CFB Playoff Week 16 Preview and What These Games Mean for the ‘Noles

PAC-12 Championship Game: #2 Oregon vs. #7 Arizona

Scott Olmos-USA TODAY Sports

Here it is. Oregon’s shot at redeeming its lone blemish from earlier this season in which it lost 31-24 at home vs. then unranked Arizona (which was a three touchdown underdog). In that game the committee and Duck fans will argue “the Ducks were without their starting left tackle, and the O-line was banged up, that’s why Oregon lost.” The difference is, great teams find a way to win those games. Oregon did not do that. Heisman front-runner Marcus Mariota posted a 53.1 raw QBR in that game, which was, by far, his worst of the year, with his second worst raw QBR coming in at 80.3 vs. Michigan State on September 6th.

This Ducks squad has proven they live and die by their QB, and that will ultimately be the difference Friday night vs. the Wildcats. Arizona QB Anu Solomon posted an above average QBR of 63.1 (Solomon’s average is 60.3) vs. the Ducks earlier this season. He will have to be at his best if the Wildcats are going to beat Oregon for the second time this season.

If Arizona can run the ball effectively, thus keeping Mariota off the field, and hold a lead going into the 4th quarter, it can win this game. I know Arizona can pull this upset and ruin Oregon’s chances at a playoff birth, and I’m going to predict it as well. Down go the Ducks, again.

Arizona- 38 Oregon- 34

What does this mean for the ‘Noles? Well Florida State might move up to the #2 or #3 spot if this happens, but the committee never fails to prove me wrong, so I would expect Florida State to either stay at #4 behind Alabama, TCU, and Ohio State/Baylor just so the committee (and ESPN) can have its dream first-round match up between Florida State and Alabama.