Jon Joseph

Georgia went 1-1 vs Bama in 2021 and did not play Bama in 2022. Georgia's 2023 schedule by SEC standards is a cakewalk. I'll be very surprised if UGA is not in the final 4 in 2023. Bama is 125 out of 133 schools in returning productivity and has a new OC and a new DC. I know it's Saint Nick and the game is in Tuscaloosa this season but I like LSU to again win the SEC W.

Irving and Whittingham were both lights out with a healthy Bo Nix keying a solid RPO-oriented offense. Let's hope Bo is good to go all season and not the banged-up player he was at the end of 2022. The RB room is deep. Bot so the QB room. And let's hope without coach Klemm that the new O line can come close to the productivity and efficiency of last season's OL. Thanks for the article, David.

Thanks for this PA Duck and thanks also to Charles for sharing the Rivals information.

I like JC's thought: GET A DEAL DONE! Until all have signed the bottom line of a new media deal everything is conjecture and hearsay. I do believe the conference will hold together and be competitive. But talking is cheap.

It's a final 4 semi-final playoff site so not a bad bowl to settle for.

As always, thank you, Coach!

At this point my friend I think money trumps academics. You can bet that San Antonio would be on B12's radar if Baylor/TCU were not already on board.

Good take, thanks. ASU isn't happy? ASU's president Crow did more to enable Larry's antics than any other Pac-12 'leader.' Everything will work out fine for the Ducks regardless of what 'sleeping giant' ASU thinks. ASU has been napping longer than Rip Van Winkle. Oregon, Utah, UW, CU, OR ST, and WSU back their Moneyball teams. I care far more about Oregon and UW's 'happiness' than I do ASU's.

No way are the Ducks doomed in any way, shape, or form. My comment was directed at life in general where Murphy's Law will rear its head from time to time. NOTHING in this world is ever as good as it seems or as bad as it seems. On rare occasions my golf swing actually 'works.' In 2023 Oregon has a perfect week 7 bye week. But the schedule is tough. Oregon will play 5 to even 6 ranked teams. Ohio State will play 3 including at Notre Dame. Michigan will play 2. Georgia's schedule by SEC standards is a cake walk. Will Bo stay healthy? He was hurt badly his last season at Auburn and his injury last season crippled the entire offense. The QB room at Oregon is thin. If this was 2024 I'd like Oregon to make the 12 team field but to make a four team field in 2023 is a big ask. But, you never know?

Notre Dame football joining full-time would be a boon to the ACC that could then re-work its lousy media agreement. Notre Dame has an open invitation to join the B1G. But as Charles so notes Notre Dame dearly values its independence in football. Its AD is treated the same as a conference commissioner at the playoff table. It has a perfect relationship with the ACC for all other sports other than hockey where it plays in the B1G. It is guaranteed 4 to 6 ACC games yearly, which makes scheduling far easier. NBC is staying with Notre Dame and will also be broadcasting a B1G game every weekend. Unless the conference commissioners in 2026 demote Notre Dame from its status as a voting playoff committee member it has no reason to abandon its football independence. Oregon as an independent would not get the 'most favored nation' treatment as does Notre Dame and as Charles and others so correctly point out scheduling would be a witch. The B12 would not give Oregon the same treatment as the ACC gives Notre Dame. So, where would Oregon go for its other sports? The Mountain West? That's a G5 non-starter. Be of good cheer. With its brand Oregon will find a place for Puddles to play.

On occasion, but not for long.

34. Hats off to KC.

Sorry for the dope dupe.

It's called the Super Bowl, and to be precise--what number Super Bowl game is today's game? Hint. It changed after the Joe Namath guarantee win game..

The DFW market is nice but SMU comes in after Texas, A+M, TCU, and likely Baylor. SMU plays in a 42,000-seat stadium and is a G5, AAC member. Where's the Beef? In terms of the media market San Antonio is not as large. UTSA has no pro-team competition and is a bigger and more popular dog than SMU in Dallas. UTSA is the defending CUSA champ, a preseason top-25 team in many polls, and is moving up to the AAC. However, I do not believe a single team in the central time zone makes sense for a conference that has always been 'partner oriented.' Playing defense, to keep the B12 out of the Pacific time zone, I'd add SDSU, Fresno, and UNLV. Going on offense in the central time zone I'd add SMU, UTSA, and Tulane. But, depending on the new Pac-12 media deal I'd first go toe-to-toe with the B12 and go after Kansas (AAU member), Iowa State (AAU member), K- State, Oklahoma State, TCU, Texas Tech, and Baylor. I'd still go after SDSU for the SoCal market and to add an even number 8 teams. It's easy to play armchair Commissioner. Not so easy 'on the ground.'

Wish I could agree but I do not see Ohio State with a new QB, Michigan or Penn State defeating Georgia.

Are you ready for some football? It's the Philadelphia Eagles versus the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl 57 (I'll leave the Roman numerals to Cicero) kicking off at 6:30 eastern time and a far more civilized 3:30 Pacific time from Glendale, Arizona on FOX (BOOOOOOOOO!) TV. Following is the all-Pac-12 Super Bowl (SB) team as compiled by Jon Gold's Saturday Out West. OFFENSE Quarterback - Troy Aikman, UCLA Aikman went SB 3-0 as a starter for the Dallas Cowboys. Running back - Marcus Allen, USC Marcus put up 191 yards for the Oakland Raiders versus Washington (PC redacted) in Tampa Bay. . His 2 TDs included an iconic 74-yard scoring run. Wide Receiver - Lynn Swann, USC Swannie helped lead the Pittsburgh Steelers to 4 championships from 1974-1979. When he retired, Swann had the Super Bowl record with 364 receiving yards and 398 all-purpose yards. Wide Receiver - Mike Wilson, Washington State The former Cougar, a 9th-round pick won 4 SBs with the San Francisco 49ers as a starting and rotational wide receiver and tight end. [The most player's from one Pac-12 program in today's SB? 3 participants from Washington State.] Wide Receiver - Cliff Branch, Colorado Branch won 3 SBs. One with the Oakland Raiders and two with the LA Rams. Tight End - Rob Gronkowski, Arizona Gronk's legend was solidified in 5 SB appearances in a Patriots decade of dominance and an encore with the Buccaneers Gronk caught 29 passes for 364 yards and 5 TDs; 2nd behind Jerry Rice in catches and yards. Offensive Tackle - Bruce Davis, UCLA Davis won 2 SBs with the Raiders including a win when Marcus Allen set the SB rushing record. Offensive Guard - Randy Cross, UCLA An All-American for the Bruins, Cross won 3 SBs with the 49ers. Center - Dave Dalby, UCLA Yet another Bruin, Dalby won 3 SB titles with the Oakland Raiders. Offensive Guard - Gerry Mullins, USC A 4-time SB winner with the Steelers. He was named to the Steeler's 50th-anniversary team. Offensive Tackle - Gary Zimmerman, Oregon (Let's hear it Ducks fans!) One of a select group to appear on both the NFL 1980s and 1990s All-Decade Teams. He retired following an SB win. DEFENSE Defensive End - Jim Jeffcoat, Arizona State Jeffcoat won back-to-back SN titles with the Cowboys in 1992 and 1993. He never made a Pro Bowl but finished his career with over 100 sacks. Defensive Tackle - Curley Culp - Arizona State The 1967 NCAA heavyweight wrestling champion went on to a great NFL career. A six-time Pro Bowler he won a Super Bowl 4 with Kansas City. "Keep matriculating down the field boys." KC HC Hank Stram. Defensive tackle - Haloti Ngata, Oregon (How About, YES!) Ngata made 5 Pro Bowl teams and won an SB title with the Baltimore Ravens. Linebacker - Ken Norton, Jr., UCLA/ Loren Toews, California/ Willie McGinest, USC Norton was a 3 time SB winner and an SB winner as a Seahawks coach. Toews was an 8th-round pick by the Steelers and won 4 SB titles playing next to Jack Lambert in the 'Steel Curtain' defense. McGinest - 3 SB wins. Hall Of Famer and member of the Patriots' the 1990s and 2000s Teams of the Decade. Cornerback - Ronnie Lott, USC/Richard Sherman, Stanford Lott won 4 SBs with the 49ers. An 8-time 1st team All-Pro, Lott redefined the role of hybrid defensive back playing cornerback and safety. One of the NFL's all-time 'Tough Guys.' Sherman was the leader of the Seahawks' Legion of Boom defense. WEnt 1-1 in the SB; should have been 2-0 if Pete Carroll had handed it off to fellow Pac-12 player, Marshawn Lynch. Safety - Patrick Chung, Oregon - (Hurray for the 3rd Duck to make the team!.) Darren Woodson, Arizona State Chung won 3 SB trophies with the Patriots and played in 5 SB games. Woodson won 3 SBs with the Cowboys and finished a great career with 23 interceptions and over 850 tackles. NOTE: No Washington players on the list. HUZZAH! No Utah players on the list. No Beavers on the list. 3 Ducks is a darn good showing and once upon a time, UCLA had a heck of an O-Line! .

FWIW, Ducks Wire predicts the Ducks will go 11-1 in the 2023 regular season. Loss vs USC in Eugene but revenge vs the Trojans in the conference champ game. Ay 12-1 the Ducks would be in the Final 4. I love the enthusiasm but ...?

Come 2024 you will not have to win your conference to be a playoff participant. There will be a 12-team field which I think is likely to expand to 16 come 2026. Being in a conference gives you 2 shots. Making the field as a conference champ or receiving an at-large bid. Notre Dame has 1 shot; receiving an at-large bid and being seeded no higher than 5 in a 12-team field. The B1G E will likely disappear when SC/UCLA join and divisions disappear plus SC will make the B1G harder to win than the Pac-10 or whatever the number may be. But the B1G is top-heavy as is the SEC. In the B1G Oregon would not be playing OH ST, MI, Penn St, and SC every season. Oregon in football would be very competitive in the B1G. The last regular season ended with 6 Pac-12 and 3 B1G CFB teams ranked.

What would the incentive be for the remaining conference members to allow Oregon to do so? In fact I would expect many of the remaining conference schools would refuse to schedule and independent Duck football team and other sports? I like the thought you have as part and parcel of 'everything' being on the table but I just do not believe being independent in CFB would work for Oregon.

Great take. The Oregon brand is strong and Oregon will be fine and competitive no matter what happens with expansion and the new media deal.

Rising's ACL is a big deal. Utah had its best season er in recruiting but the QB room is thin. For the conference's sake, the Utes need to beat Florida in the opening game in SLC. BTW, from what I have read many of the ND fans are not sorry to see Rees go. I thought Rees was a very odd hire by Saban as was the hire of Steele as the Bama DC.

Well worth the thought Dave but it doesn't pencil out. Oregon even with a very strong brand will not get the CFB playoff love shown to ND. It will not have a playoff vote and under the format for the 2024/25 seasons would not have a chance at a conference championship and a 1st round bye. Also, I do not think the Ducks for its other sports could find a deal like Notre Dame has with the ACC. All sports other than football and hockey (B1G member for hockey) compete in the ACC and the football team is guaranteed 4 to 6 ACC games a year which makes CFB scheduling far easier. And Notre Dame football is covered exclusively by NBC for broadcast purposes but is also covered by the ESPN-owned ACC Network.

Simple message. No matter what pond Puddles swims in the Oregon brand nationally and worldwide is strong with a capital 'S.' Puddles will land on its webbed feet no matter how recent events on the media front revolve and evolve. One if not the largest role of sports media is projecting outcomes. In today's world, the projection of negative outcomes is to be expected. Oregon will be competitive in CFB, CBB, and many other sports well into the future. The Ducks young football coach is 10-3 and Oregon is on a trajectory to compete for championships in CFB, CBB and any other number of sports. As the great Alfred E. Neumann often expressed: What! Me worry?

Rees as OC and Steele as DC are both head-scratching hires by Saint Nick. Headed into 2023 Alabama is ranked 125 out of 133 FBS schools in returning on-field production. As for Mario, your record is what you are. He's a .500 recruiting champ, coaching chump HC. I like the Ducks 'new guy.' He can recruit up there with Mario and to date, he has a record of 10-3.