Joel Klatt Rips Selection Committee: 'Horrendous Job' With Oregon Ducks Playoff Path

The Oregon Ducks locked up the No. 1 overall seed in the College Football Playoff, but their path could include the Ohio State Buckeyes, Texas Longhorns, and Georgia Bulldogs. College football analyst Joel Klatt ripped the selection committee for Oregon's difficult matchups as the top seed.

Fox Sports announcer Joel Klatt walks across the field prior to the NCAA football game between the Ohio State Buckeyes and the Indiana Hoosiers at Ohio Stadium in Columbus on Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024. / Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The final College Football Playoff rankings and bracket were released on Sunday morning after the Oregon Ducks beat the Penn State Nittany Lions 45-37 for the Big Ten Championship on Saturday night. FOX Sports college football analyst Joel Klatt weighed in, immediately criticizing the tournament's seeding and Oregon's road to the championship as the No. 1 seed.

Despite winning the Big Ten, does Oregon have a more difficult path to a championship than Penn State?

Joel Klatt Shows Displeasure With Playoff Committee 

What a horrendous job this committee did...The team that was penalized the most was @oregonfootball and the team that was rewarded the most was @PennStateFball...I guess the Ducks should have laid down in the 4th...Just atrocious

— Joel Klatt (@joelklatt) December 8, 2024

The College football Playoff committee released their final rankings on Sunday morning. Following their win over Penn State to cap off a 13-0 season, the Ducks were ranked No. 1. Penn State dropped down to No. 6, but Klatt thinks the Nittany Lions got the better draw. 

Oregon earned a first-round bye and will now take on the winner of the No. 8-seeded Ohio State Buckeyes and the No. 9-seeded Tennessee Volunteers. However, in the rankings, Ohio State is No. 6 and Tennessee is No. 7. Penn State on the other hand won’t have a bye, but will have some favorable matchups on their path to the semi-finals. 

Penn State’s path to the semi-finals would consist of beating the No. 11 SMU Mustangs at home and the Boise State Broncos at a neutral site in the quarterfinals. Boise State is the No. 3 seed, but is ranked as the No. 9 team in the country.

If Oregon wins the Rose Bowl, they will likely face the Texas Longhorns, ranked No. 3 by the CFP in the Cotton Bowl, in Dallas, Texas. However, Texas will have to get past Clemson and Arizona State if the Longhorns want to make it to the semifinal round.

The Ducks do have the advantage of not having to play the extra game, but it is interesting that they will no matter what be playing a team with a higher rank than any of the opponents Penn State would have on their path to the semi-finals. 

Ducks Await Ohio State vs. Tennessee Winner in Rose Bowl

Dec 7, 2024; Indianapolis, IN, USA; The Oregon Ducks celebrate defeating the Penn State Nittany Lions to win the Big Ten Championship in the 2024 Big Ten Championship game at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Goddin-Imagn Images / Robert Goddin-Imagn Images

The Oregon Ducks will take on the winner of Tennessee at Ohio State at the Rose Bowl on January 1st. The Volunteers and Buckeyes will be playing in the first round of the College Football Playoff on December 21st. 

As for the format of the playoff, is it unfair to the No. 1 seed? It might be flawed with the matchups that the No. 1 seed gets, but having a week off is very valuable. In a one -game playoff, not only can a few plays cost a team it’s season, it also presents the possibility for more injuries. 

The Ducks will be fresh and ready to go on New Year’s Day for whoever they end up facing.  

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