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Six B1G programs without back-to-back road games: Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, Oregon, Penn St, Purdue Win some, lose some, when it comes to scheduling these days.

It's the result of the college football schedule and only one bye this season. Duke plays 8 straight ACC opponents after a bye. Georgia Tech plays 7 then Georgia for No. 8 - gulp. In the Big12, Kansas plays 9 after its bye: Middle Tenn, then 8 straight Big12 opponents. That's just a couple examples. It's happening in more than just the Big Ten.

Ah, remember last year when Deion Sanders proposed that spring practices allow a "controlled scrimmage" with an opponent. Syracuse's Fran Brown said he would be up for it. Then the NCAA awoke from slumber and said no-can-do. Aside from all the logistics of coordinated dates for spring practices, paying for a team to travel, etc., that would fuel the juices of fans a bit. I wonder, in the never ending search for $$$ from attendance, TV, if that rule may be revisited at some point? On the other hand, seems like spring game formats are becoming unpopular with head coaches who just have a final "practice" instead of inviting fans to a scrimmage. And, seems a distant memory now, but prior to the 2020 COVID season, the Big Ten at one time proposed playing the 2020 season in Spring of 2021. Really. Ultimately the B1G played conference games only starting October 24. The Pac12 ultimately decided to play some football starting November 7 with a shortened number of conference opponents.

UCLA plays 8 straight games without a bye, but G6 Mountain West's Nevada is one of the eight. The Bruins do not play 8 Power 4 opponents in a row without a break. Northwestern plays 11 straight games, but the Wildcats play 7, not 8, B1G games in a row. OBD is the only Big Ten team playing 8 Big Ten teams in a row.

UCLA plays eight straight without a break as well.

This season Northwestern plays 11 after a bye. Oregon and UCLA both have the same bye date and play 8 games after the bye. Though, one of UCLA's 8 is a home game vs Nevada. Oregon and UCLA will have 5 at home, and 3 on the road. It could have been 7 if the B1G had scheduled UO and UCLA to play a week earlier while moving the bye date a week later. But, apparently was trying to avoid UCLA having back-to-back road games. Teams with back-to-back road games that involve flying over time zones, but all have a bye in between like UCLA: UCLA: Maryland, bye, Oregon Iowa: Washington, bye, Minnesota Michigan St: UCLA, bye, Michigan Ohio St: Indiana, bye, USC USC: Penn St, bye, Wisconsin Washington: Purdue, bye, Nebraska Teams with back-to-back road games and without a bye, but without flying more than one time zones: Indiana: Rutgers, Nebraska Maryland: Nebraska, Ohio State Nebraska: Illinois, Rutgers Northwestern: Ohio St, Minnesota Rutgers: Maryland, Northwestern Wisconsin: Maryland, Purdue Six programs without back-to-back road games: Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, Oregon, Penn St, Purdue

While it’s not the real thing, any time I just need a Duck hit, my go to is the 5 minute ‘More Than A Feeling’ video of the 2008 C*v*l War game at Reser. Brightens my day every time.

The first play of the Indiana game is a perfect example of this. Everyone in the stadium knew it would be a short pass, probably a quick out and the Indiana corner sat on that. result pick six. We need more than nickel and diming to beat good teams like Indiana. As for next year, the players are certainly there to compete for the NC. Running back, receiver, tight end rooms are big time talented. The O line will be strong, how strong? Defensively it looks like we will be solid at every position, and great at some. How will other teams also try to improve, what will the schedule look like (is that out now?)? Ah found it. Big 10 schedule is not kind, at USC, at Illinois, at Ohio St. at Michigan St. Still, all of these games are winnable and we only lost to Indiana this past year and we are not playing them. Will we be more aggressive on offense? Will we figure out some of the pass rush packages that drove us crazy in some games? 11-1, 8-1 conference, in conference championship game and play offs. A bye in playoffs if we win the Conference Championship game. In the playoffs anything can happen, including the Ducks winning it all. Here's hoping.

Its the cost of doing business for a better overall payout, if you reside on the west coast. Oregon, UW, UCLA, and the Spoiled Chillblains all are financially better off than any other former or "current" PAC teams since the big break up.

Sounds like Oregon a year or so ago.

More on Molden Top Oregon Recruit Makes Announcement With Ducks, Texas, Ohio State

CBS Sports' list of the 2026 B1G football schedules. https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/news/2026-big-ten-football-schedule-games-dates-as-indiana-ohio-state-championship-rematch/

Another "win" is that only 4 teams repeated in the 12 team format. Ducks, OSU, Indy and Georgia. Keep the string going. Absent injuries, is 4 out of every 5 years in the playoffs success? Asking for a Buffalo Bill fan.

Michigan site - Maize and Brew 😁predicts the Wolverines going 9-3 in 2026 with losses to Indiana, OBD, and Ohio State 🤬 I do hope the Wolverines take down Oklahoma in Ann Arbor in Week 2. Maize n BrewWay-too-early game-by-game predictions for 2026 Michigan...The entire 2026 Michigan Football schedule has finally been released, and we made some way-too-early predictions for each game on the schedule:

Holy cow. Is this real? Is Oregon hoops at their lowest point in 20 years?

Here on the Eastern Shore of Maryland, 6 inches of snow, then two inches of sleet, then an inch of freezing rain. You can't walk on top of the snow, too slippery, hard to clear sidewalks, driveways and get cars out. We're hunkered down safe and warm inside though (not wanting to see our next electric bill). Other than that, a nice unexpected vacation.

How about a new regulation that inspectors who fail to be on site within 24 hours of the completed work are to be used as tackling dummies on the opening day of fall practice? Might hurry things up.

Withdrawals from football means a couple Cactus League games, coupled with golf next month. I will then pay attention to spring football practices, and follow that with a fly fishing trip to Cabo for some Rooster fish in May. Anybody here that enjoys fly fishing, I recommend going after Roosters at least once. Nice weather, and they are a fierce fish to land on a fly rod. I use Baja Anglers out of Cabo for fly fishing, and have quality rods available if you don’t want to hassle with taking your own gear. Not a paid advertisement for them, but Cabo does have a small casino downtown, a sports book on site is doubtful, and overall seems pretty shady. Not highly recommended. Just as August rolls around I will be restless for the football season to begin with high hopes for the season.

I am going to pack the camper and head to Arizona for 6 weeks, the heck with basketball.

11-1 - PO - 3 and 0, or 2 and 0 with a PO bye. Champ game in Las Vegas on 1/25/27. With tens of thousands of Oregon fans in Allegiant Stadium. Here's hoping that OBD fans will not want the last game of the season to stay in Vegas. Tough schedule, but a lot of talent on this Oregon team. Please, football gods, allow OBD to have all hands on deck for this season's B1Ggest and PO games. On3Way-Too-Early 2026 All-America football teamWith the 2025 season over, On3 looks towards the 2026 college football season. This week we bring you the Way-Too-Early All-America team.

Around 20 years ago, I had to travel to Minneapolis on business, in the immediate aftermath of a huge winter storm. The day I stepped off the plane, there was a wind chill factor of more than 25 below zero. Parking lots in the area had mostly been plowed, but the piles of snow were higher than the car I rented. 3 days into my stay, I had to cross into Wisconsin, along the banks of the upper Mississippi, which was frozen to the point people were racing 4×4 pickups on the ice. I'm happy living in the Willamette Valley!

The Games You Remember are Played in November. I don't know if there will be snow on the ground in Columbus or East Lansing, but OBD has tough sledding in November. Oregon Ducks On SIToughest Three Game Stretch of Oregon Ducks Football Sche...The Oregon Ducks’ 2026 schedule is out, featuring a mix of marquee matchups and highly winnable home games at Autzen Stadium. Under coach Dan Lanning, Oregon ha

I used to find some relief from the pigskin withdrawal season by watching Dana's boys fight their way into the Pac 12 Tournament Championship game and at least win a game or two in the Big Dance. Alas, in what seems like Dana's last season with OBD cagers, not even that tepid form of relief is available. Guess I'll have to dig out the clubs and start working on my golf swing. Spring is just around the corner, ain't it?

Thanks Darren, they have definitely kicked in. I read your article and then went to the gym where I was promptly asked, hey Frank, when does spring football start in Eugene? I had no idea but when I got home, I used Google Gemini to find out the following: These dates have not been announced yet for the start of practice and the date of the spring game.