Autzen Zoo
Fansided

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

By Connor Muldowney

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)
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) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
2 of 3
Next
EUGENE, OREGON – NOVEMBER 21: A general view of the “Ohana” helmets worn by the Oregon ducks during the game against the UCLA Bruins at Autzen Stadium on November 21, 2020 in Eugene, Oregon. Ohana is Hawaiian for Family. The Ducks won the game 38-35. (Photo by Steve Dykes/Getty Images)
EUGENE, OREGON – NOVEMBER 21: A general view of the “Ohana” helmets worn by the Oregon ducks during the game against the UCLA Bruins at Autzen Stadium on November 21, 2020 in Eugene, Oregon. Ohana is Hawaiian for Family. The Ducks won the game 38-35. (Photo by Steve Dykes/Getty Images) /

Oregon football’s brand draws attention

The Oregon football brand is huge. The history of success in the Pac-12, the countless players sent to the NFL, Nike, one of the greatest athletic facilities in the country, and countless alternate uniforms. Oregon is widely recognized and respected.

The Ducks are easily the most recognizable brand in the Pac-12 along with USC and if the conference wants to be relevant again, it needs a team like Oregon to make a playoff push.

While the conference would take any Pac-12 team making the playoff, it would do the league a disservice if it wasn’t one of the big names. Heck, even when Washington made the playoff in 2016, it didn’t draw nearly as much attention as when Oregon made it in 2014.

Non-Pac-12 fans know Oregon and they’d be more willing to tune into a semifinal game between the Ducks and Clemson rather than Washington and the Tigers. The Ducks just provide intrigue and college football fans are more likely to be excited about a title game with Oregon and Alabama as opposed to Utah and Alabama.

If the Pac-12 wants to draw eyes, Oregon needs to make a run at the playoff. And they’ll do just that.

Home/Oregon Ducks Football