Robert Griffin III believes both Oregon and Washington belong in the College Football Playoff.

And that’s in spite of the fact the Ducks lost the Pac-12 Championship Game to the Huskies, 34-31, Friday night in Las Vegas. Griffin tweeted during the game that “if we are being real,” both teams deserve to be in the CFP.

The argument of “most deserving” vs. “best” has been raging ever since the Playoff began. It was one of the by-products of a four-team Playoff in a sport with five Power conferences.

But while the conversation is often dominated by debates about which teams are the “best,” the committee has never really gone that route. The semifinal games have featured numerous blowouts over the years because the leaders selecting the field have frequently rewarded those teams they felt were most deserving.

Florida State was obliterated in 2014. Michigan State was shut out in 2015. Cincinnati was handled in 2021. But all of them made the CFP because they won every game.

No team has ever made the CFP with two losses. If Oregon is to be the first, it would need a massive amount of help on Saturday to get there.

Alabama would need to get blown off the field by Georgia for its second loss. The same would need to happen to Texas in the Big 12 Championship. Florida State would need to lose in the ACC Championship Game. And even then, the Seminoles and Ohio State Buckeyes would be sitting with one loss each.

The Playoff field will be revealed on Sunday.