Texas win over Aggies creates extra pressure, opportunity for Oregon

Texas beat 11-1, No. 3 Texas A&M 27-17 in Austin Friday, and immediately the SEC/ESPN hype machine went into overdrive to advance the narrative that the 9-3 Longhorns belonged in the College Football Playoff.

The crux of the argument is that Steve Sarkisian's disappointing preseason college football favorites opened on the road at defending national champion Ohio State and lost 14-7, and (under this theory) they shouldn't be penalized for not achieving a 10-2 season, the theoretical benchmark for making the playoff cut.

The Longhorns are out because they lost three games, to OSU, 3-8 Florida and Georgia. In addition, they were taken to overtime by Kentucky and Mississippi State, beat Vanderbilt at home by a field goal, and finished September with wins over San Jose State, UTEP and Sam Houston.

If losses have no consequences and a team can lobby their way in, it's not a playoff; it's an SEC invitational tournament made for TV, which it's dangerously close to becoming, particularly if the field expands to 24.

Aggies pratfall creates opportunity for Oregon

A&M's loss can be Oregon's gain if they handle business against Washington. At 11-1 they would be at least No. 6, depending on how they look against the 8-3 Huskies in Seattle. It's a close debate with Ole Miss and their (possibly) lame duck coach, who may be on his way to LSU, or the SEC Championship Game if Auburn upsets Alabama.

The Ducks will host a home playoff game if they win in Seattle. If they lose, they get thrown into the lobbying contest with Notre Dame, Texas, Miami, Oklahoma, Alabama, A&M, Texas Tech, BYU and Utah, a dangerous place to be immediately after a loss to their third-best opponent.

A home playoff game against the ACC or Group of Five champ is an exciting prospect, particularly with three weeks to heal before the first round, which coincides with the weekend of the winter solstice. Leaving the decision to a committee and potentially being left out, on the bubble or traveling 2500 miles to someone else's trap is much less appealing.

Oddly, the whole process of projected brackets, bye weeks and seeding leaves Oregon fans in the position of rooting for Ohio State to beat Michigan so that the Ducks can skip the Big Ten Championship Game and get healthy.

Wins by Indiana, Georgia, Ole Miss and Utah leave less margin for error. Chalk held for much of the day, which makes the bracket harder to crack.

For today it's simple. Win and they're in. Lose, and be reduced to groveling alongside Steve Sarkisian.