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Oregon Ducks Determined National Champions By Famed Ranked System: Internet Goes Viral

Considered a determiner for NCAA National Champions, the Wolfe Ranking system designated the Oregon Ducks as the No. 1 team in the nation after Ohio State beat Notre Dame to win the College Football Playoffs. The internet has gone viral with Oregon named National Champions.
Ally Osborne|
Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Jeremiah Smith (4) celebrates a first down catch during the second half of the College Football Playoff quarterfinal against the Oregon Ducks at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif. on Jan. 1, 2025. Ohio State won 41-21.
Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Jeremiah Smith (4) celebrates a first down catch during the second half of the College Football Playoff quarterfinal against the Oregon Ducks at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif. on Jan. 1, 2025. Ohio State won 41-21. | Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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Oregon DucksOhio State BuckeyesNotre Dame Fighting Irish

Is the 2024 - 2025 Oregon Ducks football team the first squad in program history to be determined as the national champions? Yes, or more aptly, that depends on which poll you consult.

In the final numbers of the Wolfe Rating system, one of the six selectors for the NCAA National Champion Major Selections, determined that Oregon is the No. 1 team in the nation, with a final ranking of 9.598.

The true College Football Playoff National Champions, the Ohio State Buckeyes, were ranked No. 2 by the Wolfe Ratings with a 9.330 final score. National champion runner up, the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, finished No. 3 with 8.655.

So, why are some Oregon fans celebrating this news when the gold and silver National Championship trophy is clearly in the hands of the Buckeyes? That answer lies with the simple fact that determining an NCAA Football National Champion has become a detailed, yet confusing, art form over the years.

Along with the National Championship game that was played on January 20th where the Buckeyes beat the Fighting Irish 34-23, the NCAA also keeps a record book of statistics. The NCAA uses a number of factors and polls to determine the National Champion. The Wolfe Rating is one of said "selectors" or polls to reference.

Ohio State Buckeyes celebrate their 34-23 win over Notre Dame Fighting Irish to win the College Football Playoff National Cha
Ohio State Buckeyes celebrate their 34-23 win over Notre Dame Fighting Irish to win the College Football Playoff National Championship at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta on January 20, 2025. | Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

"The BCS chose to use computer systems that use only won/loss data (and not scoring margin) to compute ratings," the Wolfe Rating website explains. "We have developed such a system that provides reasonable results.  We rate all varsity teams of four year colleges that can be connected by mutual opponents, taking note of game locations.  Games played against club teams, junior varsity teams, or junior or community college teams aren't counted."

"The method we use is called a maximum likelihood estimate," the Wolfe Rating website continues. "In it, each team i is assigned a rating value πi that is used in predicting the expected result between it and its opponent j, with the likelihood of i beating j given by: πi / (πi+ πj)."

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Does this ranking mean anything in the long run? It means that at least one major source determining the College Football National Champion recognizes Oregon as the No. 1, but it doesn't mean The Oregon Duck should to fly to Columbus to snatch the National Championship trophy from Brutus Buckeye's cold, nutty, hands.

Ohio State won the first ever 12 team College Football Playoffs in history and came back to commandingly beat Oregon in the Rose Bowl after an early season loss. They earned their bragging rights.

In the end, Oregon will be listed as a National Champion by one poll with significant ties to the NCAA, and has a season to be proud of. With their first 13-0 regular season record in program history, a Big Ten Championship title on their first year with a new conference, and wins over Michigan State, Ohio State, Penn State, Washington, and Michigan, there's a lot to celebrate despite a 41-21 loss to the Buckeyes at the Rose Bowl. The Wolfe Rating poll can just be added to the pile of social media accolade discourse.

The internet had some fun with the news.

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Ally Osborne
ALLY OSBORNE

A born and raised Oregonian, Ally Osborne has a passion for sporting events across her home state. She began writing for Oregon Ducks on SI in 2021. Currently a morning talk show host and sports reporter for KOIN 6 and Portland's CW in Portland, Oregon, Ally is engrained in her community. Finding and sharing stories that highlight the unique culture and connectivity sports creates is a part of her DNA. She frequently contributes sports content to KOIN's broadcast and streaming platforms while hosting talk show "Everyday Northwest" and video podcast "Tower Talk Live" every weekday. With Portland being her third-worked television market (second in Oregon), Osborne brings hard-news and feature-reporting experience to compliment her expertise for sports storytelling. Her journalistic endeavors and art creations (many of which are inspired by the Oregon Ducks) can be found on her social media pages. Ally graduated from the University of Oregon's School of Journalism and Communications in 2021 after interning for the Oregon Sports Network with experience working on live sporting broadcasts for ESPN, FOX Sports, the PAC 12 Network, and Runnerspace. 

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