Jon Joseph

More from Nick on the state of the game. https://sports.yahoo.com/nick-saban-the-way-alabama-players-reacted-after-rose-bowl-loss-contributed-to-decision-to-retire-

On Capitol Hill today, Nick Saban said that he is fine with sharing revenue with the players but is opposed to how boosters and their collectives have misused NIL to turn CFB (and Men's CBB) into a pay-for-play enterprise. Nick believes that Congress needs to pass federal legislation that will take precedence over conflicting state laws and give relief from players being employees. Looking at you NLRB and state legislative bodies. Nick Saban wants players to be able to get paid, but 'I don’t want them to be employees' SPORTS.YAHOO.COM Saban may be retired but he had a thundering message to the college sports world on Capitol Hill on Tuesday: Pay the players — but with limitations.

Good On You Saint Nick. Nick Saban is fine with NIL but does not want players to be employees. Nick Saban wants players to be able to get paid, but 'I don’t want them to be employees' SPORTS.YAHOO.COM Saban may be retired but he had a thundering message to the college sports world on Capitol Hill Tuesday: Pay the players — but with limitations.

While dumping on the B12. https://athlonsports.com/college-football/greg-mcelroy-rips-big-12-week-1-college-football-schedule

Greg bad-mouthed the Ducks last season so this is good to see from the Bama graduate. https://athlonsports.com/college-football/greg-mcelroy-has-oregon-ducks-in-top-three-of-2024-college-football-rankings

Thanks, NJ for the above post. A few thoughts. No. 10. LSU - with its tougher conference games in Baton Rouge, the Tigers are a threat to win the SEC. However, unlike 2023, in 2024 LSU will not have the best O in the nation. No. 10 feels like the right spot. No. 9. Oklahoma - Arnold threw for 361 yards against Arizona. He also threw 3 picks. The schedule is brutal. No. 8. Miami - Only if Mari(o) does not screw Cam Ward up. That's a big IF. No. 7. Georgia - Underrated IMO; especially with Etienne running the ball behind a solid O line. No. 6. Memphis. SMU is off to the ACC. Tulane has a new coach and a new QB, Ty Thompson. The only 'unwinnable game' is on the road at FSU. No. 5 - Texas - Top 2 RBs are gone. All of the quality WRs from 2023 are gone. Bond from Bama? The winning Iron Bowl catch was great, but Bond had 661 receiving yards in 2023, good but not great. I think Texas is overrated here and also in the 2024 preseason polls. No. 4 Liberty - Give me death over 13-0 Liberty playing in a crummy conference without a P4 opponent in back-to-back seasons, making the playoff as the G5 representative. We saw this horror movie in 2023. No. 3 Ole Miss - With a soft schedule, the toughest game at LSU, with UGA, and OK traveling to Oxford, and Dart back at QB, this could be too low. No. 2. Oregon - Oregon "lucked out" getting Stewart. Come On Man! How about some credit for Dan the Man and Division Street? Luck had nothing to do with Stewart coming to Eugene. TE Fergie is flying under the radar. No. 1 Ohio State - If the starting QB is better than McCord. If the O line improves. If everything meshes for Chip. A lightweight schedule provides an opportunity for tOSU to be No. 1; I see improvement but not this much improvement. Fun read. Thanks again.

Thank you, Alex. I think that Bo at No. 12 to Denver might be a reach. The consensus top 4 are Williams, Daniels, Maye, and JJ McCarthy. Charles's two posts nail the concerns regarding Bo's play. McCarthy moved up after his Combine showing. Bo was good, but not great at the Combine. Oregon's Pro Day will be important for Bo. McCarthy may be available at No. 12 but if not, I can see Denver trading down and taking a QB later in the 1st round or in the 2nd round. Penix is also in play. On the other hand Chris Simms and several NFL draft gurus have Bo ranked as the 3rd best QB in this draft. Going at No. 12 to Denver would mean a more lucrative rookie contract for Bo than going later in the 1st round or in the 2nd round. I hope Bo scores a big-time payday. Denver has a lot of needs and is $24M over the cap. I'd love to see Bo be drafted by 'my' Patriots and play under the new Pats coaching staff. Denver Broncos: 10 positions of need to address in 2024 BRONCOSWIRE.USATODAY.COM Here is our list of 10 positions the Broncos should address this offseason.

B1G Tradition - Matt Hayes's weekly look at B1G football. Lots of good stuff here; Hayes's key to Oregon going over 10.5, defeating at least one of Michigan and Ohio State. The B1G 10: If all goes well, you won’t recognize Penn State’s offense next year SATURDAYTRADITION.COM James Franklin hired Andy Kotelnicki to fix Penn State's woeful passing attack. Why it could work. Plus: B1G power rankings, Nebraska's QB battle and more.

Athlon's questions for B1G teams' spring practices. https://athlonsports.com/college-football/big-ten-football-the-biggest-spring-question-facing-every-team-2024

If a tree falls on the hardwood ...? The B1G Network would be all over this. The Pac-12 Network?

It's frustrating to see the CBB committee use agreed-upon measures of SOS and for the CFB committee to be wholly ad hoc when it comes to SOS. CFB does not parse wins between Quad 1 and Quad 4 wins as does the CBB committee; play junk and it doesn't matter. Just the Ws and Ls matter. (This and your starting QB being injured late in the season.) If this does not change as CFB moves to a 12-team playoff field, the Power 2's proposed format for 2026 will IMO, be justified.

Talking about proof in the pudding around Irish Guys is dangerous. 😁

B1G Tradition's take on the B1G tourney. Hammerin’ the B1G: Predicting the 2024 Big Ten Tournament SATURDAYTRADITION.COM The Big Ten Tournament is here with plenty of questions and intrigue for Minneapolis.

BR does not predict Oregon to be upset in 2024 but does note to keep an eye on the UW game. BR has USC defeating Michigan, a chance to defeat Notre Dame, and a loss to UW in Seattle. (I think USC comes into 2024 underrated.) The Ohio State over Michigan win in Columbus, I doubt that this will be an upset. The early line already favors Ohio State. Way-Too-Early College Football Upset Picks for 2024 BLEACHERREPORT.COM Yes, it's March, and we're still months away from the 2024 college football season kicking off. But everyone loves upsets, and as March Madness approaches,… I love the prediction of A+M taking down the Domers in the opening game in College Station.

ND, always enjoy reading your thoughts and comments. In general, I agree with your POV on playoff seeding for pro sports that rely strictly on on-field results; not for CFB, a sport with widely varying differences in strength of schedule, including the number of conference games played. The CBB Tournament committee places a great deal of emphasis on schedule strength. The CFB committee? In the last decade of the 4-team playoff, the playoff committee, except in 2014 and this last season when it benched undefeated FSU, looked at wins and losses, and that's it. Oregon should have played 11-2 AAC champ SMU in the Fiesta Bowl and not 13-0 CUSA champ Liberty, a team that played no P5 opponents in 2023 and will play no P4 opponent in 2024. Chicken spit scheduling must not be rewarded with the kind of playoff money at stake. The committee's reliance on wins and losses only is the B1G/SEC concern. In 2024 Oklahoma plays B12 Houston and AAC G5 playoff contender Tulane, OOC. In conference, the Sooners play Tennessee, Auburn, Texas, Ole Miss, Mizzou, Alabama, and LSU. Should a 10-2 ACC or a 10-2 B12 team that did not win its conference receive a playoff bid over a 9-3 Oklahoma? I don't think so. In over a 9-3 Michigan which plays Texas, USC, Oregon, UW, and Ohio State? I believe that the Power 2's concern in this regard is warranted. Should a 10-2 non-conference winner Utah (S. Utah, Baylor, and Utah State OOC, and only 2 preseason ranked teams, OK State and Arizona are on the 2024 Utes schedule) make the field instead of a 9-3 Oklahoma or a 9-3 Michigan. This would mean fewer eyeballs on the prize. And if Utah were to make the field with this record, why play any team OOC except a team that you are certain to defeat? Much of this angst could be eliminated in 2026 by going to a 16-team field as ranked by the PO committee and seeded the same. Run the prospective field in 2026 using this format and what the B1G/SEC are asking for will, for the most part, be realized. I think the proposed 14-team playoff with automatic bids and the top 2 seeds for the B1G and SEC champ may have been offered with the intent of a 16-team field come 2026. Looking forward to the Ducks and the Dawgs playing ball in 2024.

Thank you, Darren. Always great to read your takes. Before delving into your article I wonder if OBD fans know that both Chip and Ryan Day were born and raised in Manchester, NH. Former Florida coach Dan Mullen is also a Granite State guy. Three 'Boston-Irish' guys with basically the same upbringing and with little tolerance for the negative. Recall Day calling out Granny Holtz last season. And Chip, unless he is working for ESPN, is not a warm and fuzzy media guy. Although he seems to have lightened up with the move to Columbus. [OT - Chip played high school hockey in Manchester and his line held the NH record for total points, goals, and assists, for decades.] I think Chip to Columbus is serendipitous for Chip, Day, and Ohio State. Chip likes to run the football. Day after 3 consecutive losses to That Team Up North knows that the Buckeyes have to be more physical on offense. The hiring of Jim Knowles from OK State two seasons ago to be the DC has paid dividends for Day. Ohio State had one of the best Ds in the nation last season and all of the top draft-eligible starters on D are back. Plus, Day added all SEC CB, Caleb Downs, from the portal. I think Chip could have the same impact on offense that Knowles has had on the defense. Chip will have a dual threat playing QB, Will Howard the All B12 2nd team QB in 2023. (Behind our man Dillon but ahead of Texas' Quinn Ewers.) The tOSU Blue Chip Roster features two excellent RBs in Henderson and Judkins who transferred in from Ole Miss. The WRs even without Marvin Harrison Jr., will be elite and a 4* TE is on the roster waiting to replace Cade Stover, one of this season's top TEs in the NFL draft. The OL has been an issue for tOSU; good but not great. This could be the only weak link on the entire Buckeyes roster in 2024, as so noted below. Ohio State averaged 31 points a game in 2023 with a good but not great fit at QB. McCord had tough duty following Justin Fields and CJ Stroud. I expect, especially with a 'lightweight schedule' that Ohio State will exceed this average by quite a bit in 2024. Kelly and the O have the luxury of beginning the season with three home games vs. Akron, W. Michigan, and Marshall. Three G5 teams that all finished with losing records. Akron and W. MI. were not bowl eligible and Marshall lost its bowl game to finish 6-7. Before the trip to Eugene on 10/12, Ohio State plays at Michigan State and home vs. Iowa. Close to a lock to be 5-0 when Ohio State plays Oregon. The Ducks will also be favored in the first five games setting up a B1G Battle of the Os in Autzen. I would have preferred for O'Brien to stay in Columbus and for Chip to stay at UCLA. Chip will have lots of shiny new toys to play with on offense in Columbus. UCLA with DTR at QB, finished 3rd in the nation in 2022 in total offense. I do not think Will Howard is as good as DTR but he will be able to be both a pass and run threat. A happy Chipper = a tough out. Cotton Bowl Struggles Call for a Need to Evaluate Ohio State’s Entire Offensive Line WWW.ELEVENWARRIORS.COM A Cotton Bowl collapse calls for every aspect of Ohio State's offensive line to come under the microscope entering the 2024 offseason.

No doubt the Ducks can do it. My concern is the schedule, which lightens up in 2025, especially in conference, and the DL, opposite of last season when the OL came through B1G time. I hope that eight games in a row without a break and with four of the games on the road will not take too much out of OBD, physically and mentally. In a season with two idle weeks for every team playing eight games in a row without rest is senseless. I am sorry for what Hawaii is going through but not unhappy about the game being canceled for this season and for this reason. CFB stays at 12 regular season games and a player's union comes to the fore as is expected, I think that we will see a limit on how many games a CFB team can play in a row without a break. In the interim, IMO the Oregon administration did a lousy job of looking out for the interest of its athletes and for that matter, the coaches who have to have the team ready to play eight weeks running. Also in 2025, the disparity in strength of schedule between Oregon and Ohio State will not be as in favor of the Buckeyes as is the case in 2024. Ohio State in 2025 plays Texas OOC and Oregon plays Oklahoma State. And Oregon will not play Michigan and Ohio State in the regular season. But, it is what it is so ball out, make the playoff field, and win it all.

NJ Duck does a great posting job including bringing stories from Ducks Wire to OBD. All CFB Wire sites are sponsored by USA Today. These are the B1G Wire Sites that can be accessed today by searching for the named wire. Ducks, Buckeyes, Trojans, Huskies (Boo!), UCLA, Wolverines, Nittany Lions, Badgers, Spartans, Hawkeyes, Cornhuskers, and Rutgers Wire are available. That's 12 of 18 B1G teams that USA Today as of today has decided to cover with dedicated writers.

Versus Michigan Oregon is 2-3 with 4 of the 5 games played in Ann Arbor. 2024 makes it 5 of 6 games. Wolverines come to Autzen in 2026, and back to Ann Arbor for the Ducks in 2027. No games are scheduled for 2025 and 2028. Michigan football history vs. Oregon, USC, UCLA, Washington WOLVERINESWIRE.USATODAY.COM #Michigan has done well against all but one. #GoBlue

From Wolverines Wire - Michigan football a contributing factor to Nick Saban retirement WOLVERINESWIRE.USATODAY.COM #Michigan retired Saban — for real. #GoBlue

UW needs a B-Ball coach. aturdaytradition.com/big-ten-football/washington-basketball-makes-a-coaching-change-mike-hopkins-out-who-could-replace-him/ I really like Dynamic Duo No. 3! Ranking College Football's Best Dynamic Duos in 2024 BLEACHERREPORT.COM Batman and Robin. Starsky and Hutch. Augusta and golf. Peanut Butter and Jelly. Some things just go together, and those terrific tandems are also prevalent in…

College Football Playoff negotiations move to more at-large teams amid outcry over Big Ten, SEC automatic byes - CBSSports.com WWW.CBSSPORTS.COM The Big Ten and SEC had asked to be guaranteed first-round byes under an expanded 14-team format

B1G indeed. And by going B1G the money will come in to further support the brand. Fantastic marketing to have the Oregon brand this well-known and among the top brands in college athletics. So happy that Puddles caught the last B1G flight out.

For this post, I am referring to the Saturday Blitz preseason top 25, posted on January 26, 2024, after all of the P4 coaching changes and the early portal signings. Saturday Blitz does not have a dog in the media broadcast game. College Football Rankings: Way-too-early Top 25 projections for 2024 SATURDAYBLITZ.COM Who will be on top of the college football rankings to begin 2024? The B1G/SEC playoff format proposal was not welcomed by the ACC, B12, and the G5. In particular, the B1G and SEC guaranteed four spots each in a 14-team playoff, and then three teams but with the B1G and the SEC champs having the top two seeds and a first-round playoff bye, A compromise 2-2-1-1-1 plus 7 at large (AL) model is reportedly now on the table. Two B1G teams, two SEC teams, and one ACC, B12, and G5 team with a guaranteed spot in the field. Seven teams would be chosen by the playoff committee as at-large participants. Using the Saturday Blitz ranking, it is likely that no matter the format, the Power 2 would dominate the 2026 playoff field and likely have the top 2 seeds in a 14-team tournament with a first-round bye for the B1G and the SEC champions; or, on occasion, first-round byes for two SEC or two B1G teams. 14-Team Playoff Field - No. 1. Georgia - SEC - Bye - Versus - The lowest remaining seed below would play Georgia 'Tween the Hedges in round two. (The first two rounds would be played on the fields of the higher-ranked teams with fewer NY6 bowls involved in the playoff process.) No. 4. OREGON - B1G vs. No. 13. Arizona - B12 - Autzen Stadium No. 6. Michigan - AL vs. No. 11. Missouri - AL - The Big House No. 8. Alabama - AL vs. No. 9 LSU - AL - Tuscaloosa, AL. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- No. 2 Ohio State - B1G - Versus - The lowest remaining seed below would play Ohio State in the 'Shoe in round two. No. 3 Texas - AL vs. No. 14. Group of 5 No. 5 Ole Miss - AL vs. No. 12. FSU - ACC No. 7. Notre Dame - AL vs. No. 10. Penn State - AL --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The B1G and the SEC conference champions would have a first-round bye. No. 3 Texas and No. 4 Oregon would be automatically in the field and seeded as ranked above. The SEC would have six teams in the field. The B1G would have four teams in the field. This is representative of the number of teams the Power 2 placed in the decade of the 4-team playoff. Notre Dame, the power 2 (ACC + B12), and the G5 would be better off agreeing to have four B1G and SEC teams in the field, or three each with the conference champion from the B1G and the SEC the top seeds with a first round bye. The SEC's Greg Sankey? This format plays right into the SEC's wheel house. The B1G with four teams in? I think Tony Petitti would be all right with this but not happy that the SEC would receive two more playoff payouts. One team each is this hypothetical format for Independent Notre Dame, ACC FSU, B12 Arizona, and the Group of 5. "I should have taken the money?" Another hypothetical. The SEC adds Clemson and FSU and two other teams to go to twenty members. The B1G adds Notre Dame and North Carolina to reach twenty members. Who needs the power 2 and the Group of 5? Why not a College Football World Series between the B1G and the SEC? No matter the playoff format come 2026, the B1G and the SEC will receive the majority of the playoff revenue. Which is nice.

ACC, D-U-N Done by 2031 at the latest. No way, unless ESPN agrees to renegotiate the broadcast deal, that this group of 17 teams as currently structured hang on as-is through 2036. Why would ESPN renegotiate? ACC agrees to go to 9 conference games? So what? No divisions, so you cannot guarantee that FSU and Clemson will play every season, and if you tried to schedule this as an annual game, it would just further incent the two to leave. In addition to FSU and Clemson, UNC, NC State, UVA, VA Tech, and Miami have also expressed a desire to move to greener pastures. (As we see in the transfer portal, I do not see all 7 schools receiving a bid from the B1G or the SEC. Especially, as these 7 leaving would come close to forcing Notre Dame to join the B1G.) I also doubt that Cal, SMU, and Stanford if given another option would hang in with the ACC at a deep revenue discount. How many schools suing the ACC regarding the onerous exit fee will it take before the ACC gives up? Especially, if the plaintiffs withhold their share of the defendant's legal fees. Slightly OT but the announcement of a preseason CBB tournament in September 2024 with participating schools receiving NIL money that will go to players on the current rosters of participating teams is another sign that the 'current model' of the participating athletes not sharing in the revenues is on the way out. Most likely, equal revenue splits among conference members are also on life support. By 2026, the CFB playoff will be sharing revenue with the players. And most likely the same will happen with NCAA Tournament teams. The status quo will not hold for any conference through 2036.