Effect That 24-Team Playoff Would Have Had on Previous Oregon Teams

The Oregon Ducks could have benefited greatly from an expanded College Football Playoff in the past.

Nov 30, 2019; Eugene, OR, USA; Oregon Ducks quarterback Justin Herbert (10) waits in a tunnel during senior day introductions before a game against the Oregon State Beavers at Autzen Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images | Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images

The College Football Playoff has been gaining momentum for 24 teams. The playoff went from four teams to 12 teams for the 2024 season and the field could double in the near future. 

How would this have affected the Oregon Ducks if it was implemented in the original College Football Playoff back in 2014?

College Football Changes

Dec 31, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Oregon Ducks head coach Dan Lanning during the Rose Bowl head coaches press conference at Sheraton Grand LA. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

College football made a massive change of how they would crown a champion when they shifted from the BCS to the College Football Playoff. Starting in the 2014 season, college football adopted the four-team playoff to determine the national champion. 

This format made it so the top four teams in the final rankings would play in a single elimination four-team bracket with No. 1 playing No. 4 in one semifinal and No. 2 playing No. 3 in the other semifinal. The two winners would advance to the National Championship game. 

In the first year of this format, Oregon earned the No. 2 ranking and played No. 3 ranked Florida State in the first ever playoff semifinal game. Oregon won this game at the Rose Bowl and advanced to the title game. They played the No. 4 Ohio State Buckeyes after their upset win over the No. 1 ranked Alabama Crimson Tide. Ohio State would go on to beat Oregon in the national title game.

Oregon Ducks head coach Dan Lanning and Ohio State Buckeyes head coach Ryan Day shake hands after standing with the Leishman Trophy during a Rose Bowl press conference in Los Angeles on Dec. 31, 2024. | Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

If instead of this format being four teams and started as 24 teams, Oregon would have made the playoff eight times dating back to 2014.

This would be tied for the seventh most in this time period with the Utah Utes. The Alabama Crimson Tide and Ohio State Buckeyes would be tied for the most with12 playoff appearnces.

In a 24-team field, former Oregon star quarterbacks Justin Herbert and Bo Nix would have each played in the playoff. Herbert and Nix wound up just short of making the playoff in their final seasons with the Ducks.

In Herbert's last season with Oregon in 2019, the Ducks won the Pac-12 conference championship and earned a spot in the Rose Bowl. Their two losses in the regular season were too much to overcome and they just missed the top four.

In Bo Nix's final season with Oregon in 2023, Oregon was in a pseudo win-and-get-in game against the rival Washington Huskies in the Pac-12 Championship. Washington beat Oregon and the Ducks narrowly missed out on the playoff again.

Dec 31, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Oregon Ducks head coach Dan Lanning poses with the Leishman Trophy during the Rose Bowl head coaches press conference at Sheraton Grand LA. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The past two seasons in the 12-team format, Oregon has been able to make it in. The Ducks were the No. 1 ranked team in 2024 and the No. 5 ranked team in 2025. Overall, they have made the playoff three times and will be looking to make it a fourth in 2026.

However, there are higher goals now in Eugene. The Ducks are still chasing their first national championship in program history. With a team expected to compete for a title in 2026, will this be the year they finally get it done?

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