Pete Thamel, Rece Davis assess where Oregon, Washington stack up as national contenders

Oregon and Washington played an incredible, classic edition of their rivalry this past weekend in Seattle. While the Huskies came out on top, ESPN’s Rece Davis and Pete Thamel left that game believing that both squads proved that they were good enough to win the College Football Playoff.

Davis and Thamel praised both the Ducks and Huskies on the ‘College GameDay Podcast’ on Monday. Davis started by saying he thinks both Oregon and Washington are as good as anyone. To him, either can make the playoff or win the national title in the end.

“I left there feeling like we were seeing two teams that were not only College Football Playoff worthy but, I’m not saying they’re the best definitely, could win the national championship – both of them,” said Davis. “That’s not to take anything away from Georgia, Michigan, Florida State. Anybody I might have ranked up there in that tier with them, Oklahoma. But they could win it.”

“I really believe that you have a couple of teams in that game that aren’t going to lose again, unless they lose to each other – again, I don’t think – that can end up in the playoff, and can win it all, Davis said.

Then, Thamel went more team by team and started with Washington. In his eyes, the Huskies are a clear contender because they have the best quarterback of anyone in the race. Mix in the rest of their pro talent and he doesn’t see how Kalen DeBoer’s team isn’t right in the thick of the championship conversation.

“When you go through the contenders – Georgia, Michigan, Ohio State, Florida State, Washington, Oregon, Penn State? We’ll leave Texas in there too? I mean none have a better quarterback (than the Huskies). J.J. McCarthy is really good. I don’t think he’s as good of a college player as Michael Penix,” said Thamel. “Drake Maye is a better prospect but I don’t think Carolina is a better team.”

“When you have an offense that can stretch the field? You have the best or the second best receiving corps in the country? And you have Michael Penix? An old dude who can just flat-out throw it down the field to guys who can catch it? I just think that that’s a recipe,” Thamel said. “I had a scout tell me in the press box that he thinks 10 guys get drafted off this Washington team. Double-digit talent means you’re a playoff team, traditionally when you peek back through draft days and such.”

Still, when it comes to Oregon, Thamel knows a loss doesn’t discredit them either considering the fashion in which it came.

“Look, Oregon, every bit, could have won that game in six different ways,” said Thamel. “They have a ton of really good, young talent too.”

There’s no doubt that, as a pair of Top-10 Pac-12 teams, either Oregon or Washington could hoist the trophy in the final year of the four-team playoff. While some might not yet be ready to believe it, Thamel suggests that the doubters get with the picture when it comes to these challengers from out west.

“I think it offends some traditionalist’s sensibilities that there can be that caliber powerhouses in that part of the country. But they’re there and they’re not going anywhere,” Thamel said.