Jon Joseph

EXACTLY! Dante Moore will not be the last Duck taken on the rebound. The House settlement intends to control NIL deals, but are courts going to change course and allow for any restraint on a player's ability to maximize his or her income? I doubt it. The Tennessee legislature is the first but not the last to pass legislation making the House settlement terms, except for the Vols and Vandy paying their share of damages, moot. Do Not Try and Tell Us Volunteers that any NIL Deal is Out of Line!

Break Out The Brooms! 😍

Ohio State. Ranked No. 6 by the Committee and the 6th Seed in the 2025-26 PO? Predicting the 2025 Playoff: No. 6 Ohio State - Saturday Down South WWW.SATURDAYDOWNSOUTH.COM Ohio State lost 14 players to the 2025 NFL Draft, but it still has plenty of reason to believe that another Playoff berth is in store.

Our Man Mullens Is Spot On! B1G Conference Games are More Important than OOC Games. Oregon Ducks Athletic Director Stresses Regular Season Scheduling For College Football Playoff WWW.YARDBARKER.COM In year two of the 12-team College Football Playoff, it may feel less and less like a program's regular season should include major competition. If a school

The Schedules Say Both PSU and OBD are in the 2025-26 PO. These teams are basically gifted a spot in the College Football Playoff in 2025 SATURDAYBLITZ.COM Not every College Football Playoff run is created equal. Some teams have to claw their way through brutal schedules, dodging top-10 matchups week after week jus But 12 games have to be played, and no one knows how an oblong object will bounce.

One Loss to Tennessee and Bama Hammer Wants the Vols out of the SEC?😁 Greg Sankey should kick the Tennessee Volunteers out of the SEC BAMAHAMMER.COM An SEC without the Tennessee Vols is exactly what college football needs. Greg Sankey should take bold and extreme action, that if the Tennessee program intends Being serious, this law passed by the Tennessee legislature is why CFB needs Federal assistance to fix what troubles CFB and Men's CBB in particular. What good is an NCAA settlement if state legislatures pass these kinds of laws? Why are the Power 4 and the Power 2 in particular still under the aegis of a failed NCAA? Why agree to the same direct payment salary cap as G6 conferences? Why agree to a limited settlement agreement that settles nothing; that does not limit future litigation against the NCAA, conferences, and teams?

In today's college football, when do you drop out of the bidding for untested recruits when similar NIL money can be used to pick up experienced players from the portal? Roster management in CFB today is a witch compared to the NFL. A GM in the NFL knows what players will be available in free agency the following season and all of the details on these players' respective compensation. NFL GMs also know with certainty what a player drafted out of college will earn. There is a Rookie Salary Cap tied to where a player is drafted. Veteran players in the NFL Union had no problem with capping rookie salaries and freeing up additional money for the vets. Other than what a player's agent is willing to disclose to a given team, roster builders in CFB are flying blind in a turbulent world where there is little or no control over transfers, and what transfer players and recruits can be paid. This season's No. 1-ranked recruit, OT Jackson Cantwell, signed with Miami at a rumored $2 million plus dollars in NIL deals. The Oregon Ducks landed, and the Georgia Dawgs stopped barking, short of $2 million. If the House settlement is approved, every NIL deal $600 and over will be disclosed. Until then, I'm a Ducks fan who is flying blind when I estimate the amount of the NIL deal money needed to bring three O-linemen in from the portal. How much is Oregon paying, via NIL, to the portal's No. 1-ranked OT Isiah World, and tied No. 11-ranked OT Alex Harkey? Same question regarding No. 5-ranked IOL, Emmanuel Pregnon? I have no inside knowledge, but I believe these three needed players signed on with OBD for a total less than or not a great deal more than $2 million? Yes, all three will be gone after one season with the Ducks. But all three are experienced players capable of starting in 2025. No matter how highly rated, very few O-linemen are prepared to start their true freshman season. 1st round draft pick Josh Conerly did not start for the Ducks his true freshman year. Maybe Cantwell is 'All That?' He will start and play well against Notre Dame and Florida, and against lesser competition in the ACC. But for my, er, Uncle Phil and friends' money, and if my estimate is in the ball park, I'll take three experienced players for the price of one rookie, especially with only one O-line starter back for OBD. Agree?

Gabe may be blowing his horn early on with the Browns. Sweet. ESPN predicts when Dillon Gabriel could start for Cleveland Browns DUCKSWIRE.USATODAY.COM ESPN predicted that Dillon Gabriel could play during the 2025 season if the starting quarterback struggles.

Two Ducks, Dante Moore and Evan Stewart, Could Fly Up the Draftboards. Pair of Oregon Football players listed as potential 2026 NFL draft risers DUCKSWIRE.USATODAY.COM A pair of Oregon Ducks have been listed as major potential risers in the 2026 NFL draft as we head into the offseason. If Dante comes through with the help of Moore and others, he could have one year starting and then head off to the NFL. I sure hope he has the option to go or stay! 2025-26 will have a stronger quarterback class than last season. This, and NIL, will factor into the decision. If he plays up to an early draft choice level, he'll be duly rewarded with a direct payment in the amount paid to top QBs, with NIL the cherry on top. NIL is not roundly loved in CFB, but the pros are happy that it retains good CFB players who need an extra season of development with no cost to the NFL.

The game at PSU is one of the two games OBD plays against the preseason top 25. The other being in Autzen two weeks later against Indiana. However, the games at Iowa and home against USC could be top 25 matchups. And UW in Seattle could be a top 25 matchup. Jedd Fisch has not lost a home game in Husky Stadium.

Bleacher Report is Buying OBD's PO Chances in 2025-26. Buying or Selling Top Contenders for College Football Playoff in 2025 BLEACHERREPORT.COM In the ever-expanding College Football Playoff, more teams have a legitimate path to winning a national championship.

A B1G Recruiting Update - Big Ten Spotlight: Five developing recruiting storylines SPORTS.YAHOO.COM It's a classic Ohio State-Penn State battle for four-star linebacker Cincere Johnson.

'YES." Week Zip is now 99 days away. I hope Week 0 will become Week 1 for everyone. It would be great to be a Dawgs season ticket holder with Bama, Texas, and Ole Miss, ''Tween the Hedges. (I doubt that any of these games will KO at Noon. 😁) Another tough schedule with the Cocktail Party matchup with Florida, and at Tennessee, Auburn, and Georgia Tech. Whew! FWIW, I think Kirby's Dawgs wins the SEC again in 2025 and advance in the playoff. He may not have the skills of the guy who went MIA, but Gunner Stockton looks like a leader in the Stetson Bennett mold. WOOF!

100 Points to Ponder Before Farmaggedon. 100 Days Out: College football names, games, storylines to follow as we count down to the 2025 season - CBSSports.com WWW.CBSSPORTS.COM 100 stories, predictions, names and games to get you excited for the 2025 college football season And then, Bob's Cats visit Autzen. 😁 Let's Get It On!

Only 100 Days Before the Season Starts! (100 days? 😧) 100 days to college football: Top storylines, Heisman contenders, games - ESPN WWW.ESPN.COM With just 100 days until Week 0, we take a look at 100 things to know ahead of the college football season. Waiting on Farmageddon, then a visit from Bob's Cats.😍

Indiana Crosses the Mendoza Line on 10/11/25 when Cig's Hoosiers Visit Autzen. Expectations are on the rise for Indiana, Curt Cignetti - ESPN WWW.ESPN.COM After an impressive first year under coach Curt Cignetti, what do the Hoosiers have in store for Year 2? The 2nd of OBD's two preseason-ranked teams on the schedule. Both teams are off the week prior.

Not certain what the trade-off is for securing a unanimous vote, but playoff seeding matching rankings in 2026 would be sweet. College Football Playoff nearing consensus to alter seeding process with changes to first-round byes - CBSSports.com WWW.CBSSPORTS.COM The power conferences are in agreement to move to a format that will eliminate automatic first-round byes for conference champions. I'll believe it when I see it.

It's confirmed. Traveler has a Duck on his back. USC leads Oregon in 2026 football recruiting, but by how much? TROJANSWIRE.USATODAY.COM Oregon is not even in the top 10 of ESPN's current 2026 football recruiting rankings Today's rankings have nothing to do with SC removing Riley from his duties as the recruiting point man, AD Jen Cohen, and not Riley getting SC's NIL together, and SC paying $1M a year to a 'GM' to organize recruiting. This plus SC having 26 'commitments.' See ya on 11/22 in Autzen. And let's compare notes after signing day in December. BTW, today, OBD is ranked 4th in the quality of players who have 'committed.'

This might work if the regular season had ten games. With 24 teams and 12 regular-season games, how do you conclude the season before February? Even without Conference Champ Game weekend, and with every team playing in Week 0, you're running deeper into NFL playoff games. What entity will fund the first round of games featuring the 9 seed vs. the 24th seed, etc.? Visiting playoff teams last season received $3 million in travel expenses for travel to each away game and bowl games. The 4-4-2-2-1-3 format provides the same money for first-round games, with the 9 seed through 16 seed playing at the 1 through 8 seeds. There aren't 12 teams that can win a playoff, let alone 16, but 24? I don't believe the media would pay more for this format than for a 16-team format with no byes. Petitti and Sankey's format has the top eight teams playing a home game in the 1st round. Using this format in 2024-25 would have excluded only CU from the most-watched teams playing in the opening round. Using last season's final committee rankings, I'd rather watch No.1 seed Oregon play No. 16 Clemson in Autzen and No. 9 Boise State play No. 8 Indiana on the road, than watch No. 9 seed Boise host No. 24 seed UNLV, the third time these teams would have played last season. I believe ESPN would agree? And like it or not, money matters. No metric supports giving the 'little guy' a chance in a CFB playoff. A 24-team playoff would give 'the little guy' more money, but at what cost to the more successful, the more viewed programs? I want to see as few B1G varsity sports reduced to club sports as possible. The marketplace has separated the Power 2, and the playoffs should do likewise. A 24-team playoff has a populist appeal, but it is not grounded in today's college sports economics. There is zero financial reason for the Power 2 to keep the Lesser 2 and G6 football programs afloat at the expense of their athletic departments.

Some SI Love for PSU. (Written by Charles' grandson? 😁) Big Ten Football Primer: Penn State Primed for Jump, League in Position of Strength WWW.SI.COM Quarterback play around the conference will be key as teams look to make it three national championships in a row for the B1G.

Saturday Down South Projects Illinois to Make the 2025-26 Playoff. Predicting the Playoff: No. 9 Illinois - Saturday Down South WWW.SATURDAYDOWNSOUTH.COM Illinois finished 2024 with a bang to get to 10 wins, and with a team loaded with experience, it could earn its first Playoff berth in 2025.

FWIW - Saturday Tradition Post Spring B1G QB Rankings. Drew Allar, Elite? Big Ten QB Power Rankings: Post-spring tiers for every B1G QB room SATURDAYTRADITION.COM It's time to power rank the Big Ten quarterback rooms into tiers as we hit the summer and move toward the 2025 preseason.

Fun to discuss, but as Waggy as a WAG can get. I hope the O can come close to the predicted output. Montana State - I Remember the Idaho! OK State - Is there a QB on the ranch? Northwestern - Please, no mistake by the lake. Oregon State - A win over the Beavs with ease, but 49 points? PSU - Still OBD at -3.5. Drew Allar will turn the ball over at least once, and then, consider Little Game James? Hoosiers - Both teams have a week off to prepare. But would a month off prepare Indiana for the Autzen experience? Rutgers - Unlike the trip to Chicago to play NW, this is a B1G trip. Rutgers will be flying back home from Seattle the week before. Wisconsin - Win? Yes. 48-13? Iowa - Danno with a week to prepare. Iowa comes off home games against Penn State and Minnesota. USC - Will a one-loss or three-or-more-loss SC fly into Eugene? Troy was 1-5 in one-score regular season games in 2024. UW - Jedd Fisch comes into 2025 undefeated in Husky Stadium. My guessing-gut sees a floor of 10-2 and a return to what will likely be the last 12-team playoff. Subscription Cancellation Prompt -The author of this WAG, Zach Neel's Mothership, USA Today, has OBD finishing 9-3 and out of the 2025-26 PO. 🤬

I think the article would be better titled: 'Why Did Big Ten Baseball Fall Behind?' In the 1960s, the 'traditional' B1G teams were championship regulars: Ohio State 1966; Minnesota 1960 and 1964; Michigan 1962. UCLA was the last 'current' B1G team to win the title in 1998. USC has 12 championships and ruled the baseball roost for decades, including five consecutive titles from 1970 through 1974. As Charles so noted, 'bad-weather teams' can win baseball titles, but Oregon State is the exception and not the rule. Would more baseball on BTN matter? (I do not know whether more baseball is shown on the ACC and SEC networks than on BTN?) But a young man with MLB potential, if offered by a warm-weather team down south, is probably going to leave the north to play ball. And money matters. I don't know the money situation, but Mason Neville, who played high school baseball in Las Vegas, signed with Arkansas before transferring to OBD. I note that BTN has covered Neville in depth, as well as catcher Burke Lee Mabeus, who also played high school baseball in Las Vegas. Buke signed with OBD out of Bishop Gorman High School. Neville is one of 14 baseball players on Oregon's 2025 roster who transferred in. So, I think some NIL money has to be involved. According to Google's AI, SEC baseball teams annually average $820K to $920K in NIL deals. It is estimated that the top SEC teams have rosters with $1 to $4 million in NIL deals; see, Texas. AI does not have an NIL average for Big Ten baseball programs. The pending House settlement does not curtail NIL (in theory, it does so, with every NIL deal $600 and over being reviewed, but this will not withstand a court challenge). It is estimated that direct payments allowed by the settlement to college athletes will see 75% to football, 15% to men's basketball, 5% to women's basketball, and 5% to all other sports. Do B1G programs across the board, and their NIL collectives, have the desire to pay for championships in baseball when the conference hasn't won a men's basketball title since 2000? And no B1G program in the Midwest and the Northeast can pay its way out of bad weather. From the cratered Pac-12 prospective, what happened to USC and UCLA. It's not like the Conference of Champions beyond the Beavers was winning baseball championships. The B1G as a whole will likely negatively effect NCAA tournament seeding, but it will not hold back an excellent group of OBD baseball players making a run at the title. And, what BTN lacks in coverage is made up for at least in part by Charles,' aided by 30 Duck's, excellent coverage of the sport.

Let's see, I believe it is May 14, 2025. Thus, the following projections are as Waggy as a WAG can get. Do Not Take These Predictions and Your $ to a Betting Parlor. For Entertainment Purposes Only! 🤑 Game-by-game score predictions for Oregon Football in 2025 season DUCKSWIRE.USATODAY.COM Game-by-game score predictions for the Oregon Ducks football team in the 2025 college football season.