College Football’s First Playoff Game

We are two of the many college football fans that want some sort of playoff system in college football. The idiots that are against playoffs in college football will argue that the whole year is a playoff system as teams knock each other out of the race every week. Because we are fair to both sides, we will talk about a game this week that is the first playoff game of the year. This game happens tomorrow and is Oregon playing at Boise State.

Both of these teams are ranked in the top-15 in almost every preseason poll. While LSU won the national championship in 2008 with two losses, schools like Oregon and Boise State can’t afford a loss if they have dreams of winning a national championship. Boise State went undefeated in the 04’, 06’ and 08’ regular seasons, but only one of those bowls ended in a BCS bowl. The fact is that if the Broncos want to be considered for the national championship game, they have to start beating some quality out-of-conference teams. Remember what happened when Boise State tried to beat an SEC team and lost 48-13 to Georgia in 05’?

Oregon is a very quality team that always competes in the Pac-10. The Ducks have had NFL quarterbacks in the past in Joey Harrington and Dennis Dixon and they currently have an NFL quarterback in Jeremiah Masoli. He threw for 830 yards and six touchdowns in the Ducks’ last three games and should have a career season as a junior. Masoli is joined in the backfield by running back LeGarrette Blount, a freak of a man at 6’2’ and 240 pounds. Blount rushed for 1,002 yards as a junior. Blount rushed for 99 yards and one touchdown in the 37-32 loss to Boise State last season. This is the first season that Chip Kelly is the head coach in Eugene.

This will be another shootout like last year’s game, but this game will have a different result. Boise State will miss the touchdown-machine that was running back Ian Johnson. The coaching staff has faith in Jeremy Avery, but they will miss Johnson in the red zone. Oregon has some offensive line issues, but the passing game will be improved now that Masoli is experienced. Masoli will lead the Ducks to a 45-35 win over the Broncos and Boise State will be eliminated from the playoffs.