Oregon football will be the team to keep Pac-12 relevant in 2021

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - DECEMBER 18: Head coach Mario Cristobal hoists the trophy, with most valuable player, Kayvon Thibodeaux #5 of the Oregon Ducks, in celebration a 31-24 win over the USC Trojans during the PAC 12 2020 Football Championship at United Airlines Field at the Coliseum on December 18, 2020 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) /

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The Pac-12’s reputation has taken quite the hit over the years. Only two Pac-12 teams have made the College Football Playoff since its inauguration in 2014 with Oregon making the first-ever edition and Washington making it in 2016.

In those two playoff appearances, Oregon scored 79 total points with a 1-1 record and a title game appearance and Washington lost 24-7 to Alabama in the semifinal. That’s not exactly a glowing recommendation for the committee when choosing Power Five teams to make the field. When it comes down to it, the playoff committee is more likely to vote in a one or two-loss Big 12, Big Ten, or SEC team over a one-loss Pac-12 champion. Unless it’s Oregon with one loss.

And that’s a problem for the rest of the league if Oregon struggles.

Oregon didn’t have a great 2020 season despite winning the Pac-12 title. The Ducks made the title game because Washington had a COVID-19 outbreak and they proved that USC is probably heading in the wrong direction under Clay Helton with the win.

Mario Cristobal and the Ducks return one of the most talented rosters in the nation and Oregon is the one team that will get the Pac-12 back to relevance this season.

Oregon is the Pac-12’s only hope this season of repairing that reputation and making a playoff push, and here’s why.

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