Jon Joseph

The Alliance sticks together and the 5 P5 champs are in. The SEC and G5 are not going to walk away from the extra playoff money over this issue. OT: To my surprise, Notre Dame has named DC Marcus Freeman its new HC. No prior experience as a HC.

Thanks Charles. Hope this prediction is as wrong as the author's take on the KO time? The game kicks off at 8 and not 6, ET. Friday. 5PM Pacific time? Not the log jam you see in LA at 5 but Vegas does have lots of commuter traffic. I am very interested to see how many fans show up in Vegas for this game? If the numbers do not significantly exceed the number of fans who attended the champ games in Santa Clara, the Pac-12, IMO, should return to playing the game on the field of the higher ranked team.

Great point. But if the Pac-12 followed the SEC model, that's presumably 6 more wins and 6 fewer losses. And no doubt would help with bowl eligibility. It also allows for another home game. Most SEC teams play 7 home games every year.

ASU is projected as one of Spencer Rattler's landing spots?

No. 1 Georgia is -6.5 vs No. 3 Alabama in Atlanta on Saturday. That's the largest point spread against Bama since Saban turned the program around. Georgia's 45-0 rout of Georgia Tech was the Dawgs 3rd shutout of the season. Georgia has held its opponents to single digits in 8 of 12 games. Nationally, Georgia ranks 1st in Total Defense and 1st in Scoring Defense. But its not just about the D. Georgia is in the top 10 in points scored. BTW, Georgia is more than likely to sign 2022's best recruiting class. The Ducks open the 2022 season in Atlanta vs Georgia. From what we have seen to date, this game will likely be the 1st start for the 2022 Oregon QB? I do not expect to see anyone but Brown starting in the Rose Bowl. (I am projecting Oregon, with a big roster advantage, to win Friday night and play in the Rose Bowl.) The 2nd game in 2022 is versus an FCS team in Autzen. But the FCS team is E. Washington. EWU is far, far from being a cupcake opponent. Why not give the check to Portland State? The 3rd game in 2022? In Autzen versus currently ranked No. 12, BYU. A team that went 5-0 versus the Pac-12 in 2021. In 2022, BYU will be a member of the B12. Thus, the Ducks will play 2 preseason top 25, P5 opponents OOC. And in 2022, it's Oregon's turn to play 5 conference road games. If Mario heads to Miami, I'm not sure that I could blame him?

When Pete Carroll had SC at elite level? The Coli was packed for every game and ESPN could not run enough features on the Trojans. LA fans are fickle because of a myriad of entertainment options, options you do not have in Tuscaloosa, AL. and Clemson, SC. But Riley gets it rolling and the fans will show up. Except for this season, Riley won the B12 title every year he was the HC at OK. And vs OK ST, OK did not get a call to go its way.

It just so happened to be the Ducks 4th cross over game in 2021. But a 9th game on the road against any conference opponent is likely to be more difficult than playing New Mexico State at home? No team that played 9 regularly scheduled conference games has won a Playoff title.

Great take. Let's see? More $, in the middle of prime recruiting territory, a blue blood program that finally is spending the money to get back to blue blood status and you play AZ, ASU, UCLA and UTAH instead of A+M, BAMA, OLE MISS and LSU? Sign me up!

Can you evolve beyond your DNA? Mario is going to play smash mouth LOS football. Mario had to love Michigan's beat down of Ohio State. That's Mario's game and I believe he is going to stay the course.

I agree. That PSU team played a great shoot out RB game vs the Trojans. Ohio State was embarrassed by Clemson in the semi-final.

Great and spot on take. But why does the conference insist upon 9 games? OR's schedule may have been easy but it should have been easier with a cupcake win at home instead of tripping to SLC. It isn't 'fair,' what is? But the Ducks with an 8 game schedule would be playing Saturday for a Final 4 spot and not a spot in the Rose Bowl. Plus the Ducks would have had an extra home game payday.

PSU had 2Ls. 1 a bad loss at Michigan. But Bama takes a close L vs UGA and I bet we see the first 2L team in the playoff?

If so. I am surprised that 1st he didn't follow Kelly to LSU and 2nd, Notre Dame would not be patient enough to wait for Fickell? Freeman was Cincinnati's DC under Fickell. Although, Coach O tried to get Freeman to come to LSU + he refused.

You already have my thumbs up on this excellent take. Quality coaching means having the team ready to play in every game to the level of its ability and not the level of the opponents ability. IMO, playing down to the level of the competition and being embarrassed like the game at Utah, is Mario's biggest failure as a HC.

Correct. I think the SEC will go for 12 with all P5 champs in but no preferential seeding for P5 conference champs?

Thank you and the thumbs up guys. Coaching matters. The Pac-12 simply cannot afford 6 of its teams being bowl season benched. This is possibly the worst season the Pac-12 has ever had? And in 2021 the conference was #1 in the number of returning players. Want to help GK? Give us 8 regularly scheduled season games. Dump divisions. Dump the preferential Cali scheduling agreement.

I think a super league and pay for play is inevitable. Charles willing I expect to have an article up on this topic next Wednesday? Riley and Kelly just gave me the perfect lead.

Exactly. But hasn't Bob Bowlsby suffered enough?

? Whittingham makes more. Utah wins Saturday and should Mario be paid more? I do believe Mario should be paid more than Shaw but Shaw has a BIG endowment behind him.

They're back at it again. The 10 P5/G5 Commissioners and the ND AD are in good old Grapevine discussing the expansion of the Playoff (PO) field. What is expected: 5 P5 champs in. At least 1 G5 team in. 6 at large (AL) teams in. Using these parameters and the PO Committee's penultimate rankings we would have; No. 1. Georgia - SEC vs No. 9 Baylor AL at No. 8 Ole Miss AL No. 2. Michigan - B1G vs No. 10 Oregon Pac-12 at No. 7 Ohio State AL No. 3 Alabama AL vs 11. Michigan State AL at No. 6 Notre Dame AL No. 4 Cincinnati - AAC/G5 vs. No. Pitt ACC at No.5 Oklahoma State B12 Of course, there could be no home games played? Every game would be played in a bowl. And 1st round re-matches would perhaps, be changed in favor of a different match up?

Yo Adrian!

The entire 'football process' at the direction of Commish GK, is under a year long review with many changes likely to happen? The Playoff Commission is again meeting discussing playoff expansion. The expectation is that is that the field will go to 12 with all P5 champs in, at least one G5 representative and 6 AL. I expect to see the Pac-12, particularly in light of an OOC Alliance Game, to drop divisions and go to 8 regularly scheduled conference games with 1 permanent opponent; OR v OR ST, SC V UCLA, etc. The California scheduling agreement will also go away. The 9th conference game will be played 'Championship Week' with 1 vs 2; 12 at 3; 11 at 4; etc. 1 day's extra rest for Utah stinks but Oregon should have been playing Portland State at home and not at Utah.

la - the free market is leading a select group of CFB programs to a Super League that will be professional football in all respects Think AAA baseball. Duckbill, you also will have the 'amateur' sport in one form or another. Many schools will not want to or be good enough to, go professional. Many schools that might want tp go pro will not be in markets that will be attractive to to the media. Many, many kids playing college football today are doing so at schools and in conferences without athletic scholarships of any kind whatsoever. Thousands of kids are playing Ivy League and D3 ball simply for the love of the game.

3 OU starters in addition to Rattler have entered the portal with the 3 expected to transfer to SC. Rumor is that more are coming?

There was discussion earlier on the board whether Bohn and Cohen had the sack to make good CFB replacement hire? On paper I think both did just fine? Lincoln Riley to USC is a home run for Trojans and the conference. He will be a thorn in Oregon's side but he will significantly upgrade the recruiting at SC and a national contender SC lifts all conference boats; especially, the media money boat. Riley is bringing all of his key assistants with him including DC Alex Grinch. After his time at WAZZU, Grinch is very familiar with SC's opponents. A number of OK starters have entered the portal and are expected to follow Riley to SC. A 5* QB commit has decommitted from OK and committed to SC. This is a Blue Blood acting like a Blue Blood for the first time in over a decade. I think Cohen's hire of Fresno's DeBoer is a very good one. Fresno QB Jake Haener who took the Ducks to the wire and defeated UCLA on one leg, is projected to follow DeBoer to Seattle, returning to the place where he began his CFB career. DeBoer brings an instant turn around to the Husky moribund offense. 5* QB Huard may bolt but 5* Huard threw 4 picks in the Apple Bowl. Jonathon Smith is staying at Oregon State as is Chip Kelly at UCLA and Herm Edwards at ASU; 3 of the 6 conference coaches who have their team bowl eligible in 2021. I also think staying with Dickert at WAZZU was a good move. The kids rallied around him after Rolo was let go and he also has the Cougars bowl eligible.