Jon Joseph

Great take. The SEC is staying with 8 conference games in 2024 to be revisited in 2025. Spot on that playing 8 when no school that won the playoff played 9 conference games is the way to go when in the committee's mind the SEC gets a scheduling bump playing 8 or 9. But it's not like the SEC is avoiding solid OOC opponents down the road. Florida plays FSU every season, Utah in 2023, and down the road plays NC State, Cal, CU, and Notre Dame. LSU opens against USC in Las Vegas in 2024. (A Pac-10 team couldn't get this gig?) Has a return game versus UCLA, and has games scheduled against Clemson, ASU, and Utah. Tennessee has future home + home series with Nebraska and Washington. A+M has a home and home scheduled against Notre Dame. Alabama plays Wisconsin, West Virginia, Ohio State, Arizona, and Notre Dame. Georgia plays Clemson, Louisville, UCLA, FSU, and Ohio State. Auburn plays Cal, UCLA, and Miami. My feeling is that down the road SEC commissioner will get what he wants, 9 conference games. The schedules above have many Pac-10 teams on the slate including playing games at UW and Utah, not easy outs. And Arizona playing Bama in Tucson? If Utah can convince SEC teams to play in SLC there is NO justification for Mullens having Oregon play 6 B12 teams OOC in the next 6 seasons. Charles so aptly points out that Oregon was the seventh most-watched team in the nation in 2023. This will not be the case for the next 6 seasons and this falls at the feet of Rob Mullens. A guy making close to $1M a year plus bonuses and perks and with a huge support staff should be booking quality OOC opponents and not making excuses. Giving a boost to B12 scheduling for the next 6 seasons is senseless business. Why not ask Brett Yarmack and the B12 for another punch in the chops?

UW is the author's best bet. But with games against Utah and Oregon and games on the road at USC and Oregon State, I have my doubts. The Ducks will definitely be in the mix. 2023 Pac-12 championship odds, picks: USC favored but Washington, Oregon State have value - CBSSports.com WWW.CBSSPORTS.COM With an elite quarterback and a salty defense, Washington is a smart bet in 2023

And streaming has the potential to get this woman and the Pac-10 finances better balanced. To reiterate, a reasonably big-time OOC game, UW at Michigan State, will be broadcast only on NBc's streaming network, Peacock. A wave of the future. Who knew the surf would be up in E. Lansing?

This is the former AD at AZ, Battle who is now with Bma helping AZ out with a big-time-sold-out game in Tucson.

B1G - Ohio State won the first playoff title. Clemson has won twice. B1G - CBB has not won a title since 2000. ACC has far more than 1 CBB title since 2000. The B1G is big because of its location and huge numbers of alumni and alumnae and not because of success on the field and on the court. Swafford, in order to accommodate Notre Dame's independence buried the ACC in an awful media deal. 1st thing the ACC should do IMO is to stop bending over for ND. Require ND football to join all the other sports, other than ice hockey played in the B1G, in the ACC, or get lost. The ACC football champ has to play 13 games while The Irish play 12. And for the ACC to play 8 regular season conference games because of the ND deal is lame. As is justifying 8 games because Clemson, FSU, Georgia Tech, and Louisville play an SEC team every season. In today's CFB world a marriage between the Left and Right coast schools, 2 conferences that care about academics, makes sense.

That's old Bama. Bama plays the 2nd game this season with Texas and has a number of big-time H+H OOC games on future schedules. Not a big-time game as of today but Bama has a H+H scheduled with Arizona.

Interesting that the UW at Michigan State game will be streamed on NBC's Peacock and not shown on linear TV. Will be very interesting to see the number of eyeballs that watch this game. 1st game other than an occasional Notre Dame body bag game to be streamed on Peacock.

No offense directed at you, Texas Tech and its great fans, Lubbock (an underrated city,) and the great Buddy Holly but with the B12 commissioner Yarmack doing all he can to destabilize the Pac-10 I'd like to see Oregon buy out of the TT, Baylor, and Oklahoma State games in favor of No. Texas, UTSA, and SMU. Why should Oregon, not to sound elitist, give a boost to B!2 team schedules when a slimy commissioner is doing all he can to crater the Pac-10? And it's not just Yarmack, all B12 presidents have voted in favor of adding more teams and in favor of westward expansion. Play the 3 above teams instead of B12 teams and the OOC schedule would be no worse than that of UCLA and Michigan. And with the 3 substitutes most likely all 6 games would be played in Autzen. Mullens has come up with 6 B12 OOC games that today, make him look like a sucker. Having said this I too am happy that the game in Lubbock will be a night game on big Fox but it will be going up against Texas at Bama on ESPN. A game that will draw far more eyeballs. The game would be more watched if it kicked off at 11 AM Central time as does the OK/TX game every season. And it makes zero sense to send the Pac's 2nd best team to play a B12 team in a bowl game in San Antonio. All the best to you. It is great to have you on the Forum.

I very much doubt the committee will punish SEC and B1G teams for playing SOS-deficient schedules. From the committee's POV Mizzou at Vandy is a tough game. The 2 leagues, follow the money, will be propped up just like the B1G is propped up come the CBB tournament and the SEC is propped up in this season's baseball tournament. The SEC and B1G are almost assured of having 3 teams apiece in every 12-field playoff field. The conference champ and 2 others. In 2023, Michigan, Ohio State, and Penn State are in. Georgia, LSU, and Tennessee are in, and also, possibly Alabama. The rich will simply get richer and while more fans will likely be interested until the season's end the G5 will place 1 team in the field and the ACC, B12, and Pac-10 will be fortunate to have 2 teams in the field.

Sure looks like the SEC will stay at 8 conference games for the next 2 seasons at least. A 1-7 model means that rivalries like Bama vs Tennessee will not be played every season. It Just Means More? Maybe to guys down south selling chicken spit. As I have noted elsewhere, come 2026 although it will mean fewer dollars for the ACC (teams that do not have ND on the schedule, B12 (although I am loathe to do anything with the B12,) and perhaps the top 2 ranked G% teams, hold their own post-season tournament All games are played on campus except for the champ game. With Little Power 3 subsidizing the Power 2 will only expand with an expanded playoff field.

It Just Means More! More bowl games for schlubs. Several rivalry games going away. The leader of CFB being afraid of increased competition speaks volumes regarding today's fully monetized CFB. Teams that played 8 conference games winning 2 playoff titles is perhaps a coincidence. But every title won by a team that played 8? This is not a coincidence. And we all know that come 2024 the SEC will get every benefit of the playoff field doubt no matter the SOS. Would the NE Pats playing 17 games agree to be in a playoff with a NY Giants team that played 16 games? SEC appears poised to stick with eight-game league schedule amid ongoing concerns about payments, playoff - CBSSports.com WWW.CBSSPORTS.COM While there has long been support nine-game slate, the stars have not aligned to implement it in 2024

Far more than just 1 $cam in the SEC.

If the complaint is sustained UCLA and the CA Board of Regents best indemnify the conference and the conference should file to be dismissed from the suit and for indemnity if not dismissed. But being the Pac and with the legal advice the conference has been treated to in the past the Pac will likely roll over. No way should Oregon be tagged with any part of this. So, if the conference does not step up Oregon best step up. McMurphy and the Action Network? Based on the garbage he has spewed regarding the media deal the conference should consider taking action against McMurphy.

Great thoughts but not so long ago the Ducks played a H+H series with Tennessee. And Utah, Arizona, CAL scored H+H series with SEC schools. I do not want to do anything to make life easier for SC and UCLA.

LOL! But if Ewers can stay on the field this season instead of being dinged in the 1st Q like last season I think TX, with Bama playing a new QB against P5 competition for the first time, has a very good chance to win. QB Young saved Bama's bacon in Austin last season where Bama won by 1 on a walk-off FG.

Tough to accomplish with so many schedules firmed up, subject to a buyout for the next decade-plus but money does talk. Frankly, if the playoff stays at 12 or goes to 16 with all of the field being at-large the ACC (teams not playing Notre Dame required to play 9 conference games), the B12 and the Pac should consider holding their own post-season tournament. Broadcast on a streaming service if necessary with the revenue in part depending upon the number of viewers. Not as much $ of course but without having to share with the B1G and the SEC and devaluing the playoff field by not participating with the Power 2 it might not be that large of a discrepancy. And why subsidize the Power 2 any further than is already the case? Although I HATE to have anything to do with the B12 and its slime-ball commissioner including providing a boost for the B12 by playing the next 6 OOC games against B12 conference members.

All right! Big Fox is broadcasting the TX Tech game at 4, 7 Eastern, instead of ESPN2. This is a nice change that should bring in more viewers. Although, the game will be competing for viewers with the Texas at Alabama game on ESPN.

I'll definitely take the Over on a $20M Over/Under bet. $20M is more rumor-mongering garbage.

Spot On NJ! College football conferences do not print money. So many people including the B12 commissioner are writing checks with their mouths and keyboards that will never be cashed. And spending money on a consultant(s) will not shield you from trying to foul up another conference's existence. It's stuff like this that makes me want to, notwithstanding the late date, buyout and cancel the next 6 OOC games against B12 opponents that will get a boost from playing Oregon. With Oregon shuttled to ESPN 2 or Fox Sports 1. For the 2nd season in a row UCLA and Michigan and this season, Georgia, are all playing garbage (OK, maybe not UGA vs Georgia Tech) OOC. Pay some $ to G5 teams to drop their respective game against an FCS opponent. Play said school(s) in Autzen and add another 3 home games. What do people not understand about the Disney/ESPN financial difficulties and why would Fox with the LA market wrapped up spend more for B12 inventory? You nailed it. Have any of these folk ever taken Economics 101?

I understand Rob's comment about convincing B1G and SEC teams to play in Autzen. But Michigan State has scheduled an H+H with Oregon 7 years from now and Florida trips to Utah in 2023. Not the same risk as playing in Autzen but Auburn plays at CAL in 2023 and Wisconsin visits Wazzu. So I have to consider this a bit of a lame excuse on the part of Rob. I see games versus Texas Tech, OK St., and Baylor being more or less no-win situations for Oregon. Win, well you are supposed to win, and a loss means a lack of national respect. Oregon needs eye on the prize OOC games. Games that will draw 4M plus eyeballs and broadcast on Fox, ABC, or ESPN and not ESPN 2 as is the case with the 2023 game at Texas Tech. With a 12-team playoff coming and the top 6 conference champs in the field, I am hoping that SOS and not just Ws and Ls will matter for an invite to the playoff and for seeding. 10-2 teams will be in the 12-team playoff field and perhaps even a 9-3 conference champion.

Chris Fowler is pulling down $3.5M a year from ESPN and Pat McAfee is supposed to be making THIS amount of money? And SSDD. Our buddy Dennis Dodd has an article up today citing the proverbial 'unnamed source' and predicting CU's departure to the B12. Do any of these folks have a lick of business sense? ESPN/Fox is going to pay CU $31.6M a year, $190M over the length of the deal for the Buffs to relocate. CU is going to take less than BYU? SMH. https://athlonsports.com/college-football/pat-mcafees-espn-deal-worth-85-million

Know thy enemy - Sun Tzu Respect thy enemy - Sun Tzu (with a tip of the hat to Tech Fan.) OK review but not enough of a deep dive into the conference schedule which ramps up with games at SC and at UW. https://athlonsports.com/college-football/utah-football-utes-prediction-preview-2023

12 at-large teams simply mean that the Little Power 3 will be further subsiding the B1G and especially the SEC and especially if the SEC stays at 8 conference games. Why does the author believe that any conference other than the B1G and SEC and possibly Notre Dame would approve this format? The ACC, B12, Pac-10, and all G5 conferences have a vote on the playoff structure and unless they are completely brain-dead they will not vote in favor of this additional gift to the Power 2.

You have to have a Blue Chip Roster (50%+ 4* and 5* recruits to win a title. No school without a Blue Chip Roster won a BCS championship or has won a playoff title to date. DL is more than holding his own. Oregon Recruiting: Where Ducks blue-chip ratio ranks in 2024 cycle DUCKSWIRE.USATODAY.COM The Ducks are on a hot streak in the 2024 recruiting cycle. So where does their blue-chip ratio rank nationally this early on?

I think that come 2024 and a 12-team field that 10-2 teams, hopefully with the best SOS and not simply because the teams are in the B1G and the SEC will be among the 6 at large teams that are in the field and a number of 10-2 teams could be among the top 6 ranked conference teams. Conundrum. Play a top-drawer B1G or SEC opponent OOC or take an easier path. Until we learn how the Committee will act in 2024 it is difficult to know. I do think the playoff will expand to 16 teams in 2026 with no byes but today, finishing as a top 4 conference champ earns you a 1st round bye. Both Clemson that decisively lost its bowl game versus Tennessee and Utah, beaten down by Penn State in the Rose Bowl would have received a bye in 2023 if the 2024/5 12-team structure had been in place. So one wonders whether there will be 1st round byes come 2026 and if so, will the byes go to conference champions or the top 4 ranked teams? We know what the SEC will be pushing for.