Jon Joseph

Bama Hammer is a Dixie guy paying attention to scheduling. Another guy pointing out that Mizzou has a relative cupcake walk. SEC Football dominance not automatic for Texas and Oklahoma BAMAHAMMER.COM The addition of Oklahoma and Texas is great for the SEC Football. Their brands are two of the biggest in college football. With 14 teams, the SEC was the toughe Parochial much? OK and UT will further separate the SEC from the B1G, right? Bama Hammer notes that TX made the PO in 2023. He does not note that in-coming Washinton defeated Texas in Texas. He also overlooks that USC is a premier football blue-blood brand with Puddles on the way. More folks watched Oregon play ball in the 2023 regular season than watched the Sooners and the Longhorns.

I agree with BamaHammer, I think Texas in particular is getting too much preseason love, and Oklahoma's SEC schedule for the next two seasons is brutal. Plus OK plays Michigan OOC in 2025 and 2026. I see UGA winning in Austin and at least one other loss (Oklahoma?) on the Longhorns schedule. The Texas schedule does not appear to be robust enough to make the PO with a 9-3 record although a win in Ann Arbor will help UT's PO cause. SEC Football dominance not automatic for Texas and Oklahoma BAMAHAMMER.COM The addition of Oklahoma and Texas is great for the SEC Football. Their brands are two of the biggest in college football. With 14 teams, the SEC was the toughe Little guy UGA Dawg needs payback against the big bully Bevo. And if Texas is back, where is it back from? 2006 in today's day and age of being wired is a way back; a Longhorn way back.

Nevada Dawg - Florida is in an SOS tier of its own per Mr, Ford. UGA and Oregon are on his second level of SOS and in his opinion will contend for a PO spot with a 10-2 record. Another question I have regarding the 12-team PO is, if you are at 10-2 with a difficult schedule and already a serious contender for a PO invite is it better to play in a conference champ game and possibly finish 10-3 or go for the PO gold first-round bye with a conference championship?

'Oregon and Ohio State appear to be playoff locks.' Knock wood and knock Michigan out in November. 3 reasons why Michigan Football can make the College Football Playoff again GBMWOLVERINE.COM The maize and blue football program is attempting to earn a playoff berth for the fourth year in a row. That trails behind only Clemson and Alabama for most con 11/2/24 - Bring your Long Johns.

All fair points, no surprise. Sports Illustrated's SOS (SI) rankings are calculated according to your 2024 opponents' records in 2023. Perfect? Heck no. But I prefer it to using preseason polls. Especially, and no offense intended, when nine SEC teams, more than half of the conference are ranked in several preseason polls. Georgia, Alabama, and Florida in particular have difficult OOC games but also a tougher row to hoe in the SEC. Every calculation of the strength of SEC schedules I read from numerous sites, including Saturdays Down South, has Missouri with the easiest SEC schedule, including and excluding out-of-conference games. Out of 134 teams SOS-ranked, SI ranked Mizzou 127. Georgia 20, Bama, 9, and Florida 1. Peruse the schedules and I think you will agree that the SI rankings are not of course spot on but in general indicate the level of competition. IMO and I believe in Billy Napier's opinion, a 9-3 Florida with OOC games vs P4 Miami, UCF, FSU, and Samford, and conference games vs. A+M, TN, KY, UGA, TX, LSU, MS St, and Ole Miss, would have a far better argument for Playoff inclusion than a 10-2 Missouri playing Murray State, Buffalo (Bulls not Bills,) UMass and Boston College OOC and A+M, Vandy, Auburn, Bama, SO CAR, OK, Miss State, and Arkansas in-conference. And the conference schedule will be the same in 2025. I respect the 'stiff upper lip' attitude and in truth, what can one fan do? However, a schedule like Mizzou plays in 2024 is not equitable compared to the schedules other playoff-contending teams will play. Teams like SOS 2nd ranked USC, 5th ranked Oregon, and nine other B1G teams playing schedules in the top 20 SOS. The superior top-to-bottom SEC has six teams in the top 20 including Vandy and Mississippi State. Joel Klatt pointed out earlier this year that if the Football PO Committee uses only Ws and Ls unlike the Basketball Committee which uses a uniform SOS calculation with teams separated by Quads, will come up with teams with better records inferior to teams invited to the Playoff. SOS in the bowl era mattered not. Mattered somewhat but not that much more with the BCS and 4-team Playoff, but will matter in a 12-team Playoff, especially to teams knocked out by lower-ranked ACC, B12, and G5 teams. Best of luck to UGA in 2024. See you in Miami? Or, maybe in Atlanta? It may not make much difference to the SEC as a conference, but I cannot imagine Georgia fans being copacetic with an 11-1 Missouri being valued by the Committee the same as an 11-1 Georgia. Especially when seeding provides a 1st round home game for teams No. 5 through No. 8. Also enjoy your thoughts. I think that strength of schdules are a simmering issue that will boil over on Decenber 8, 2024; especially, if the Committee simply 'wings it' when it comes to determining SOS.

Very, very sad. We never know the hour or the day. To an Athlete Dying Young by A. E. Housman | Poetry Foundation WWW.POETRYFOUNDATION.ORG The time you won your town the race A blessing for your family young man. Too soon gone, rest in peace.

You can find bumper-stickers friend ND, but on 10/19 will you be able to find a hotel room East of El Paso or Lubbock? Question for you my friend. Per Sports Illustrated, Florida's 2024 schedule is ranked 1st in the nation, Bama's 9th. and Georgia tied 20th with Arkansas. Ole Miss SOS is 46th, Texas, with a game at Michigan, is tied 49th, Auburn is tied 52nd, Tennessee 68th, and Mizzou a robust (meaning easy peasy and not the obsequious 'manageable,') 127th! How can you play your ball in the SEC and have a SOS easier than the majority of G5 teams? What did Bama and UGA do to the folks at HQ to deserve this? Who was the bag man for Mizzou, Gary Pinkle? Gary must have come with a Santa Claus-like bag. And the UF, Bama, and UGA ADs (these 3 should have clout, Arkansas?) are allowing Greg Sankey to produce a sequel of the same movie in 2025-26. Why? I Don't Get It. Sure, the venues change in 2025 but the quality of the opposition will not vary significantly if at all. In the B1G SOS ranges from USC 2nd to Nebraska 83rd. But in the conference schedules through 2028, USC has one protected opponent, UCLA, and the Cornhuskers have one, Iowa. Otherwise, the in-conference schedule strengths vary greatly from season to season; all B1G teams will play one another at least three times from 2024 through 2028. [FYI - 11 B1G schools, including Oregon at No. 5, have SOSs ranked in the top 20. Seven SEC schools are in the top 20.] Best to the Dawgs in 2024.

"Do not sleep on Oregon." Talent Tracker: If Ohio State, Alabama, Georgia land their dream classes, who finishes No. 1 in 2025 rankings? - CBSSports.com WWW.CBSSPORTS.COM And don't sleep on Oregon, which could charge from No. 7 to No. 2

The Word is spreading from Sea to Shining Sea. Oregon lands No. 1 WR of 2025 over schools like Ohio State, Texas and LSU WWW.YARDBARKER.COM Oregon fans probably woke up on Thursday morning and thought the only fireworks they would see that night would be the ones in the sky from their local 4th of July celebrations, but the number...

Lose? To the Ohio State University? Since 2021, Puddles is 1-0 against the Buckeyes. Oregon Ducks College Football Playoff Predictions: Semifinal Loss To Ohio State? WWW.SI.COM The Oregon Ducks are entering year three under coach Dan Lanning with championship-sized hopes and expectations. The 2024 college football season is brimming wi Even at 13-0, I'm not certain that Liberty, no game against a Power opponent for the 2nd year in a row would top a 2-loss MW, AAC, or Sun Belt Champ with a better schedule. The 5 seed instead of the 6 seed in this hypothetical would be excellent. A home game vs a G5 team and then a 2nd round game in the West in 'Phoenix.' A bye and a first-round game in the Rose Bowl would be as good as it gets but this scenario would be an excellent fallback position. Under this scenario, Oregon defeats tOSU in Autzen, drops the conference champ game, and plays the rubber match in Miami. How about the Two Os being 'instant' B1G time conference opponents?

Let the word go forth. Danno is nailing it! Oregon Football Recruiting: Ducks the Nation's Newest Recruiting Powerhouse? WWW.YARDBARKER.COM EUGENE- Since arriving at Oregon, Dan Lanning has put his foot on the gas and appears not to be taking it off anytime soon. During the off-season, Lanning and his staff compiled some of the...

Without help from Congress the House case 'settle' anything other than the instant case? Amazing that one California Federal Judge, Claudia Wilken, seems to be the Go-To Judge for precedent-setting college litigation. What are the biggest unknowns facing the NCAA in 2024? WWW.ON3.COM After a dizzying first six months to 2024, here are the biggest unknowns facing college sports and the NCAA throughout the rest of the year. If would be nice to have clarity on many issues.

Then, there is this to consider. With OBD in the group, this would be fine with me. 2024 Conference Realignment: Could the SEC, Big Ten and Big 12 all feature first-year programs winning their new league? - On3 WWW.ON3.COM In the 2024 cycle of conference realignment, the SEC, Big Ten and Big 12 could all feature championship winners from new league members.

Athlon predicts the SEC race. No surprise, the Dawgs lead the the race in Dixie. SEC order of finish prediction: Athlon releases 2024 projections - On3 WWW.ON3.COM In June, Athlon Sports released its 2024 projections for how teams will fare in the new-look SEC. Here they are. Six or more SEC teams could win 10 games in 2024 because the conference is good and deep and because of crummy OOC scheduling, Ole Miss. Missouri. One tough OOC game, and 3 OOC cupcakes, Alabama, Texas, and some weak intra-conference schedules. Texas has two SEC opponents other than Georgia which won 8 or more games last season and Mizzou has an easier SEC schedule than Texas. Will the B1G and the SEC 'making nice' survive Selection Sunday, 12/8/24? Half of the B1G cannot schedule out of a loss in the 9th conference game.

Until the format changes to drop or use fewer bowl sites as game sites, or West Coast and Midwest 'neutral game sites' are added, Southern teams will have a material game-site advantage. This is a hangover from let's get out of the winter weather to play a one off game in a warmer climate. In 2026 I would like to see a 14 or 16 team field with all games but the semi-final and champ games played on the campus of the higher ranked team. The fans of the more successful teams should be rewarded with far less travel than a Ducks fan would experience under O'Gara's proposed field, after staying home for one game and then having to travel to Atlanta, Miami, and Atlanta again. I hope that B1G Commish Tony Petitti is paying attention. Making nice with SEC Commissioner Sankey was good for the B1G Playoff wallet but since the split favoring the Power 2 was agreed to Sankey has been everywhere and Tony has disappeared. I'll be very interested to hear his opening remarks on Big Ten Network at the opening of B1G football media days on July 23rd. (Dan will appear on July 25th.) I am excited to see the Playoff expand but the format for the next two seasons is fouled up including giving byes to teams likely ranked lower than a number of teams playing in the 1st round. And as of today no one knows if the PO Committee will continue to simply value wins without the basketball Committee's concern regaring a team's strength of schedule. Notwithstanding the FSU 2023 mess, I believe the PO Committee's task will be more difficult twelve teams than it was with four.

The most explosive offensive players in the Big Ten for 2024 SATURDAYTRADITION.COM Who are the Big Ten's most explosive playmakers entering the 2024 season? Remember the name, Jordan James. And do not sleep on Terrance Ferguson.

Yes, Mack Brown and Texas have A BCS Trophy but it was Oklahoma and not Texas that dominated the B12. Texas made the Playoff for the first time last season and is PO 0-1. Oregon is PO 1-1. When it comes to football championships, Texas is all hat and no cattle. The late winning TD drive Dillon Gabriel engineered in last season's Red River Rivalry Game was classic. I was wrong on FSU being overrated last season and Texas has one of the easier SEC schedules. However, I still think Texas is overrated and that one score wins in the B12 may not be wins in the SEC. Michigan has a lot of bite left on D and the game in Ann Arbor will be played in the 2nd Week of the season. Ewers is a good QB but not great. Manning lit it up in the Spring game. Big deal. UT takes the loss at Michigan and it could be a 3-loss team and out of the PO. 2023 1st team All-B12 QB, Dillon Gabriel. 2nd team, Will Howard. 3rd team, Quinn Ewers.

NY Times confirms that Moore is on board the good ship Danno. Oregon beats Ohio State, Texas, LSU for 5-star WR Dakorien Moore WWW.NYTIMES.COM Moore, ranked No. 3 overall in the 247Sports Composite, is the fifth top-100 player and third five-star prospect in Oregon’s 2025 class.

Ohio State applied for a patent on 'The' before Ohio State University and was rightfully denied. Thus, I like to use: 'the Ohio State University.' We'll see which is the real B1G O on 10/12/24.😁

Will Moore be drafted in the 1st round as predicted for 2 of OBD? Pair of Oregon Ducks selected in latest ESPN 2025 NFL Mock Draft DUCKSWIRE.USATODAY.COM A pair of Oregon Ducks are projected to go in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft, according to the latest mock from ESPN.

The Man of Steele predicts B1G things for OBD. Big Ten Order of Finish Prediction: Phil Steele projects conference standings for 2024 college football - On3 WWW.ON3.COM Steele broke down all 18 teams in the new-look Big Ten in his preseason preview and projected the conference's final standings for 2024. Which is nice. 😁

No. 4 will terrify the opposition, right? Not the first guy you want off the bus. UCLA Football win projections in the Big Ten in their first season GOJOEBRUIN.COM College Football News predictions for UCLA They predict that UCLA will defeat Hawaii, Indiana, Minnesota, Rutgers, Nebraska, Iowa, and Fresno State. CFN predict

9 wins and Troy is in? This guy Kelly Ford needs to go in for a lube job. Calculating USC football wins needed for College Football Playoff at-large bid REIGNOFTROY.COM A 12-team playoff means teams don't have to win their conferences for bids. Recent calculations indicate the wins teams need for at-large bid consideration.

1st up - the Ohio State U. Calculating Ohio State football wins needed for College Football Playoff at-large bid SCARLETANDGAME.COM The Ohio State football team has no excuse for not making the new 12-team CFP. Here's how many wins they need to get there. 10-2 with a loss at Oregon. Sign me up!

I + I. Good news for Illinois; not so much for Indiana. Teams that are undervalued, overvalued in latest ESPN college basketball rankings WWW.YARDBARKER.COM A look at several college basketball teams that have been mis-valued in a recent early look at the top 25 teams for the 2024-25 season.