Jon Joseph

Matt Prehm Thinks the Civil War Is Important No Matter When the Game is Played. Conferences change but the rivalry lives on as Oregon preps for Oregon State 247SPORTS.COM The conferences may have changed for Oregon and Oregon State, but the rivalry still lives as both schools gear up for the latest installment of the series.

Saturday Tradition Points Out Why The Win Over Boise Should Not have Been So Close. 10 college football ideas I’m buying or selling after Week 2 SATURDAYTRADITION.COM Let's break down some of the key narratives that have surfaced around college football after a memorable Week 2 slate. Puddles, stop shooting yourself in your webbed foot!

WEEK 3 - It's a Very Competitive B1G Champ Race With the Buckeyes In The Lead. Big Ten championship race wide open after Week 2 WWW.YARDBARKER.COM Two weeks into the college football season, the Big Ten is already stirring up some chaos and leaving fans’ fantasy predictions in shambles. SC should be ranked in the AP Top 10 if not in the Top 5, get Penn State in LA, along with a suspect and not a sure thing playoff Notre Dame. And ranked Nebraska also trips to LA. SC will likely be favored in road games vs Michigan, with SC coming off an Idle Week, Minnesota, Maryland, UW, and UCLA. No Oregon and no Ohio State on the regular season schedule. Who knew?

Way To Go V-Ballers. YOU Are In The B1G Leagues Now. Oregon Volleyball Weekend Roundup WWW.ADDICTEDTOQUACK.COM The Ducks defeat all opponents in the Ram Volleyball Classic

Never is Heard a Discouraging Word. As it Should Be! Everything Oregon head coach Dan Lanning said on Monday of Oregon State week 247SPORTS.COM Below is a complete transcript of Dan Lanning's comments about facing rival Oregon State this upcoming Saturday.

O-Line. Why Not Just Accentuate the Positive? O-Line rotations to continue: 'Positives and negatives to each group' 247SPORTS.COM Oregon coach Dan Lanning expects they'll continue to rotate across the offensive line, saying on Monday that the Ducks have seen "positives and negatives" from the various groups who've...

Thank you, Darren. The New World Order of College Football does have interesting consequences. Last Saturday, Cal scored a huge win for the ACC when it took down Auburn of the SEC on the road. War Bears! Thank you for properly referring to the game as "THE CIVIL WAR!" OBD's 'Civil War' game this season is versus UWho in Autzen. For The Beavers, it's a game on the Blue Turf in Boise. But Ohio State will still be playing That Team Up North. Blast the Beavs! And don't forget to wear your helmet and flak jacket. 😁

Great post by Mike West and a terrific and civil, discussion. The following is somewhat OT for which I apologize but players who take advantage of a broken system are not in my opinion 'mercenaries.' No more than the players' coaches who have left for better opportunities for more than 100 years. I am about as far from PC as one can get but I do find the term 'mercenary' for young men trying to find the best deal for their talents troubling. For how many decades did administrators and coaches make multi-millions off of the talents of young men? Yes, it is NFL Lite. In the NFL does anyone begrudge a free-agent football player trying to find a better deal from a billionaire who will pay him more than the current billionaire he is employed by? And while many free agents help out their new team many do not. The NFL has rules regarding free agency agreed to by the NFL Players Union. NFL Players cannot leave the team they are contracted to for any or no reason as is the case in college football. And there is a salary cap in the NFL. The Biggest Billionaire cannot gobble up every quality free agent. College football is 'half-pregnant.' The pendulum has shifted from being entirely in favor of the college program a young man played for to now being entirely in favor of the player. The player is favored not only by the ability to be paid but also by state and federal legislative bodies and state and federal courts. Somehow the NCAA has convinced its members to pay over $2 Billion and to pay players directly to settle a case that settles nothing; additional antitrust suits have been filed while the settlement is pending. This is senseless. The template for relief exists and is evident. The NFL has antitrust litigation relief from its employees because the employees have a union that bargains on behalf of the employees. NFL Union members have gone on strike, as is their right, to obtain benefits from management. But, there is one other significant difference, Roger Goodell administrates the NFL only. He does not have to administrate and look after the interests of the Arena League, the Canadian Football League, the USFL, and other professional football leagues. He is responsible for 32 teams and the players employed by 32 teams. Roger also has the benefit of the 32 team owners understanding that the biggest brands cannot control the enterprise. For the NFL to succeed, the 32 owners have agreed to a salary cap, an equal share of media proceeds, a free agency process that prohibits poaching, and a salary cap so the NY Giants and LA Rams cannot buy up all the best players. Approximately 1100 schools' athletic programs are regulated by the NCAA. At the highest level of competition, what is referred to as the 'Power 4' teams cannot agree on how many conference games they will play. There is no agreement on how much a player can be paid because the players have no bargaining entity and thus, no salary cap. A union representing athletes from 1100 schools is a non-starter. The young man playing Ifor Linfield is in a much different arena than a young man playing in Autzen stadium. College football needs a Super Conference for FOOTBALL and needs it Now. (And perhaps, for men's basketball.) The upper-echelon players need a Union now that can bargain with Super Conference management. Once the Super Conference and Union are in place, Congress should provide the same relief provided to the NFL. (To avoid Title IX issues, the "owners" of the Super Conference teams will likely have to be third-party assignees of the Super Conference colleges. Think. 'The Oregon Ducks Sponsored (and owned) by NIKE.') Do I like this? NO! I enjoyed football more when it was played in the daylight, did not need 'one true champion,' had locker rooms and not Taj Mahals, and had four postseason games for superior teams only. But that ship has sailed. This is off-topic per se. But today's players IMO are not 'mercenaries,' they are part of a capitalized enterprise and are now compensated in the manner of employees in a capitalized system and are free to move for a better opportunity just like their coach-bosses. Thanks again, Mike and commenters. OBD is 2-0. It isn't pretty but who cares. 8-2 over the next 10 games has Puddles in the Playoff. Teams are different every season and I believe this team will improve. BLAST THE BEAVS!

Saturday Tradition 3 B1G Storylines for Week 3. Love for the Civil War and the Apple Cup. The B1G storylines for Week 3: A visit from Alabama, in-state rivalries and more SATURDAYTRADITION.COM Several B1G teams have huge opportunities in Week 3, including Wisconsin, which welcomes Alabama.

After Week 2, Ducks Wire has OBD Power Ranked 2nd in the B1G behind Ohio State. I believe 2-0 USC, and Illinois are 2-0 with wins over Top 25 ranked opponents. LSU is still ranked at 16. Illinois knocked 19 Kansas out of the ranking. 2-0 Penn State and Nebraska have wins over P4 opponents West Virginia and Colorado. I like seeing OBD ranked just behind tOSU but Oregon's play to date against an FCS and G5 opponent does not deserve this ranking. Big Ten Power Rankings after Week 2 of college football DUCKSWIRE.USATODAY.COM See where each team stands in our Big Ten Power Rankings after the second round of college football games.

-13? Vegas Insider shows all of the odds from the 5 biggest books. I cannot find any odds lower than OREGON -16. What site is Ducks Wire referring to? Zac Neel strikes again? Please let me know where I can get a bet down on the Ducks at -13. I loved Zack's analysis of Cornelius's play vs. Idaho. He gave AC a C- grade and noted that AC "left little to be desired" in this game. Zach, perhaps you meant to say: A lot to be desired? Sorry, Joe, I know this is 'articles only' but I don't want OBDers trying to find odds that don't exist. Perhaps the game will be bet down to OR -13 but -13 was most certainly not the opening line. Do not take anything Zach Neel posts on its face.

Again K, thanks for the post. Some Ducks played well, others not so much. Perhaps the third time will be The Charm for this team. Which Oregon Ducks saw their stock rise, fall in win over Boise State DUCKSWIRE.USATODAY.COM The Oregon Ducks saw a lot of good, but still some bad in the Week 2 win over the Boise State Broncos.

How About A B1G Shout Out For TEZ! Tez Johnson earns Big Ten Special Teams Player of the Week Honors 247SPORTS.COM Oregon star receiver Tez Johnson earned a Big Ten Conference player award for his performance in the win over Boise State.

Know Your CIVIL WAR Foe. Take No Prisoners + Salt the Reser Stadium Turf! Know the Foe: Five Oregon State Beaver players to know 247SPORTS.COM The ninth-ranked Oregon Ducks will hit the road for the first time this season when they take on rival Oregon State at Reser Stadium this Saturday at 12:30 PM. Here are five OSU players to know... Larry, Moe, and Curly. Who are the other 2 guys?

Thanks for the post. I'm not counting my Ducks eggs. Michigan State defeated Maryland on the road. Maryland has an off week before visiting Autzen. At 17 Michigan and 36 Wisconsin in November will not be easy; games 6 and 8 in the 8-game gauntlet. Purdue is 1-0 and had this week off to prepare for a Notre Dame team that lost to a G5 opponent. And UWho is ranked 31st this week, is 2-0, and will be fired up when they come to Autzen. Illinois was the one B1G team that defeated a ranked P4 opponent on Saturday. With the way this team has underperformed to date, I'm taking nothing for granted.

What? A Game? Just kidding Alex and thanks for the POSITIVE take. Spot ON - 2-0 is 2-0. But I want to see more of Olivia Newton-John football: LET'S GET PHYSICAL! 😁 Jeanty is a terrific RB but he's playing behind a G5 O-line and there is no way he should go for close to 200 yards against guys, at least on paper, who are superior athletes. Our DEs can't set the edge and the DTs play like they have the DTs. I am hoping to see a breakthrough in Corvallis against a 2-0 team that just shut out San Diego State on the road. The Ducks are 20.5 favorites and unlike the last two games where Oregon Under Covered by 50 points it's time to step up and beat down the Beavers. There should be no Ducks fans pucker factor in this game. Will the coaching staff have OBD ready to play this game? BLAST THE BEAVERS! [I hope we are 2 games into a 16 or 17-game season.]

Where's Sugar Ray Blount when we need him?

The Week 3 AP Poll Playoff. Grab a Bowl of Grits to go with that Rebel Yell Bourbon. Sugar Bowl - 1. Georgia vs 9. Tennessee at 8. Missouri (The Vols have a beat-down win vs. P4 NC State in Charlotte. Mizzou has two home wins vs. FCS Murray State and G5 Buffalo - Bulls, not Bills. But TN would play in CoMo? An all-SEC bracket.) Fiesta Bowl - 4. Utah vs. 12. Northern Illinois at 5. Texas. (5-seed Texas would be at least a 10-point Fiesta Bowl favorite over 4-seed Utah.) Rose Bowl - 2. Ohio State vs. 10 Penn State at 7. Ole Miss (10 Penn State has a road win vs P4 West Virginia. Ole Miss has two home wins vs. D2 Furman and Middle Tennessee.) Peach Bowl - 3. Miami vs. 11. OREGON at 6. Alabama. The Ducks keep winning games and dropping in the rankings. At the end of the 3rd quarter Saturday in Tuscaloosa it was Bama 14 and USF 13.) 6 SEC Teams. 3 B1G teams. 1 ACC, B12, G5. With 50% of the field, the SEC and not the B1G would be looking at a big payday. The SEC will again play 8 conference games in 2025. I wish I was in the Land of Cotton. All 4 1st-round games would be hosted by SEC schools which would give the Playoff a nationwide interest, right? SEC runner-up Texas would be a 5-seed. B1G runner-up Penn State would be a 10-seed. Both schools would have played a more difficult schedule than 3-seed Miami and 4-seed Utah. I understand Georgia and Texas with impressive wins vs. ranked P4 opponents being ranked one and two. And Tennessee would deserve to be in the top five. But Bama, Ole Miss, and Mizzou have no significant wins. This week, Bama plays at 36 Wisconsin, and Mizzou plays 25 BC, a team ranked 25 because it defeated 0-2 FSU 😒. And Ole Miss faces a brutal road challenge at Wake Forest. But, before 12/8/24, it just means more; however, it's only a movie. 😁

Thanks, Mike, excellent take. I see guys out of synch with the team circling the kitchen sink drain. I don't get it. I see a lot of talented individuals not playing like a team. Fool me once, OK. But where was the improvement vs a Boise team that gave up 45 points to Georgia Southern? This is a Blue Chip Roster playing in a purple haze. The communication from the coaches is not getting through or is too incoherent to grasp. All the talk we hear about cross-training O-line guys seems to be hot air. Watching Nebraka (Dowdell 😒) and Tennessee, I watched two true frosh QBs playing better than Gabe. Ditto for the Florida Frosh QB who replaced Grahm Mertz. Gabe is playing better than decent but is he an on-the-field leader? How much did he benefit at Oklahoma playing on a roster superior to every B12 team except Texas? Like FSU to date, the portal giveth and the portal taketh away. I have zero problem with players being paid but is it harder to get through to guys cashing in before going to the NFL? And are things copacetic in the locker room? It took a while for Kirby Smart to 'get it.' Perhaps we are witnessing more growing pains for Dan? The roster is not playing to the level of the talent. BEAT THE BEAVS!

May have to wait until October 12TH for a Varsity announcing team? I expect the FOX A-team will be in Madison this Saturday. GameDay will be in Columbia, SC for the USC(e)/LSU game. Supposed to be in Lexington for Georgia vs Kentucky before the Gamecocks pounded Kentucky. Over/Under on how many times we will see GameDay in a setting not involving at least one SEC team? 😁

K, I'd say 12-1 and not necessarily the 12th seed behind several 2-loss P4 and possibly a 3-loss P4 team. I haven't seen a G5 team including Memphis and Tulane, certainly not Liberty, that I think would defeat the now 27th-ranked Boise. Stay healthy and the Broncos will give a 1st round opponent all it can handle.

DM, the line is OBD -20.5. Robust to say the least.

I'd have UGA, TX, OH ST, TN, USC, Penn State, Miami, Bama, Ole Miss, and Oregon. All but Ohio State, Miss, Bama, and Oregon have P4 wins. Oregon has a win vs Boise ranked 27th in Others Receiving Votes. SC has the best win with a neutral site victory over 16 LSU. I'd have Syracuse and Illinois and not BC and Northern Illinois in the top 25.

The Saturday Tradition Take. AP Top 25: New Week 3 poll features 6 B1G programs SATURDAYTRADITION.COM The AP Top 25 has been updated for Week 3.

I get that the SEC can say 'Scoreboard' and back it up with BCS and Playoff Trophies. 8 SEC teams are ranked including Bama, Ole Miss, and Missouri that have played against thin-air and an Oklahoma team that beat a Houston team by two points that UNLV blew out the week prior. 1-1 LSU with a loss to the then 23 USC and a win over McWho State is 16. 1-1 Iowa with a loss to now 21 Iowa State drops out of the top 25 to 32nd. 2-0 Illinois with a win over 19 Kansas is ranked 26. 2-0 Ole Miss with wins over no one of note is No. 5 and Missouri after consuming two cupcakes is No. 6. 2-0 Wisconsin with better wins than Ole Miss and Mizzou is not ranked. Penn State with a road win at P4 W VA is stuck at No. 8. 2-0 Oregon with a win over 27 Boise State drops two spots. 5 B12 teams are ranked, one of which, Iowa State has a P4 win. It doesn't matter before December 8th, but as of now, the AP is showing the traditional SEC love. Again, the SEC has earned the 'benefit of the doubt' but this much of a benefit? I have no beef with Texas moving into the 2nd spot. But Bama, Ole Miss, and Mizzou have done nothing more on the field to be ranked in the top 6 than have Penn State, USC, Nebraska, and even OBD with a better win than Bama, Ole Miss, and Bama. Sorry for going off like last week's USC fans. But with a P4 win over LSU, and a shut-out of a decent G5 team, why is SC not in the top 10? BLAST THE BEAVERS!