fred flintstone

Being in what amounts to a western conference of the ACC would be a big win. The ACC has several big dog football programs and the elite of basketball. If USC can handle the travel so can Oregon and besides.....got to figure a few other pac 12 teams would come along. Really a Power 3 conference just as powerful as the others if Oregon, Stanford, WA and CAL came along. Duke, Florida ST, UNC, Oregon, Stanford and Clemson is a pretty powerful group of schools......and then throw in ND.

Folks, LOL at myself.....my cousin does not run the Big 10.....so everything I post is a wild guess for entertainment.....however I'am glad to read so many polite responses. Oregon fans have a high amount of class and are willing to discuss topics. But......just to be clear As a big 10 grad and having lived in the midwest for a long time (I did live in Oregon for 20 years or so) the Big 10 still has a sort of arrogant attitude toward other conferences regarding academics. It views itself as not quite the Ivy League but a good second choice. They still look down their noses at the SEC for having schools like.....well you know. I'am pretty sure they viewed UCLA and USC as the plums of the PAC 12. So they scooped them up because all the other boxes were checked. Big, rich and large markets and good sports. However if those schools had been Miss St in LA.....I doubt the deal would have been made even with all the cash on the table. IMO money and sports are important but with this group the academics still has a big say in who gets in. Its like a country club of old money that is looking at Bill Gates and says, Oh.....I understand his dad worked for a living.....does he really fit with us.

Sorry......but if ND agrees it will probably not be Oregon. Cal, Stanford or Washington all fit better if my guess is correct. They all have more powerful academics. larger schools, very large markets and don't present a situation in the NIL era in which a rich person who is extremely supportive can outbid the rest of the league for talent. Even USC or UCLA, now members of the Big 10 might veto Oregon membership. They want the southern Cal recruiting for themselves. Weakening Oregon only helps them. Having Oregon in an expanded Big 12 does that. Playing Stanford and Cal is an easier and closer road game for the LA teams. Neither recruits well in CA. As a USC fan I don't see what USC did positively in the long term. The travel is going to kill them.......but.........they sure screwed the rest of the conference......particularly, Washington, Oregon, Cal and Stanford. The other pac 12 members really never belonged in a power 5 or can make a good fit with the Big 12 easily. IMO Oregon is going to have to make lemonade out of lemons and join the Big 12......if they can......and since most of the markets in an expanded BIG 12 are growing much faster than the midwest.....might end up just fine.

Could be.....sometimes a player is an improved player when surrounded by different players. This is particularly true of QB's.

Steele is more realistic than other sites. Utah and Oregon have the beef! IMO some of the others are going to learn what not having the beef means.

Thanks.....this was great!

This is a great site being run top notch. So many good sites get ruined by folks with political nonsense.

What makes me think Utah will be as good as last year.......Rising. He was injured early in 20. Last year as the year progressed he got smoother every game. If they can protect him........hard to beat. The Utah offense reminds me of the old Stanford offense. Those TE's will be catching lots of balls. Can Oregon beat them???? Yep......Oregon has the best talent in the pac 12 and now has a coach that knows how to coach them. Will Utah beat UCLA and USC......IMO the Utah defense will tear the USC and UCLA offensive lines up........

OK......LOL.......PFF thinks USC has the best line in college football........which IMO is nonsense. I could go in depth on each player but......lets just watch the games. I will admit the team will be measurably better than last year.

I'd be a lot more excited for USC if he was 6'7" and 320 and moved like a deer.

New coach, new schemes........10-2......but......I really think the Ducks should win the conference and head to the playoffs. The talent level at Oregon is supreme and the coaching will be vastly improved. So I'am really thinking 11-1. Georgia...down there.....early.....with a new coach.....is a tough climb for anyone......but the new coach is from .......Georgia......he'll know a few things about Georgia that will help.

This is great news. The pac 12 needs to get back into the national spot light. It will help all the teams.....but especially the leaders.

Under Helton, Prior to Riley, the motivation was to be the first player lined up when the ice cream, truck arrived. .....and they played like it.

Both....but forced to choose.....a close loss to Georgia followed by a decisive win over Utah.......puts the Ducks in the playoffs......assuming the rest are W.

USC will be improved no doubt (how could anyone not be a better coach than Helton)........but over the years the preseason folks have tended to rate USC significantly better than their results. Wait and see.....

Jon.......why not be optimistic.......I am not trying to lock Lanning into a bad season.....if Oregon goes 10-2......that is a good season. I just don't see anyone on their schedule except Georgia that represents a better than even chance of beating them. Utah will be at home......and I suspect the offense will be totally different.....and don't under estimate Nix......it's going to be night and day with the skill positions loaded. Aside from them....Oregon should be a solid favorite in every game. Of course new systems take time to adopt......but the talent difference is appreciable. Every tougher game is at home. I also think Tosh is a measurable improvement with defensive coaching. Injuries can change things......so all bets off if a few key injuries develop.

Lanning is a smart coach that knew exactly what he was getting when he decided to coach the Ducks.......lesser talent and he would not have signed. I suspect a playoff slot......11-1 or 12-0. The talent is there.....accept it.......and for the first time since Kelly......the coaching that can get the most from it is also there. Just my opinion.

As I've tried to communicate......of course a winner will attract attention and more attendees.......but some of the old Trojan family that would have attended a game against Hawaii while a wife was having a child is long gone.......they built the new stadium addition to please the wine and cheese crowd, who largely buy up tickets to entertain business friends but have a lesser attachment to the program, while giving up 16000 seats......that was no miscalculation........USC has tried to become more an international west coast Ivy and hence has a student body that has quite a few folks that are more soccer oriented or non sport oriented.......its admin while still interested in a sport that provides a nice budget is more interested in the US News academic rating. If as a recruit you want to have the whole experience.....best to steer toward Tuscaloosa, Athens or Eugene. This is not to say that USC will not excel in football......just saying that the old days are gone. Filling up the colly with two pro teams, the ruins and all the other stuff to do......some marginal fans may tune in if it's a top 10 program.....if not......not so much.

Riley will get USC going again......but it will be a year or two......

Considering that neither team has made the national stage in a long time........please don't settle on beating USC.......focus on beating Georgia/Alabama. If you focus on USC you'll be settling for what it takes to beat a program that has not been to the playoffs........ever....... and last won a NC in 2004. I have grandchildren in college that were born the year the last time SC won the big time.

Mario did exactly what needed to be done at Oregon......changed the roster from a ton of 3 stars with a couple 4 mixed in to........mostly 4 star with a couple 5 star and 3 star mixed in. He is owed his due from Oregon fans. Helton at USC did the opposite........received a team mostly 4/5 star with a 3 star being rare and changed it to mostly 4 star with quite a few 3 star mixed in. Oregon has the best raw talent in the Pac 12 without doubt. For Lanning its a great opportunity......and since Oregon could use some help on the defensive lines.......as a defensive guru.......he is a perfect hire......IMO. Can't wait for the season!

Great video!

If you review most of these rating mags at season end (except for the top 3-4) their accuracy is akin to throwing darts from 100 feet.

Wrathis......I'm a fan of college football in general. I attended USC and Illinois but lived just a few miles from Oregon for many years. Got to be a fan of all three programs.....it was easy because they all had good runs at one point or another. As for the hate on the Trojans.....you ain't seen nothing if you have not been on a Trojan site when they describe Oregon. I will not repeat the junk. Its all in fun as far as I'm concerned. Just want the kids to have a good experience, make some friends, stay healthy, get a few bucks(in today's game its easier) and execute well. My best day is a USC vs Oregon game in which they both play well..........as for who I would root for........the better team. I want a Pac 12 team to get to the big show every year. Lately that has been Oregon. There are going to be some great games the next few years as SC finally has a coach that has banned the ice cream truck at practice. IMO.......Both USC and Oregon have recently improved their chances......Helton was a overall huckster and Cristobal was a great recruiter but a miserable game coach.

Aside from some comments about how USC has improved its OL and offense...... Speaking as a person that has watched every game they have played for 40 years, Their OL still is substandard. By the way I've watched every Oregon game for 20 years. Now back to it. Very little to do with Riley.......you don't flip an OL in four months. USC fans are so upset because they know of the need and it frustrates them to have missed on Conerly when he could have just about walked in underweight and started anyway. USC is loaded with linemen on OL that move like they have lead weights around their ankles. They will pick up some major help next year but that is a long time away. Will their offense be better based on some young talent that will make mistakes,,,,,,yes,,,,,,,but great......lol. Their DL also has problems that have yet to be addressed. Riley has created some great frosting......but the cake is still in the oven.