No. 1 Alabama and No. 4 Ohio State bring to the College Football Playoff a history rich in tradition and championships. No. 3 Florida State has been a consistent power in the sport for nearly all of the Past 30 years. The three programs bring to the inaugural four-team format a stamp of legitimacy.
But for No. 2 Oregon, the reverse is true. The playoff serves as proof the Ducks have signed a long-term lease in the sport's penthouse.
The power of a program transcends a coach. It transcends a player or a class of recruits. Therein lies the first illustration that Oregon football has arrived.
