Did Washington clinch a spot in the College Football Playoff with a 34-31 win over Oregon Friday in Las Vegas?
They sure did, most assuredly, if you ask Associated Press writer Mark Anderson.
Anderson has the Huskies already in the playoff after Friday night’s win at Allegiant Stadium (No. 3 Washington rallies to beat No. 5 Oregon 34-31 and secure playoff spot | AP News), and it was a win, to be sure, a second win this season over what appears to be a very good Oregon team (11-2), led by legit Heisman Trophy candidate Bo Nix.
Editorializing here, but I just don’t think I would have made a statement like Anderson did in his third paragraph of this story: “And now the third-ranked Huskies not only are the Pac-12 champions, they secured a spot in the College Football Playoff with a 34-31 victory over No. 5 Oregon.”
Given what’s happened over the years with shuffling, with people being left and people being placed into the top four by the committee at the final moment, I personally don’t think there are any guarantees.
It’s likely the Huskies are headed to the Playoff promised land, with an unblemished 13-0 record, two wins over that talented Oregon team, a ranked Oregon State team, as well as Arizona, and a Southern Cal team led by defending Heisman Trophy-winner Caleb Williams, although the Trojans’ defense was about as impressive as the proverbial screen door on a submarine.
But with Alabama and Georgia still to meet in the Southeastern Conference title game, Texas currently beating Oklahoma State in the Big 12 Championship at AT&T Stadium in the Dallas Metroplex area, Michigan to face Iowa in the Big Ten Conference Championship at Indianapolis and Florida State set to play Louisville Saturday night in Charlotte, there’s too much left to play to definitely put someone in the playoff.
Still, Washington quarterback Michael Penix threw for 319 yards and a touchdown in the win over the Ducks, who have two losses this year, both of them to Washington.
Oregon was a near-10-point favorite in the game.
Oregon quarterback Bo Nix threw for 239 yards and three touchdowns, and ran for 69 yards.
