All Activity

Here's "a Chuck"

Posted by Jon Joseph: Below is my response to an article by Jon Wilner of the Wilner Hotline, I’m disagreeing with only one side of the 11-5 format being told and making the B1G the Playoff format bad guy. Every CFB metric, including the number of folks tuning in, supports the B1G and the SEC having at least 4 teams each in the PO field. Viewers equal dollars at a time when CFB desperately needs dollars. Why trust a committee that had Boise State ranked as the ninth-best team in the country? Would Boise have defeated the 3-loss Illinois, Bama, Ole Miss, and South Carolina teams? Compared to these four teams, Boise had a weak strength-of-schedule. There was no explanation from the committee as to why Boise's SOS was ignored. Since the inception of One True Champion, the BCS, no team without a Blue Chip Roster has won a title. The B12 has no Blue Chip teams. The ACC has two Blue Chip teams, Clemson and Miami, and sometimes a third in FSU. The ACC, in particular, with eight conference games, and the B12 do not have an in-conference strength of schedule close to the SEC and the B1G. The CBB committee, with its disclosed and followed metrics, would publicly deal with this. The football committee decides its rankings sub rosa. If the ACC wants 3 teams in, stop enabling Notre Dame's independence. And play 9 conference games. Many 9 conference game B1G teams plan 10 P4 games, so don't try to justify 8 conference games because Louisville plays Kentucky, or because you're propping up Notre Dame. The B1G has indicated that it would consider the 5-11 format IF the SEC plays 9 conference games. An entirely reasonable request, no? If you believe Sankey and the SEC ADs weren't aware that the SEC would have had 6 teams in a 16-team 2024-25 PO field before being so informed by SEC coaches in Destin, Florida, don't get hurt falling off the pumpkin wagon. The Advisory Committee was a phony detente move by Sankey, who will be hailed as a hero if he goes 11-5, notwithstanding staying at 8 conference games. Sports journalists can't see through Sankey's ploy? They need Petitti to speak up and tear down the SEC's newfound interest in 11-5? So much for impartial journalism. And Jon, to the best of my knowledge, the NFL does not invite UFL teams to its PO. Add Notre Dame, Clemson, ASU, CU, FSU, and perhaps a couple of others to the Power 2, and what program outside of this group could win a PO? This is not CBB, where mid-majors can make tournament noise and win four games in a row on the way to a CFB title. The ACC and the B12 readily accepted media money. The media marketplace has decided on two winners, the SEC and the B1G. Harsh, but thus goes capitalism. From the B1G's POV, take a look at the SEC cheerleader, ESPN's FPI top 25. Only 81.25% of the SEC is ranked in the top 25. If I'm Tony Petitti, here's my Exhibit A(uburn.) Thanks for the great coverage of CFB, but as a Ducks fan, I prefer Petitti to follow the advice attributed to Teddy Roosevelt: Speak softly and carry a B1G stick. I never want to see Tony doing the Sesame Street act Sankey went with in 2023-24 when lobbying for Bama to be in instead of FSU. Sankey won the argument. Tony should roll over for the 11-5 model without the SEC playing a 9th conference game? I hope you are willing, without supporting the position, to explain what you believe to be the B1G's reasons for four automatic qualifiers. KEY TAKEAWAYS * Big Ten commissioner Tony Petitti remains silent on his controversial playoff proposal. * The 4-4-2-2-1 model gives Big Ten and SEC four automatic bids. * Critics demand transparency, comparing Petitti's silence to other commissioners' open discussions. College Football Playoff controversy: Time for Big Ten commissioner to explain his radical proposal WWW.KSL.COM As the College Football Playoff world debates proposed formats for 2026 and beyond, the architect of what many consider the nuclear option has remained deafeningly silent.

30, don't forget Michigan's 2nd win over Bama in 2024. 4-loss Michigan, with many of its best guys sitting the game out in anticipation of being drafted, backed up the Rose Bowl win, beating an all-hands-on-deck Bama team in the Reliaquest Bowl. But Bama belonged in the PO, right?

So you and everyone knows…I am not a “Chuck,”

I’m with you Chuck on Malek. I was not impressed with his body language in the spring game. I’m sure it was just a bad day or he was not settled into the offense as good as we hoped I’m not ready to loose my mind over Evan’s injury as we have a ton of talent in that room. Although I feel sick to my stomach for Stewart’s season, I know he was working his but off to prove he is that guy. Very sad turn of events for the young man. Hope he makes a full recovery.

Tough break for Mr. Stewart. On the brighter side, Dillon Gresham looked good in the spring game. The word of mouth on Perry is also encouraging. One question for the cognoscenti.... We used to speak of split ends, flankers and slot guys. Now they use a confusing alphabet soup, which I cannot keep straight. My understanding is that the receiver on the line of scrimmage must be strong or large enough to deal with press coverage, if he is not so fast as to render it impractical. I am not sure who would be best suited for this among the current crop. I thought Lowe and Bryant were slot guys; Moore is not big; Kasper is tall and seems to get open, but does not seem to have reliable hands; Jurrion may not have recovered his burst after the injury. Two tight formations ends might alleviate this.

Don't let fact and reality get in the way of the SEC blather. I didn't see this, but Alabama could have exclaimed that "Yeah, Vandy & Okie beat us...but they're in the SEC, and that's why we should only play a 8 game schedule!"

Bret Bielema has some B1G beefs. Not highlighted here, but he recently LOL at the SEC beating its 8-game drum. What's behind the beef? Origins of Bret Bielema's social media bluster, and how it shapes culture at Illinois - CBSSports.com WWW.CBSSPORTS.COM The Illinois coach isn't afraid to speak his mind on social media -- and his players love him for it 'I don't want to get Cocky, but I believe our overlooked 3-loss team beat a 3-loss SEC team that was screwed out of a PO spot?'

And Yoda:

Sabrina!

Boy...what a blow to this year, and to the stacking of the classes. A ton of talent in the WR room, but mostly inexperienced, not what you want when it is late in the game and 3rd and 9 at Penn State. I cannot put my finger on it, (besides the big drop in the Spring Game) but I do not have a good vibe about the transfer Malik Benson.

This is very true! Trying to keep up with all this is numbing. Very glad that OBD is a Have and I've never wanted a season to start more than 2025.

It is becoming more difficult for casual fans to root for their teams when they have no chance to compete in the NIL arena. Honestly, I feel that we are lucky that Oregon has a current seat at the table. Having legislators rescue college football…hmmm…no comment, since I risk being banned from the website.

Downtown Sabs. On Thursday night against the Mystics, Ionescu rewrote the WNBA history books yet again. She did so in the first quarter of the game by hitting a wide-open corner three on a fastbreak play. The Liberty announced on social media that with that trey, Ionescu has now become the all-time leader in franchise three-pointers with 401 triples to her name. - Yahoo Sports

There is “more” in the QB room than Moore. Let the dogs out early to see them run.

Sports tests physical and mental limits. How frustrating to work out all year, play good ball during the season, and then get derailed in the off season by a serious injury. One of those “ agony of defeat” personal moments. The Ducks will miss him, and I wish him well during his rehab from this injury.

Sadiq and Dakorien Moore look to be the primary targets. I think Sadiq was already trending that way without the injury; but we'll get to see that Moore-Moore connection early and often this year!

It's a loss, but Ross Douglas turned water into wine at Syracuse. He can idenitify and maximize the talent we've got available.

All Day with a B1G 10-4. (I'm Shocked! ) Ohio State coach Ryan Day supports a College Football Playoff with 'at least' 4 bids guaranteed for Big Ten SPORTS.YAHOO.COM SEC coaches have pushed back against a format that would guarantee four spots for both the Big Ten and SEC and leave just three available at-large berths.

CBS Sports take on the injury. What Evan Stewart injury means for Oregon: Five-star freshman among players in spotlight expected to step up - CBSSports.com WWW.CBSSPORTS.COM Dan Lanning has depth-chart adjustments to make after the Ducks' top-returning weapon went down with injury

What Evan Stewart’s injury means for Oregon Football in 2025 DUCKSWIRE.USATODAY.COM The Oregon Ducks got a tough injury blow with wide receiver Evan Stewart, so what does it... This is very unfortunate news for OBD. There is a lot of depth in the WR room that will now need to step up.

Get On The Bus! Nicolas Cage as John Madden, Christian Bale as Al Davis Seen in New Movie Set Photos BLEACHERREPORT.COM Football fans got a fresh look at Nicolas Cage and Christian Bale in their roles as John Madden and Al Davis, respectively.

FPI ranking of Ducks 2025 opponents, FWIW Ranking Oregon Ducks’ 2025 opponents from easiest to toughest, per ESPN FPI DUCKSWIRE.USATODAY.COM A look at where the opponents on the Oregon Ducks' 2025 schedule land on ESPN's updated Football Power Index. You rank 13 SEC teams (81.25% of the conference) in your top 25, and ipso facto, SEC teams have the most difficult preseason schedules.

Jon, as always you give us a good take-to-debate! I don't know about University of Minnesota being one of the top 32, as I'd imagine that Miami would want to be "in" and connected to the Dolphins. We might end up with quite a few matchups that are not geographically close to each other, although I like the matchup you have for Our Beloved Ducks. Arik Armstead, No. 91 for the 49ers...

30, I agree, cut to the chase! I thought what seemed to be a detente between the B1G and the SEC, and between Fox and Disney/ESPN, with the formation of the Venu streaming service, would move things along to the formation of a Super Conference. B1G, you add teams X and Notre Dame. SEC, you add Clemson, UNC, and X, X. Now, the B1G and the SEC do not seem to be on the same page when it comes to a new PO format. Looks like the same old parochial, our 8 conference games are much more difficult than your 9 conference games, intransigence from the SEC. If you can't agree on how many conference games will be played, well, good luck on agreeing to anything else. In one form or another, further consolidation of CFB and likely, Men's CBB is coming. But it looks like there will be more bumps on the road, and in state houses and courtrooms, before we see CFB and CBB super conferences.