Joel Klatt Maps Out 1st CFP, Ducks Meet an Old Nemesis, Then a Former Mentor

Today on the Joel Klatt show the Fox Sports College Football analyst revealed his 12-team bracket for the College Football Playoff, and he has the Ducks achieving a satisfying win followed by a bittersweet loss, finishing the season 11-3 after bowing out in the semi-finals.

"I'm a big believer in Dan Lanning," Klatt said. He readily sees Oregon with just two losses all year, one to Ohio State in the regular season, a second to the Buckeyes at the Big Ten Championship.

The first-year schedule in the Big Ten is relatively manageable, Klatt notes.  "Their only games against ranked opponents right now are Ohio State and Michigan."

He thinks Oregon's offense is a great fit for Dillon Gabriel's skillset. "I think Dillon Gabriel will have a better year than he did last year at Oklahoma. Look at what Bo Nix is doing in Denver," he said.

The way the bracket shakes out he expects the 7th-seeded Ducks might host a first-round match against (gulp) 10-seed Alabama. "Who doesn't want to see THIS? Dan Lanning facing Kalen DeBoer!"

Despite DeBoer's 0-3 mojo over Lanning, Klatt thinks Autzen magic will be a difference maker in this first round game. "I think Eugene will surprise them. Autzen is incredible."

But in Klatt's hypothetical college football universe Oregon's 2024 Cinderella story ends a week shy of a glass slipper. In the semi-final he envisions the Ducks meet Georgia and Kirby Smart in the Sugar Bowl. Citing all the NFL talent and playoff experience on the Georgia roster, Klatt said, "I believe Georgia is just too good. "

So in this scenario the Ducks have closed the gap enough to have some success against SEC competition, but they're not yet to the championship tier they're aiming for.

Klatt has new conference rival Ohio State winning the National Championship over Texas.

It might turn out that way, but it's time to suggest another possibility: Oregon's best chance for playoff success is the matchups they're able to create every day in practice. This is a team with depth of talent, which creates the maximum environment for getting better every day.

If the Ducks make the playoffs, it will be after four months of practicing against playoff caliber wide receivers and having to block playoff caliber defensive linemen. The intensity and physicality won't be a shock.

But the way they meet that challenge might be.