Summary of College Football Playoff Rankings, Ohio State, Texas, USC-Oregon Pick

Overview of College Football Playoff Rankings, Ohio State, Texas, USC–Oregon Pick

This episode (iHeartPodcasts / The Volume) is a wide-ranging college football conversation about the latest CFP rankings, key upcoming matchups (notably USC–Oregon and Texas–A&M), program trajectories (Ohio State, USC, Oklahoma, Texas, Oregon), and how NIL/realignment/transfer-portal dynamics are reshaping who can compete for national titles. The hosts debate matchup vulnerabilities, coaching hires, recruiting/market advantages, and what the committee might reward heading into Championship Week.

Key topics covered

• Current CFP ranking debates and how selection criteria may be applied (conference champs, strength of schedule, two-loss teams).
• USC vs Oregon: matchup analysis and a concrete game projection.
• Ohio State’s defense: why it still looks elite despite heavy personnel turnover and coordinator changes.
• Texas and the SEC: recent rankings, the implications of a big win over Texas A&M, and where Texas sits nationally.
• Conference realignment, NIL money, and the impact of market/donor differences (L.A., Miami, Baton Rouge, College Station).
• Oklahoma’s surprising fit in the SEC and Brent Venables’ early success.
• How “off‑script” quarterbacks and tempo can beat elite defenses (examples: Manziel, Cam, Josh Allen, Trevor Lawrence/Deshaun Watson).
• Broader implications for the playoff field and the future of conference championships.

Main takeaways

• Oregon is favored vs USC and the hosts think it’s a very bad matchup for USC: prediction ~ Oregon 33–21 (or Oregon wins by ~2 scores).
• Ohio State’s defense remains elite despite losing key pieces and its coordinator — largely credited to a strong staff hire (Matt Patricia) and the program’s ability to acquire top talent.
• The surest way to beat elite college defenses is (1) an off‑script playmaker/quarterback who can create explosiveness, and/or (2) dictate tempo and a late lead that forces the opponent to take risks.
• Conference realignment + NIL + media deals have created clear competitive advantages for programs that (a) buy top talent, and (b) secure staffing that reflects desired identity. This is reshuffling the “Mount Rushmore” of college football jobs.
• Los Angeles (USC) faces unique challenges: enormous market distractions, higher cost of living for staff, and a splintered donor base — all make building a sustainably dominant college program in L.A. harder than in traditional football towns.
• Oklahoma’s rapid adaptation to the SEC has been underestimated; the hire of Venables and the modern recruiting/NIL environment reduced historical geographic limits.
• The CFP committee may face messy decisions: whether to reward conference champions unconditionally, how to treat two-loss teams, and whether scheduling/bragging rights are being honored in ranking decisions.

Team-by-team highlights

Ohio State

• Defense is shockingly strong despite loss of front-seven players and coordinator. Staffing and recruiting (ability to buy top prospects) are cited as key reasons.
• To beat Ohio State, teams will likely need near-perfect, creative offenses or off-script quarterbacks who create plays outside structure.

USC vs Oregon

• USC viewed as a “terrible matchup” for what Oregon does: Oregon's run game and physicality expected to stress USC’s young O-line.
• USC’s roster depth, receiver/tight-end talent and marketplace distractions in L.A. reduce its margin for error.
• Pick: Oregon by ~2 scores (example score given: 33–21).

Texas / Texas A&M

• Texas dropped in AP rankings and the committee; a decisive win over A&M would create a strong argument for the Longhorns in CFP conversation.
• The hosts note the broader SEC scheduling implications (additional conference games raise strength-of-schedule but also potential for more losses).

Oklahoma

• Surprising success in the SEC; plays and looks like a traditional SEC team. Venables’ culture/identity fits and helped with transition.

Pac-12 & realignment

• Pac-12 issues were predicted: lack of aggregated money, USC/other power programs had incentives to seek other avenues. Conference collapse and redistribution of TV money was discussed as inevitable pre-modern NIL era.

Notable quotes / soundbites

• “If Oregon ... wins 33–21 or wins by two touchdowns.” (game projection)
• “USC is not Ohio State in this new world.” (on USC’s structural disadvantages)
• “If your champion does not secure a first-round bye you have essentially invalidated the entire existence of conference championships.” (on CFP legitimacy & conference titles)
• “The windows to complete passes are Sunday windows.” (on Ohio State’s defensive quality)
• “The way to beat great defensive teams in college: off-script playmakers and forcing them to take risks because you’re leading late.”

What to watch next (actionable highlights)

• USC vs Oregon (stylistic matchup test for USC; likely to change or reinforce narratives).
• Texas vs Texas A&M — big implications for CFP inclusion and perception of the Longhorns.
• SEC Championship outcome (Alabama/Others): could determine who gets a top-four spot and test committee’s valuation of conference titles.
• Ohio State’s remaining games — watch for whether their dominance persists against different offensive styles (pocket QB vs off-script).
• Any remaining marquee matchups involving two-loss teams and Group of Five bubble teams (will fuel Selection Sunday controversy).

Bottom line

This episode frames college football as in the middle of structural transformation: talent acquisition and NIL/TV money are changing who can sustain elite programs, while coaching hires and cultural identity remain decisive. Short-term: Oregon looks favored over USC; Ohio State remains the team to beat defensively; and the committee faces thorny evaluation choices as conference realignment and scheduling create more headline-grabbing matchups late in the season.