeated Colorado team was about as clean of a game as you’ll see from Oregon this season.
A rematch with Washington for Oregon, and a rematch against Oklahoma for Texas are both on the table for their respective Pac-12 and Big 12 Conference championship games. Wins for either team in that situation would make it hard to argue against whether they should make the final cut or not.
The rankings could be shaken up a bit with the addition of the first wave of College Football Playoff Top 25 rankings. These rankings will begin on Tuesday, Oct. 31 and continue through the sixth and final reveal on Sunday, Dec. 3, which is CFP selection day.