Narratives change. Some teams grow and others collapse. It's all about coaching, development, execution, health and luck. It's about finding identity and playing with one purpose.
In Josh Pate's latest College Football Playoff prediction, he has the Oregon Ducks earning a 7-seed, hosting and beating Notre Dame in the first round, topping Mario Cristobal and Miami in the quarterfinals and advancing to the National Championship Game against Kalen DeBoer and Alabama, with Dan Lanning falling to the former Washington coach for the fourth straight time.
The team can't think past continuing their growth and taking care of business against Rutgers, but it's nice to hear a respected national voice envisioning a deep run for the Ducks, something that would have them finishing the season strong and peaking in the playoffs.
It would mean the Ducks sharpened their identity. It'd require Dante Moore to settle down and develop confidence against pressure. Tosh Lupoi and the Oregon defense would find a way to ramp up the pass rush and find a reliable corner opposite Brandon Finney.
🚨UPDATED CFP PREDICTIONS🚨 pic.twitter.com/Q2Hy8M6Boi
— Josh Pate (@JoshPateCFB) October 15, 2025
All of this can happen and it's exciting to think it can. But Duck fans can't suffer any delusions. This would take enormous vision and growth. This team didn't play to this level last weekend in Autzen versus Indiana.
But hasn't doesn't mean can't, as Josh Pate often says.