Jon Joseph

Friday 12/12/21 - NOON - 15. Iowa at 2. Michigan - ESPN/ 10 Michigan State at 7 Baylor - FOX 3:30 - 11 Utah at 6 Ohio State - ABC 7:30 - 14 Oregon at 5 Georgia - CBS Saturday 12/13/21 NOON - 9 Oklahoma State at 8 Ole Miss - FOX/ 13 BYU at 4 Cincinnati - ABC 3:30 - 12 Pittsburgh at 5 Notre Dame - NBC 7:30 - 16 Oklahoma at 1 Alabama - CBS How sweet this would be? And how much $ would rain down?

All the talk is spot on! But the 2022 schedule will make it difficult to immediately walk the walk. Lanning seems to be a young man with a plan other than 'I'm going to punch you in the mouth!'

Great take! The goal for Oregon is the final 4. How many other conference members can say the same or pay the money required to reach this goal? Conversely, realistic or not, more than half the teams in the B1G and the SEC start the season aiming for the Final 4. I also totally agree with your take on Wilcox. The Oregon HC is not for the faint of heart including those distressed by boos.

Despite myself I was glad to see Shaw haul in a very good class of recruits. Word is that Shaw a very serious discussion with the Stanford administrators about the importance of admitting kids before early signing day? I also understand that the idea not to give student-athletes grad school admission preference is being reconsidered. The above comes from my buddy John Sande who played center for the then Indians when Plunkett won the Heisman and upset Ohio State in the Rose Bowl.

Of course, if Ohio State had defeated Michigan, Utah would not be playing Ohio State. I think the Buckeyes because of the way it lost to Michigan, will show up with a big chip on the shoulder pads? I have a modest wager on the Over 66.5. I don't think the Utah DL will pressure Stroud like the Wolverines did and I think the Utah DBs who did not look all that good vs Oregon State have a chance to be lit up by the Buckeyes passing game? Will this be Whit's final game?

I'm not pussy-footing around when I say the pics are fantastic! More kittens, please?

Not intended to do so. There is still a vibe around college games, at least big time college games, that does not seem to resonate in the pros before the playoffs start, if then? One of the best vibes in CFB is felt and heard in Autzen Stadium. I hope so much that the new staff's plan on O and D will produce cheers and not boos? It is flat out sad out that there is not a buzz in many the Pac-12 stadium.

Make no mistake, I am not judging, just reporting the 'facts' as reported by 247. I didn't bother to list the top teams. We all know the 'usual suspects.'

Money is not evil. The love of money is evil. Mel Tucker is going to make $9M a year. After abandoning a recruiting class at CU and materially altering the roster at MI ST by bringing in 40 kids from the portal and running off a lot of guys who were on the roster when he arrived in E. Lansing. And having not won even a division title. Texas made a big time run at Nick Saban. Saban stayed after Bama gave him a big pay raise. Brian Kelly is the first sitting coach at Notre Dame to leave the school for another school. Kelly left when his school was in the running for a playoff spot. Lincoln Riley is the first sitting coach to leave Oklahoma since 1946. NIL, which is basically a platform for pay for play, free agency, quality players not suiting up for bowl games, bowl games that reward outright mediocrity, only 3 bowl games that are relevant in today's world of monetized CFB, schools gaming the system via scheduling, media and money dictating absurd kick off times, college coaches making more than pro coaches? CFB attendance is down for a reason. I just flipped on the Bahamas Bowl for a moment; there are far more pelicans flying over the field than there are fans in the stands watching two 6-6 teams battle it out. If you are going to watch pro ball why not watch the NFL.? At least there is a guy in charge in the NFL. At least there are rules regarding free agency in the pros. And there is a union to govern compensation in some respects and a draft so a handful of teams cannot scoop up all of the best players. Thank you David for a most timely article that brings up a whole lot of ponder points. If adult role models evidence no loyalty to young men to whom that made many the promise, why should the players evidence any kind of loyalty?

The Ducks of course have a chance to win with OK's top 3 D guys opting out along with Spencer Rattler and the Sooners starting TE. But Bob Stoops has not forgotten the 'onside kick' game in Eugene and I imagine he wants to pour it on Puddles.

Stanford - 15 Oregon - 31

He cement-shoed it.

Win the 5 Division games. Gives you the best shot to win the division and advance to the champ game. Win the champ game and next season with the Rose Bowl a playoff semi-site, head to the Fiesta Bowl. Hope that a lot of the draft eligible guys will not drop out of the Fiesta Bowl? Hope that folks care enough to show up for the Fiesta Bowl. Hope that you do not not draw the short stick and play the fired up G5 representative. Unless the team goes 13-0 or 12-1 with a win 'at' UGA in 2022 the Ducks are not in the playoff hunt. 2022 is a season to get the team ready to make a real run for the playoff in 2023 when the schedule lightens up significantly.

Great take. But my 1st solution is that you do not send your 2nd best team into B12 country to play a B12 team. 2nd, hurry up and get the playoff expanded. 3rd, vote with your pocket book and don't attend these after-thought, meaningless exhibition games. I 'll tape it and if the Ducks win which I doubt, I'll watch. Otherwise, Delete. Mario's gone, let's move the hell on! BTW, with Brown starting at QB how long do you think it will take Bob Stoops to figure our his plan on D for this game?

30, I'd go with another I word: Idiotic.

Olave and Wilson are both draft eligible and I think it is the same for Smith-N? Stroud, who is not draft eligible will play, unlike Pitt's QB Kenny Pickett who is draft eligible and will not play in the Peach Bowl.

Biggest Win? For a guy who will be picking names out of the portal? A way over the top article IMO. Author Neely is really playing some 'inside baseball' here. I guess without this young man the recruiting at Bama would be average at best? Welcome aboard Morgan but how will we know if your efforts mean one more or one fewer, win?

He had his career day when he started against and defeated Ohio State; the only game he has started vs a top 25 team and won. And in the OH ST game he completed fewer than 50% of his throws. For goodness sakes. Does anyone on the Oregon coaching staff give a whip about 2022? This is not a playoff semi or even an exhibition Rose Bowl, this is a game for runners up. I guess no one wants to see Thompson or another youngster start a game before stepping on the field in Mercedes Benz Stadium vs Georgia?

If this is the case did the Ducks even try to go after Dillon Gabriel, now at UCLA, Penix, now at UW or Rattler? This guarantees that unless the Ducks bring in a QB from the portal the Ducks QB 'at' Georgia will be making his 1st start in CFB. I do not get THIS! Does anyone give a whip about longer range planning?

Completely agree with you deschutes. Would the author stay at his job with the kind of pay increase Lanning is receiving? This is an oblique shot at Oregon and the Pac-12. Stick around Dan and maybe you could have landed a job in the SEC or at least in the ACC?

FYI - QB Dillon Gabriel has transferred to UCLA. When on and when healthy, this guy can light it up. Joins QB Penix who transferred from Indiana to UW. NOT playing in the Peach Bowl : Michigan State - Doak Walker winner RB Kenneth Walker. Pitt - Heisman Trophy finalist QB Kenny Pickett. Yeah, it's an NY6 Bowl but it is still an exhibition game. I do believe we will see Ohio State players drop out of the Rose Bowl?

OT - QB Dillon Gabriel signs with UCLA. Michael Penix has signed with UW. Where is Kedon Slovis?

A win by a TD and a FG, I like it.

A team that shows ready to play to its standard and not down to level of competition. In other words a team that puts up 60 on the Stony Brooks of the world. A team that shows up versus inferior conference comp and blows these teams away. A team that plays game after game to the ability of its roster. A team that improves during the season and does not retrogress,

How many, if any, Buckeyes will opt out? Including tOSU's entire corps of great wide receivers. Regardless, I think Utah will be more motivated; possibly ready to send its coach into retirement with a big win?