Oregon’s Marcus Mariota hasn’t decided about future

Quarterback Marcus Mariota said after Oregon’s loss to Ohio State in the title game Monday night that he has not decided about his future.

Mariota, a fourth-year junior, is eligible to declare for the National Football League draft.

Mariota said he will meet with his family and make a decision soon.

He said wanting to come back to avenge Monday’s loss could affect his decision.

“I’m sure it will weigh in a little bit,” he said. “But there are a lot of other things that could bring me back, not specifically the loss.”

Last vote

Texas Christian Coach Gary Patterson, who may have the biggest gripe about the new four-team playoff, will get one last chance to express his opinion.

Patterson is a voter in this year’s USA Today coaches’ poll and will cast his final ballot.

Texas Christian didn’t get into the playoff, dropping from No. 3 to No. 6 on the final weekend after a 52-point victory over Iowa State.

Where will Patterson rank Texas Christian?

“It depends on how they play,” Patterson said of Oregon and Ohio State. “We’ll see how this game goes Monday … then I’ll turn it in.”

Patterson made his comments at a Saturday reception in Dallas after receiving coach-of-the-year honors from the Football Writers Assn. of America.

Patterson insisted he does his voting in the coaches’ poll.

Patterson said he has not formed an opinion as to whether the playoff needs to be expanded to eight teams.

“Let’s see what the plusses and minuses are of the four teams,” he said.

Elite company

Coach Urban Meyer joined elite company with Ohio State’s victory over Oregon.

Meyer became the eighth college football coach to win three or more national titles.

Alabama’s Bear Bryant leads the pack with five, followed by Notre Dame’s Frank Leahy and Nick Saban with four.

Saban has won three titles at Alabama and one at Louisiana State. USC’s John McKay, Minnesota’s Bernie Bierman and Oklahoma’s Barry Switzer and Bud Wilkinson won three.

Bad Pac ending

Oregon’s loss spoiled what many thought was one of the best season’s in the history of the Pac-12 Conference.

The league ended up a solid 6-3 in the bowls, but many people will only remember how it ended.

The Southeastern Conference ended up leading all conferences with seven victories, even though the league’s five losses were suffered by the five top teams in the SEC West.

Ohio State’s victory gave the Big Ten a bowl record of 6-5, the most in league history. Conference USA, at 4-1, also had a winning bowl record.

Here’s how the other conferences fared: Big 12 (2-5), American Athletic (5-7), Atlantic Coast (5-7), Mountain West (3-4) and Mid-American (2-3).