Oregon did not get this far making needs about outcomes in its first Big Ten season. As quarterback Dillon Gabriel says, the Ducks do not know what to do with the fiction of tomorrow.
That mentality has served the Ducks effectively. They completed the common season 12-0 (9-0 Big Ten) and atop each the AP Top 25 and the College Football Playoff rankings. They now head to the convention title recreation subsequent Saturday in Indianapolis, the place they may face No. 3 Penn State (11-1, 8-1, No. 4 CFP).
“We all recognize it, however I believe the perfect half is that we’ve not actually talked about it. We’re simply targeted for every week and really current,” Gabriel mentioned. “It’s arduous to do. It’s very simple for us to look into the longer term, however we reside in a time the place tomorrow is fiction. Tomorrow is not actual in our books. We’re simply targeted proper the place we’re. A.”
Oregon completed the common season with a 49-21 victory Saturday night time in opposition to rival Washington, which had gained the earlier three conferences. It was Oregon’s thirteenth straight win, relationship again to final season, for the nation’s longest successful streak.
Oregon coach Dan Lanning was requested what he thought after the win. He replied, “How can we enhance?”
And certainly Oregon, who nailed the Pac-12 final yr to realign it, has steadily improved all through the season with out wanting too far forward.
The Ducks received off to a little bit of a shaky begin with lackluster non-conference wins over Idaho and Boise State earlier than fixing their points on the offensive line.
After defeating Oregon State in what was as soon as the group’s late-season Pac-12 rivalry recreation, Oregon marched previous UCLA and Michigan State earlier than the gritty, decisive 32-31 victory on the then n. 2State of Ohio.
“There are so many challenges proper now on the planet of school soccer, however I believe all of it begins in that locker room,” Lanning mentioned. “There are guys which are satisfied, imagine in what we’re doing. … You concentrate on getting higher each single day. I believe that is the kind of group we have now there proper now.”
Oregon, which completed the season as the one undefeated group in FBS, had already secured the highest seed within the convention championship recreation earlier than dealing with Washington.
The Nittany Lions defeated Maryland 44-7 final Saturday. Ohio State’s 13-10 loss to Michigan helped Penn State safe a berth.
Oregon has performed the Nittany Lions just one different time: within the 1995 Rose Bowl. Penn State, led by Joe Paterno, gained that one, 38-20.
Oregon can safe a first-round bye within the expanded 12-team playoffs with a win Saturday. That would possible ship the Ducks to the Rose Bowl for the quarterfinals. Even with a loss, Oregon is assured of a playoff berth.
Staying true to type for the Ducks in the intervening time, Lanning wasn’t wanting too far forward throughout a Sunday convention name with reporters.
This is fiction, after all, for the second.
“I believe we’re doing precisely what I anticipated our group to have the ability to do. So, you possibly can’t look ahead. You cannot look again. You should be within the current,” the coach mentioned. “I believe our group is doing a fantastic job simply being there.”
Associated Press reporting.
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