The Oregon Ducks are coming off of a historic season. In their first season as a part of the Big Ten, the Ducks finished the regular season with a perfect 12-0 record, capped that off with a win over the Penn State Nittany Lions in the conference championship game, and consequently earned the No. 1 seed in the first-ever 12-team College Football Playoffs.
However, it wasn't all rainbows and butterflies for the Oregon football team. In their first CFP matchup, the Ducks were run into the ground by the Ohio State Buckeyes, and their postseason run ended as promptly as it began.
As Oregon and the rest of the country look toward its 2025 season, ESPN released a list of the most "season-defining games" that could make or break a team's year. On that list is the Ducks' matchup against none other than the Nittany Lions.
So, let's so everything goes to plan other than the game against Penn State. What would that mean for the Ducks' postseason hopes?
What if Oregon football loses to Penn State in 2025?
- Overall record: 11-1
- Big Ten record: 8-1
- Big Ten Championship appearance: Maybe
- College Football Playoffs appearance: Most likely
The biggest effect that the loss to the Nittany Lions would have on Oregon's season is that the Ducks' reappearance in the conference title game would be in jeopardy. With Penn State playing at Ohio State this season, the Nittany Lions' loss to the Buckeyes would hurt but it wouldn't act as the be-all and end-all of PSU's season.
That's especially true if Penn State defeats Oregon. So, if the OSU Buckeyes defeat the Nittany Lions and the Nittany Lions defeat the Ducks then, more likely than not, the Big Ten Championship would be a rematch between Ohio State and Penn State, leaving Oregon in the dust.
So, while Oregon might not make it to the conference championship again if the Ducks lose to Penn State, the team would still easily secure a place in the CFPs – especially when considering that Oregon would have a perfect record beyond the loss to the Nittany Lions.
All of this is to say that ESPN wasn't exactly wrong but it also wasn't exactly right when it said that the Ducks' game against the Nittany Lions will be a "season-defining" matchup.