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I was thinking about that 2022 Oregon-Georgia game because, at the time, by typical "roster composition" measures, the teams didn't appear to be miles apart. Georgia was #2 and Oregon was #7. Maybe a belief Cristobal had closed the gap in recruiting and 51 overall blue chips to 68 didn't seem like a huge gap? After the blowout, a deeper dive showed, while Cristobal had improved recruiting, it still wasn't a lot of top 50 recruits. It also wasn't a lot of top 100 recruits. It was more a lot of guys ranked around 150-380 boosting the grade. Georgia in 2022 was a different story. At kickoff: Georgia: Top 50 recruits: 20 Top 100 recruits: 33 Their top 50 guys ranked: #1, #4, #4, #5, #8, #11, #17, #18, #19, #23, #24, #26, #27, #28, #33, #35, #36, #38, #45, and #46. Oregon: Top 50 recruits: 7 Top 100 recruits: 12 Their top 50 guys ranked: #6, #13, #16, #31, #33, #40, and #41 Today, Oregon has 19 top 50 recruits and 27 top 100 recruits (in this new era where stockpiling and stashing talent arguably has become more difficult).

A Fansided look at ESPN's (Mark Schlabagh) Updated Top 25 - Under and Overrated Teams - Where I (FWIW) disagree. FanSidedCollege football rankings: Teams ranked too high, low in...Indiana and Miami both have new quarterbacks. One should inspire more confidence than the other. This is a good read from Alicia de Artola. She does a good job supporting her Over and Underated choices. However, she overlooks schedule strength. Overrated - Where I disagree - No. 6 Indiana - When he arrived at Indiana from Cal, Fernando Mendoza was far from a Heisman-quality QB. He joined a team that was coached up. And he was coached up. Five of Curt Cignetti's last six starting QBs have been All-Conference. Coming in from TCU, Josh Hoover will have better coaching than he had in Fort Worth. (Before Hoover committed to TCU and pre-Cig, Hoover was 'committed' to Indiana.) In 2026, Indinan's roster ranking will improve from last season's championship roster. In its 2026 portal rankings, On3 has Indiana at No. 1, and College Football News ranks the Hoosiers 2026 strength-of-schedule (SOS) at No. 50. A favorable mix. Indiana is odds-on to finish no worse than 10-2 and return to the CFB playoff as the defending champion. Perhaps 10-2 will not be good enough for a No. 6 ranking, but it won't be far off. Both No. 1 Ohio State and 2nd-ranked Oregon play far more difficult schedules this season than Indiana. The talent is there on both the Ducks and Buckeyes rosters, but it won't be an easy road for No. 6 SOS OBD, and NO. 17 SOS Ohio State. (Many sites other than College Football News have Ohio State with a SOS in the top 5.) No. 15 - Penn State's SOS is ranked 51st nationally, and 17th in the B1G. It has a reasonable chance of finishing 10-2 and being in the PO discussion. If PSU stays healthy, I don't believe it will finish too much lower than No. 15. No. 7 Miami's SOS is ranked 59th. Miami has an excellent chance of finishing 12-0 or 11-1. The only game on the schedule where the Canes will not be favored is vs. Notre Dame in South Bend. The Hurricanes lose a lot of talent on both LOS, but quality players are on hand to fill the holes, and other than Notre Dame, no opponent has the personnel to take advantage of the new starters on the O-line and D-line. The first third of the schedule, at Stanford, Florida A+M, at Wake Forest, and Central Michigan, will provide new QB Menseh the opportunity to settle in. Having stud WR Baby J and RB Fletcher back will help the Canes cause. 2026 should see Miami finally winning an ACC championship. I think No. 8 A&M is overrated. Before its loss to Texas, followed by the PO home loss to Miami in 2025, the Aggies had not defeated a team with a winning record. The Aggies No. 3 portal rankings is impressive, but A&M loses loads of talent to the NFL, and the in-conference schedule is more difficult than 2025. Underrated - I agree that No. 20 USC may be underrated. The Trojans will likely finish no worse than 9-3. If this is the record, SC will probably be ranked in the top 15. 10-2 and a spot in the PO is doable, but SC is a young team, with significant loss of talent at WR, a new DC, and plays the 15th most difficult schedule in the country. Notre Dame's schedule is Charmin soft. The Irish have a chance to go 12-0 and finish No. 1. Beat Boise!

Jon...great article, and as always--great research. A B1G Draft indeed!

Thank you, Charles, for another terrific editing job. If all eligible Ducks had declared for the draft, Oregon would have a shot at equaling or surpassing 22 Georgia players drafted in 2022.

Moved from 4;00 PM to 1:30 PM...Damn. That shoots my day... Will Sanford will be on the hill with a 2.60 ERA, and we don't know who he faces, and the choices are: --Hall at 3.83 ERA (Probable) --Gannon at 2.08 ERA --Flinn at 3.33 ERA --Remington at 3.67 ERA The difference in the teams appears to be hitting, as Illinois at 19-16 has only three batters over .300 and Oregon has five, with a bunch knocking on the door... As a side note, Oregon is averaging 7.41 runs per game which is more than enough to win them. It illustrates our problems with pitching, primarily from relievers. We need more Home-Run Huddles...and Pitching

The 2026 NFL Draft kicks off on April 23 and concludes on April 25. The last time Pittsburgh hosted the draft was in December of 1947. (The same year I was drafted onto this mortal coil, but I don’t remember a thing about this draft? But neither does Mel Kiper.) The Pitt Hotel was the site for the 1947 draft. The ... Prepare for a B1G NFL Draft

Who is overrated and who is underrated this spring. On Indiana they think there is a QB downgrade (DUH), a Championship hangover and inevitable transfer misses. College football rankings: Teams ranked too high, low in ESPN's post-spring Top 25

Time to see how well OLine recruiting and development is working. Oregon OL coach A'lique Terry all-in on Ducks young tackles Add Gernorris Wilson back into the mix. Oregon OL Gernorris Wilson 'attacking' rehab after injury in 2025

Another step on the way to a 24-team PO that SEC coaches Kirby Smart and Josh Heupel want to happen. With 8 more in-conference losses coming up in 2026, additional SEC coaches will come on board.

Kind of like college football. Why do you think they expanded the CFP. Does anybody believe a 12, or potentially a 16 seed will win the championship? It’s all about the money to pay the obscene contracts of players and coaches. I see no difference.

April 16 The season would begin on the Thursday of what is now designated Week 0. It would apply to the 2027 season. The FBS Oversight Committee today recommended the change to the DI Cabinet. Under the proposal, future FBS regular seasons would be standardized to 14 weeks, during which teams could schedule 12 games. The season would begin on the Thursday of what is now designated Week 0 and end on the Saturday after Thanksgiving. The Division I Cabinet would have to adopt the legislation for the proposal to become official. The D1 Cabinet is scheduled to discuss the recommendation in June. In addition to eliminating required exceptions for teams to play before the Week 1 date, a 14-week regular season annually provides two open dates, flexibility for potential changes to the postseason and preserves standalone weekends for conference championships and the Army-Navy game. Week 1 in 2027 is September 4. If Week 0 were in place for 2027, the season could begin Thursday, August 26. Oregon's past academic calendars suggest classes would begin September 27, with 5 Saturdays between August 26 and September 27. https://www.ncaa.org/news/2026/4/16/media-center-fbs-oversight-committee-recommends-standardized-start-to-regular-season.aspx

All-MVC forward Hilary Fuller of Belmont commits to Oregon women's basketballAll-MVC forward Hilary Fuller of Belmont commits to Oregon women's basketball https://247sports.com/college/oregon/article/all-mvc-forward-hilary-fuller-of-belmont-commits-to-oregon-womens-basketball-281969276/

Added to the group Texas, Alabama, and LSU. Based on most likely suggested fall two deeps, I've got the 6 highest rated two-deep rosters: Georgia: 9 five star, 20 top 100, 38 blue chips Oregon: 9 five stars, 18 top 100, 37 blue chips Texas: 11 five stars, 17 top 100, 31 blue chips Ohio State: 6 five stars, 17 top 100, 39 blue chips Alabama: 8 five star, 16 top 100, 35 blue chips LSU: 6 five stars, 11 top 100, 32 blue chips TEXAS: QB: Manning (#1) / Lacey (#156) RB: Brown (#42) / Smothers (#379) WR: Coleman (#5) / Lockett (#18) WR: Wingo (#39) / Berkhalter (UR) WR: Mosley (#500) / McCutcheon (#103) TE: Masunas (#1053) / Townsend (#90) OL: Goosby (#414) / Chatman (#194) OL: Seymore (#183) / Sikorski (#1391) OL: Robertson (#601) / Christian (#606) OL: Baker (#32) / Cajoe (#824) OL: Siani (UR) / Coleman (#750) DE: Jackson (#21) / Terry (#12) DT: Terry (#129) / Johnson (#104) DT: Watson (#1220) / Sharma (#218) DE: Simmons (#18) / Orogbo (#104) LB: T.Smith (#350) / Atkinson (#30) LB: Biles (#922) / Cryar (#1014) CB: Mascoe (#846) / Roberson (#257) CB: Phillips (#27) / Black (#34) S: D.Williams (#49) / Filsaime (#37) S: McDonald (#70) / Johnson-Ruboll (#206) S: Littleton (#65) / Mack (#149) ALABAMA: QB: Russell (#3) / Mack (#73) RB: Hill (#121) / Riley (#136) WR: Williams (#8) / Scott (#303) WR: Morgan (#43) / Meadows (#126) WR: Brooks (#185) / Rogers (#54) TE: Pritchett (#286) / Edwards (#163) OL: Carroll (#12) / Miller (#16JC) OL: Sanders (#313) / Fields (#1097) OL: Delgatty (#2179) / Strayhorn (#519) OL: James (#2319) / Waldrep Jr (#365) OL: Lloyd (#45) / Brooks (#239) DE: Thompkins (#636) / Umeozulu (#146) DT: Green (#254) / Bingley-Jones (#152) DE: Simmons (#514) / E.Hill (#192) ED: Pierre (#31) / J.Hill (#60) LB: Reese (#841) / Metz (#288) LB: Woodson (#922) / Jones (#272) CB: Brown (#30) / Edmonds (#28) CB: Sabb (#96) / Taylor (#62) S: Hubbard (#316) / Miney (#27) S: Lee (#14) / McDonald (#51) S: Morgan (#294) / Kirkpatric Jr (#866) LSU: QB: Leavitt (#313) / Longstreet (#25) RB: Berry (#15) / Durham (#88) WR: Wilson (#109) / Watkins (#167) WR: Harris (#695) / Holloway (UR) WR: JBrown (#1403) / TBrown (#89JC) TE: Green (#105) / M.Thomas (#1591) OL: Seaton (#13) / Thomas (#41) OL: Bah (#353) / Thompkins (#627) OL: Moore (#748) / Satterwhite (#211) OL: Harper (#131) / Strey (#449) OL: Davis (#111) / Jones (#115JC) DE: Umanmielen (#218) / Ross (#22) DT: Green (#115) / Woods (#1749) DT: McKinley (#14) / Blocton (#434) DE: Reliford (#224) / J.Brown (#282) LB: Weeks (#154) / Keys (#402) LB: Dottery (#227) / Singleton (#151) CB: Pickett (#11) / J.Jackson (#56) CB: Woodland (#506) / Turner (#392) S: Cooley (#990) / Delane (#55) S: Spears (#96) / Jimcoily (#388) S: Benefield (#982) / Thomas (#355)

From Zero to One? https://sports.yahoo.com/college-football/breaking-news/article/ncaa-committee-recommends-ditching-week-zero-and-officially-moving-up-the-start-of-college-football-season-in-2027-204123433.html

Dylan Raiola’s MOVE from Nebraska to Oregon: Why he’s OK being the Ducks’ backup QBAs Dylan Raiola made the move from Nebraska to Oregon this past offseason, the former Huskers starting QB is now expected to backup Dante Moore with the Ducks. Was this the right call? Also, what does this mean for fellow Big Ten member in Nebraska? Why would a starter want to leave to go be a backup for another conference foe? Watch here as Andy & Ari discuss the transfer as Raiola talks to the media in Oregon.

Ty Who? Er, Ty Shoe? How did Tattoo-Gate work out for you, and a Buckeyes HC too? That was yesterday, and yesterday's gone. No longer handed shoes, you're handed a B1G check to buy the shoes, cars, and homes for Mom, etc.

I remember he delayed his choice about 6 weeks which caused some angst among Oregon partisans. Ultimately his Final Four where Ohio State, Michigan, Penn State and Oregon. His final choice was Ohio State or Michigan. This is what he said about Oregon at the time: He discounted Oregon "because it's across the country. I have a father and (high school) coaches here who can drive three hours to see me play rather than watch it on TV." Ultimately, Happy Valley was no place for a city kid either. "I don't like that place," he said of Penn State's rural location. "It's (in) the country." Because he played both football and basketball he said he didn't visit two of the four. One of the two was Oregon.

more: https://www.elevenwarriors.com/skull-sessions/2026/04/162268/skull-session-terrelle-pryor-breaks-down-choosing-ohio-state-over-oregon-jimmy-sotos-becomes-a-reality-tv-star-ohio

And that is what it’s all about, and the reason why sub500 teams make the playoffs - fans in the stands for as long as they can keep them there help pay those obscene contracts.

How Close? "What these numbers do not necessarily account for is the quality of the coaching in the two conferences." GREAT point Jon, as the coaching in this conference is now unbelievable, and it will be brutally tough to win games. By all measures, we have closed the gap on many metrics to the SEC, and exceeded in others. We have only just begun!

We live today in a peripatetic, wired world. The moment is what matters; forget about yesterday. Three Big Ten (B1G) teams have won the last three college football (CFB) championships. The usual suspects, Michigan in 2023 and Ohio State in 2024, won it all. The suspect Indiana Hoosiers completed the greatest two-year turnaround in the history of CFB, defeating Miami on its home field to capture last season's crown. Move over Hickory High and Gene Hackman. So Hats Off to the B1G! But does this B1G trifecta mean that the conference has surpassed the It Just Means More SEC, the conference that dominated BCS and Playoff titles from the 1998 season through 2022? I say, Not So Fast, my B1G friends! Yes, Indiana, one of three B1G teams in the field, came through in 2025, but let's not forget that the SEC placed five teams in the field. It's also chic today to note that the B1G will likely have more first-round NFL draft picks in 2026 than the SEC. However, the draft is a seven-round exercise, and over the seven rounds, which conference is expected to have the most picks? It's the SEC, for the 20th consecutive year, extending its record from 2007 through 2025. NIL has spread the talent around, no doubt. But the SEC continues to send the most players to the NFL. On April 16, 2026, The Athletic's Dane Brugler released his fourth mock 2026 draft, predicting every pick from No. 1 to No. 257. Although the holes were rather small, I had to count them all. Now I know how many holes it takes to fill Pittsburgh's Acrisure Hall. 😁 Here's a summary of the eight Ducks expected to be drafted in 2026. Oregon Ducks On SITwo Oregon Ducks Drafted To Dallas Cowboys In New PredictionThe 2026 NFL Draft is right around the corner, and several former Oregon Ducks are expected to be selected by various NFL teams. Dane Brugler, an NFL Draft anal I was not surprised to see these Elite 8 Ducks on the list. I was surprised to see OT Alex Harkey going ahead of OT Isiah World. This is the number of players chosen from the B1G and the SEC through seven rounds. 1st Round - B1G - 11 - Ohio State - 4/ Indiana - 2/ Oregon - 2/ Penn State, USC, and UW - 1 each 1st Round - SEC - 8 - 2 each from Tennessee and Texas A+M/ 1 each from Alabama, Auburn, Georgia, and LSU 2nd Round - B1G 6/ SEC 15 64 players taken in the 1st and 2nd rounds - the cream of the draft crop. The SEC leads in the 2nd round and thereafter through the 7th round. 3rd Round - B1G 9/ SEC 15 4th Round - B1G 13/ SEC 14 5th Round - B1G 9/ SEC 10 6th Round - B1G 12/ SEC 16 Total - B1G - 69 players drafted/ SEC 75 players drafted B1G - 3.83 drafted per 18-member schools/ 4.68 drafted per 16-member schools. What these numbers do not necessarily account for is the quality of the coaching in the two conferences. Overall, the Big Ten has the more experienced coaches New coaches Whittingham at Michigan, Campbell at Penn State, and Fitzgerald at Michigan State come from Utah, Iowa State, and Northwestern programs, which they left with the most wins in program history. New coaches at Arkansas, Auburn, Florida, Kentucky, and Ole Miss have no regular-season Power 4 head coaching experience. LSU is the exception. Roster rankings do support the SEC teams, top to bottom, having more talent than Big Ten teams. But talent is potential that will succeed only if the coaching results in the sum of the whole being greater than the parts. Big Ten projected draft picks: Illinois 2/ Indiana 8/ Iowa 7/ Maryland 2/ Michigan 5/ Michigan State 2/ Nebraska 1/ Northwesten 3/ Ohio State 10/ Oregon 8/ Penn State 7/ USC 5/ UCLA 1/ Washington 3/ Wisconsin 1 If all draft-eligible Ducks players had entered the draft, Oregon would have more players drafted than Ohio State. IMO, that's a WOW! The Big Ten has closed the gap, but IMO the conference has yet to dethrone the SEC.

Everything Dan Lanning said after reviewing Oregon’s first spring scrimmageOregon coach Dan Lanning reviewed scrimmage No. 1 and discussed Dylan Raiola, Nas Wyatt, Jamari Johnson and more after Tuesday’s spring practice. https://247sports.com/college/oregon/longformarticle/everything-dan-lanning-said-after-reviewing-oregons-first-spring-scrimmage-281949026/

Hummm, the shoe deal although it does seem a bit blatant and in the past recruits have embellished what went on during visits ala Phil Knight stories. Ex-Ohio State QB with checkered history gives nutty recruiting story Of course, hindsight is 20 / 20 and had he had his "own shoe", selling those would allow him a lot more tattoos.

And beat the Huskies!