Charles Fischer

EUGENE, Ore. — The Big Ten Conference has released the opponents for Oregon’s 2024-25 conference season. Each Big Ten institution will play a 20-game conference schedule, playing three schools both home and away, while facing 14 teams once. Of the single-play opponents, member institutions will play seven at home and seven on the road. The Ducks will play UCLA, USC, and Washington both home and away next season. Oregon’s home-only opponents are Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Nebraska, Northwestern, Purdue, and Rutgers. UO’s road-only opponents include Iowa, Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Ohio State, Penn State and Wisconsin.

Yep, and unfortunately, Ohio State is not out of the picture. But it comes down to the total package, and Oregon may not have enough NIL budget to afford Harmon. After what I saw of the defensive line in the Spring Game, I am sweating it a lot less. We have some very talented young guns at defensive/nose tackle at Oregon. It is "good-or-good" to me as to whether we sign Harmon. I do not want to scare away great young talent either....

Agreed. When I wrote "eyeballs," I meant primarily TV and later on--streaming.

The facts are that he dropped way-too-many passes thrown to him. (10%!) And the rumor is that he bombed the interviews with NFL team executives.

Apparently, USC is interested in both players, and that would be fun to take their lunch-money again...

The other target is Safety Peyton Woodard from Alabama, who would be a sophomore. He was one of the top safety prospects in the nation, and Oregon recruited him they know each other well. He is from Bellflower HS in California, (John Bosco) and I believe has former teammates on Oregon's squad. He was listed as a "no contact" in the portal, meaning that he will reach out to who he is interested in, or has already decided upon. He is described as a high-character guy, and would provide depth at the position for now with a high upside.

First, the portal window closed last night for players to register to leave. Now, the schools have up to a 48 hour processing period before officially listing them on the portal, so I expect we will see some additional names in the next two days. Once in the portal--they can take their time deciding where to go and sign with. The word on other sites is that Coach Lanning is only after two portal targets among this spring group. The first is Derrick Harmon, the massive 359 pound Nose Tackle who visited Oregon during the winter portal period. Word is, that he is still very interested in Oregon, but is making a few other visits to check the size of the NIL bag.

Gritty Ducks Battle Back to Beat Beavs By: Rob Moseley EUGENE, Ore. — When the Oregon baseball team salvaged a win Sunday in its weekend series at Oregon State, Mark Wasikowski wasn’t surprised. His program, the UO coach made clear, was never going to roll over and accept defeat, despite a couple of closely contested losses to open the series. If that wasn’t completely clear Sunday, it sure became so Tuesday. In a nonconference matchup against those same Beavers, the Ducks fell behind by five runs in the top of the second, then stormed back to win, 9-5, before 4,130 fans who tied the sixth-biggest crowd in PK Park history. Bryce Boettcher hit two home runs, Brock Moore and three other relievers combined to get the final 24 outs of the game without surrendering another run, and the Ducks won their second straight against the Beavers to even the season series at 2-2. “These guys battle,” Wasikowski said. “Some teams might have just rolled over and said, you know, we're getting beat and this is embarrassing at home, it's not the start we want. That wasn't our team. Our team decided to take a different approach and that was nice to see.” Boettcher was 3-for-3 with five RBIs, and he had an assist from the outfield as well. The senior and two-sport standout from South Eugene High has only two more regular-season series left at PK Park, beginning this weekend against Utah. “Let me tell you, today was definitely a special moment,” Boettcher said. “To go out with a win against the Beavers means a lot to my family and I. Obviously you’ve got to stay about business and one game at a time. But I'm definitely taking a couple extra steps around the field and looking around and taking it all in.” How It Happened: A run of three straight encouraging midweek starts by Ian Umlandt came to an end Tuesday, as the sophomore left-hander endured a 54-pitch first inning. Three of the first four batters he faced walked, and a long grand slam to left field made it 4-0. The next two batters also reached, but Umlandt dug deep to get the final two outs of the inning and limit the damage. Moore took over for the second, and allowed a leadoff home run to OSU star Travis Bazzana. But Moore got the following hitter to ground out before striking out the next eight batters he faced, matching a feat Moore said he accomplished last season while at Menlo College. “He’s a good player, and he put a good swing on that one,” Moore said of Bazzana’s homer. “I just had to move on from that one. I was able to settle in pretty well and give my team a chance. Bryce came up huge — he was electric all day. It was just really fun to be a part of.” Jeffery Heard (Above) got a three-hit day going with a single to lead off the bottom of the second. With runners at the corners and two out, Carter Garate reached on an error that scored Heard. Boettcher then followed with a three-run homer, getting the Ducks within 5-4. With Moore still cruising on the mound, Heard tied the game in the third on an RBI single to score Mason Neville, who hit a leadoff double. Garate singled to lead off the fourth and Boettcher gave the Ducks the lead with a two-run homer — his third home run in three at-bats, going back to his final plate appearance in Corvallis on Sunday. Heard homered to lead off the fifth, and Maddox Molony followed with a single, eventually coming around to score on a wild pitch for a 9-5 lead. The Beavers best threat was in the seventh, when Tanner Smith walked to lead off the inning and Bazzana followed with a single. But Boettcher threw out Smith trying to go from first to third, keeping Bazzana at first as well, and the threat fizzled. “He's always been known as a really elite go-catch-the-ball defender who can run it down, and he's really been working on his throws from the outfield,” Wasikowski said. “He’s got a very, very good arm, a strong arm, and you saw it tonight.” On Deck: The Ducks open a three-game series against Utah at PK Park on Friday at 6 p.m.

Oregon relief pitchers threw eight scoreless innings after Umlandt's tough first inning, and Oregon's lead-off hitters got on base every inning we came to bat...which left the broadcasters speechless when realizing it.

Down 5-0 with Ian Umlandt shelled and gone after one inning, and Our Beloved Ducks came fighting back! A two run homer by Eugene's best Bryce Boettcher, and then a three-run homer by him!

Amen. It is astounding the size of their fan/alumni base. There really is no alterative to Ohio State or Penn State in their particular states, and Michigan is just huge nationally. We're in a GOOD PLACE now...

I can hardly imagine they lack money from their alumni, especially considering how much better they consider themselves than everyone.

This one is also on TV! Pac-12 Network, or Pac-12 Oregon, in addition to streaming.

We need cannon fodder for the schedule. We can't beat our brains against the best every week, and the perfect teams are those who are weaker, (on a given year) but bring a healthy sized number of eyeballs to the TV games. Rutgers, Maryland, Illinois, Iowa....

I never thought I'd see this, that not only are Trojans furious with Oregon's recruiting and success, we are truly in their heads. When a Hall-of-Famer cites Oregon to raise money...wow. I never thought USC had a funding problem...are their alums poor?

Good gosh the intrigue that occurs in the NFL on Draft day and leading up to it! Below is a very interesting video, especially the first five minutes--wowsa. What I Did Not Know... --Denver baited my Minnesota Vikings into trading up, to make sure that Bo fell to them at No. 12. --Alex Forsyth, former center at Oregon, prepped the Broncos about Bo Nix, which gave them a much better heads-up going in. --Sean Payton has never drafted a QB in the first two rounds...until now. More in the video...

We were already getting equal shares with the Rutgers and Northwesterns of the B1G, just as we gave the Pig-2 an equal share for a hundred years when they clearly did not deserve it. We have to do it within our conference, but no reason to be equal with anyone other than the SEC.

Great stuff there, THANKS!

I am quite sure that this will happen often in future years with B1G fans, as it won't be for 4-5 years until we have the additional seating built. If B1G fans can help sell-out Autzen at regular pricing? Feels good to me...

Imagine if we'd stayed to "help" Oregon State? Oregon would be on outside looking in with half the funding going forward. The Ducks probably would have lost Lanning to Alabama, and we'd be... ...headed to the bottom.

Fun stuff Ryan, and boy are you right about what Lanning has done for developing the players to where they could be drafted. At this time last year, we worried about whether we could replace Alex Forsyth at center....and then we get Oregon's first "Top-Center" award ever. Great recruiting fodder, to point to our draft as Oregon players are respected by NFL teams.

Tremendous performances for Our Beloved Ducks to come from a 5-0 deficit to beat the Rat-Bastards at PK Park 9-5. More will come later at the end of the thread, but the pro-OSU announcers made me want to hurl a number of times. You would hear a smug air of superiority when they had the lead after the first inning, but after that...it was excuses for OSU, and numerous "shine-overs" of what Oregon would do. (Backhanded compliments) As an newly christened GROUP-OF-FIVE program, you KNOW they are thinking... So the final year ends with the team Civil War Series at two games a piece.