Jon Joseph

Good points. But the late NFL games kickoff at 8 eastern time and not 10:30 eastern time. A 10:30 PM start on the Pac-12 Network is watched by few folks; especially, folks who live east east of Colorado.

I have made it clear that IMO, the Pac-12 blew it by not taking Houston and 'left-over' B12 teams when it had a chance to expand. This would have been the divisional line-up, results for 2021 (using final AP ranking) and the 2022 preseason ranking by ESPN. WEST - Arizona, ASU, CAL, Oregon, Oregon St, Stanford, UCLA, USC, UW, Washington St. The former Pac-10. 5 Bowl Games - 0-4 with a no contest Ranked - 22 Oregon 2022 preseason ranked - 12 Oregon, 22 USC EAST - Baylor, Colorado, Houston, Iowa St, Kansas, Kansas St, Oklahoma St, TCU, Texas Tech, Utah 7 Bowl Games - 5-2. 2-1 in NY6 bowls. Ranked - 5 Baylor, 7 Oklahoma St, 12 Utah, 17 Houston 2022 preseason ranked - 7 Utah, 9 OK ST, 13 Houston, 16 Baylor The Pac-20: Would have expanded Pac-12 market size into the central time zone including football crazy Texas and the Dallas and Houston markets. With the occasional exception of Oregon and USC, more eyeballs watched the East teams play than watched West teams play. Could have been a lifeline for the functionally insolvent Pac-12 Network. Many new subscribers would have signed up and the Network would have been far better positioned to be carried on all major cable providers. A media partner would be far more inclined to buy the Network or a piece of the Network and operate the Network on a professional level. With far better coverage of CFB and better kick-off times for Pac-20 games. Today, I see no way in which the Pac-12 schools will recover their investment in the Pac-12 Network. More quantity, but the quality today would be in the East Division. In addition to Utah's close loss in the Rose Bowl, Baylor won the Sugar Bowl and OK ST won the Fiesta Bowl. Distributions to the new teams would have been phased in so no Pac-12 team would take a 'hair cut.' This was the model the B1G used when Maryland, Nebraska and Rutgers joined the conference. This could have been easily negotiated when bringing Houston to the P4 level and throwing a life-line to the B12 schools. The Pac-12 competes against Baylor and TCU. IMO religious affiliation should not exclude these 2. Religion is not used when determining admission to these 2 schools. For example, both schools have many students who are not affiliated with any religion, students who are Jewish and students who are Muslim. Today, these two are far more secular than they are religious oriented schools. Adding the central time zone and Texas would have improved the Pac-12's position when negotiating new media rights. Many of the added schools in the East have quality basketball programs. Where does the Pac-12 go now if it decides to expand? The P5 would have become the P4. One fewer power conference to share Playoff proceeds. One fewer bidder for media rights. Without this expansion how does the Pac-12 have a hope of closing the financial gap between the B1G and the SEC. I doubt that the soon-to-be 16 school SEC is done with expansion. A 20 team Pac-20 'super conference' would be far less likely to have teams poached or deciding to leave the Pac-12. It would have helped especially with the long term viability of the Pac-12 schools in smaller media markets. It likely would have assured that USC and Oregon 'remain in the fold.' --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- OK, this didn't happen. But I intend to track the 'Pac-20' through 2024, in order to value, at least on an estimated basis, the difference between the Pac-12's new coming media rights deal compared to what the 'Pac-20.' might have produced. I cannot come up with a single business reason(s) that justifies the Pac-12 standing still.

Could be right on. But I like Brady over his former back-up Jimmy G. Of course could be all California for the conference title?

2-0 with a Straight Up win. I'm a happy camper.

Great call. I should have specified starting at QB.

The 12 playoff the ND AD helped craft would have helped ND stay independent. ND could never get 1 of the top 4 seeds and a 1st round bye, but with 6 conference champs in leaving 6 AL spots ND would have been in most years and hosting a 1st round game. I think much of the playoff hold up is due to Sankey being on the committee when he was poaching OK and TX and independent ND setting up a sweet deal to assure continued independence. As GK has noted, the 12 team field idea never should have been released before being examined by and discussed with the B1G, ACC + Pac-12.

Sunday, I'm taking both favorites and laying the points. +160 to play with. But a champ game in Buffalo a week from Sunday? CHILLY!

Never a doubt? Should have brought Tony Munez out of the booth and put him in uniform. 9 sacks cannot overcome 3 picks.

And 5 (!) sacks in the 1st half. Why did TN go for 2?

I'd let the Irish in if it joined the ACC as a football member. If ND joined the ACC, ACC could re-write its media deal and would likely agree to an expanded playoff before 2026.

Kid was a baller and a mauler at CU.

Didn't play that year. Bama played UGA in the final and won in OT with the Tua walk off TD pass.

I don't 'get' the Transformation Committee from the get-go. Ohio University and the SEC are not on the same page talent-wise and finance-wise. The P5 at least in CFB should be stand alone and MAC and G5 schools IMO should not have a vote on how the P5 governs itself. This is a chance for the P5 to break away and manage its own affairs. Hard enough to do with 5 P5 commissioners. I for one do not want to see the G5 and the Notre Dame AD at the same table.

The frozen tundra will be difficult to navigate, no doubt.

UGA in the semi-final game in the Rose Bowl most certainly did not shut down Riley's O. It slowed the OK O down in the 2nd half and in OT but OK and Baker Mayfield put up plenty of points on the Dawgs.

Excellent point. I unfortunately have no idea how much more $ the game 'at' UGA will net Oregon more than would an opening home game against San Jose State? I'm sure it is more but that much more than an extra home game, that would be an opening game sell out especially with the new coaching staff? I know Oregon would be paid less media-wise but how much less? Also, how much more will Oregon gain if it has a loss 'at' UGA instead of a W over SJS and a much easier path to the Final 4. Lose at UGA and Oregon is on playoff life support. The difference between at UGA and at Ohio State? Ohio State agreed to a home and home series. UGA backed out of a home and home series. I also note that Mullens agreed to this game in 2019, before covid had ravaged society and CFB. So IMO he does not get a 'covid pass.' With the covid-money problems, it is hard to believe that there is no consensus on expanding the playoff field before 2026. ESPN has said it will pay more for 'this' and will allow different media entities to bid for telecasting the opening playoff round and 2nd round if the field went to 12. 100's of millions of dollars are being left on the table.

Cincinnati Bengals +3.5 at Tennessee Titans - 4:30 CBS Last week the Bengals won its 1st playoff game in 31 years when Cincy held off a last possession drive against Derrick Carr and the Raider. In the history of the franchise Cincy is 0-7 in road playoff games. The Titans were the 8th worst team in the NFL against the pass this season. Burrow throwing to LaMarr Chase and the other quality Bengals WRs is a scary proposition for the Titans D. RB Derrick Hill will play for the Titans today after sitting out close to 2 months with an injury. How effective will he be? The Bengals have the better QB in Burrow over Ryan Tannehill. I like Cincy straight up at +160. San Francisco 49ers +5.5 at Green Bay Packers - 8:15 FOX Kyle Shanahan's 49ers are 25-17 ATS as underdogs. 11-6 as road dogs outside of the NFL W division. I see this as more of 1 FG game than I do the Packers winning by 6 or more points. I like the 49ers +5.5. This will be the only game today or tomorrow that features a Pac-12 player, Aaron Rodgers, CAL, starting at QB. Sad for me to say but the SEC has the most starting QBs in today's and Sunday's games: Burrow - LSU, Stafford - UGA + Tannehill - A+M. Do not count on having Won, bet for Fun.

247 Transfer Rankings post-Dye. SC up from 3 to 2; Ducks down from 40 to 42. Riley signs C Williams, SC will move to 1 and be hard to catch. I also think a number of guys would follow Williams to SC.

He was an under-coached out-of-control player. A less crazy version of Burflict. Hats off to Huf for the personal foul that helped the Ducks win the 2020 title.

SmithRiverDuck - thanks again for the great take. I disagree with the idea that because Ty and Butterfield haven't left yet this means they are not going to leave. I think at least 1 of the 2 are likely to enter the portal after spring ball? One reason I am fairly certain that at sometime we will hear, "the QB competition is very close and will continue right up to the opening game."

Riley is a far more dangerous opponent than was the clueless Clay Helton. Having paid @$100M to buy Riley from OK I think all systems are go at an awakening blue blood, including a big increase in the recruiting budget. Riley recruited well at a blue blood school in a state that doesn't produce many top 4/5* prospects. Every top guy from TX who went to OK was also pursued hard by TX and SEC schools. He now is in fertile recruiting ground. Who is going to be a big time challenger to Riley recruiting-wise in the Pac-12? Hopefully Lanning + the very good staff Dan has assembled. Anyone else? The man took his team to the playoffs. The man produced Heisman winners. I'm not prepared to sell him and his team anywhere near as short as I read in many of these comments. He gets Caleb Williams and SC will be a contender for the south title in 2022.

But some Pac-12 teams need to succeed so we have 2 top 10 teams squaring off in the champ game. This kind of rankings is why the SEC put 2 teams in the champ game this season and why year after year at least 3 SEC teams make NY6 money while the Pac-12 gets 1 team in the money ball mix. This just in. Play 8 and not 9 conference games. Oregon vs Utah in the penultimate regular season conference game next season? Raise foot, shoot same. My always say Dye in 2021 has died. But the guy has a good agent along with his future spouse and with this move will be picking up big NIL $. SC starts pulling in OL and DL guys and look out. With a transfer from UVA, 2nd team all ACC OT, SC is picking up big bodies along with skill players. War is right. And SC just benched a flawed general and replaced him with a guy who went to the PO once as assistant + 3 times as an HC.

Good call. But what the networks want and what makes sense vis-a-vis Playoff participation is two different things. I doubt that playing an extra OOC game vs a B1G or ACC opponent will have much to do with the pay out calculous? OR ST at Duke makes that much of a difference? I doubt it. Playoff Committee values wins no matter the opponent vs Ls.

Excellent appearance for GK following an appearance from Cristobal. GK made it clear that the Pac-12 is not holding back playoff expansion be it a 4 to 8 or 4 to 12 playoff field.. The Rose Bowl In the years that count, when hosting a PO game, playing a quarter or semi-final in Pasadena. want the 1/1 5PM start for the Rose Bowl but is otherwise flexible. The Pac-12 is in favor of PO expansion. The ACC is not and the B1G insists on 5 P5 champ automatic qualifiers and that the RN always be play. GK wants on 1/1 at 5 PM for the RB. Excellent showing by GK. Finebaum was nothing but gratuitous in his praise for GK. Mario, SSDD.

He can and he will do so. If he bags QB Caleb Williams USC will be a big time player in the Pac-12 S. He has already picked up a starting OT from the portal. With Dye he now has 11 portal transfers and I think he is far from done. He picked a very good DL guy from LSU out of the portal. SC paid $100M to get this guy and the money is there for rich NIL deals. The Trojans lost the battle but is now ready ready to pay to bring Achilles on board.