Jon Joseph

1. CJ Stroud - QB - Ohio State 2. Bijan Robinson - RB - Ohio State 3. TreVeyon Henderson - RB - Ohio State

Steven, great point on the 'outside' income. I believe there is a better association for Oregon and for football 'out west?' A line up that would unfortunately take away many the old rivalry but a line up that could save the 6, Pac-12 'bolters?' The below operation could entice FOX to acquire the functionally insolvent Pac-12 Network and to consequently manage and operate a B18 Network? The B1G Network with FOX in charge is a big time operation. Combine the below 18 team media rights and you have an association that could stay within financial reach of the B1G and the SEC. WEST - ASU, BYU, KS, K ST, OREGON, STANFORD, USC, UTAH and UW. [Stanford and USC do not need CA legislature approval to bolt. If BYU is redundant with Utah, swap the Utes for CU and the Denver market? BYU brings in SLC and has a nationwide following. Same for CU instead of ASU if the Arizona legislature balks.] EAST - BAYLOR, CINCINNATI, HOUSTON, IOWA ST, OKLAHOMA ST, TCU, TEXAS TECH, UCF, WEST VIRGINIA. The Pac-12 powers that be decided not to expand 'at this time,' thus failing to eliminate the B12 as a competitor. Bob Bowlsby, no surprise, acted with alacrity to save the B12 as a P5 conference. The B12 still has its eye on SMU and San Diego State. The suggested conference would bring a strong, collective group of media rights to the table. Standing still after the OK/TX move to the SEC and the B12 expansion is moving backwards. 1 OOC game a year vs a B1G/ACC team is not going to entice folks to subscribe to the Pac-12 network; or, significantly improve the conference's bottom line. You have to look at the long term situation and not reject new candidates because they do not immediately drop $ to the bottom line. IMO, this would bottom line be a better group of partners than Oregon has today.

I like the idea of 16. But you have to lose a regular season game or 2 to manage a 16 team field. Otherwise, you are playing into February. I'd have 16 at 1, etc., in round 1. You have 10 conferences. Are you going to give 6 AL teams that do not qualify for a conference champ a 1st round bye? If the champ game = round 1, #1 in the country could play #2 in a conference champ gam? The possibility of top teams being knocked off in round 1 will not bring in the top media deals.

Great reply Utah and I think you are spot on regarding Utah fans including The MUSS. What I want, short of the Ducks finding better partners to play ball with and against, is an 8 conference game Pac-12 regular season schedule. No divisions. No CA scheduling agreement. Rivalry games protected. Week 9 = Championship Week. Team ranked #2 plays a Champ Game at the home field of #1. 12 plays, at 3, 11 at 4, etc. 8 team PO. 4 highest ranked conference champs and 4 AL. Conference capped at 3 participants. Notre Dame joins the ACC as a full time member or plays a 13 game schedule as an independent.(G5 gets a share of the P5 PO money but holds its own PO.) 1st round game played at teams seeded 1-4. 2nd round in bowls TBD. Champ Game 1/1 in the Rose Bowl. Move the start of the season for all teams to week zero, 1 bye week only and the timing works out. PO media rights put out to bid to all interested media outlets. What you expect could happen? But there is no reason for divisions; especially, once the PO field expands which it will. The 3rd best team in the conference should never play for a title over teams 1 and 2. Allowing for this possibility makes no strategic sense.

Stevan A and jrw, stop it! I'm rolling on the floor in laughter. But the laughter, like the truth, hurts!

I should have noted that in addition to the OH ST game bumping up OR's #s the LSU game did the same for UCLA. Query: You are the managing partner in a 12 person law firm. Should Oregon receive the same piece of the pie as partners who are bringing no where close to what Oregon is bringing to the bottom line? Do partners that budget and spend far less money than Oregon in an attempt to deliver a successful product deserve the same cut as Oregon? If your answer is 'Yes,' to these questions, why would Oregon want to remain in this partnership? Many of Oregon's 'partners' want to be the Ivy league of the West. Somehow, they expect to compete with the B1G and the SEC teams in football with the same budgets as many G5 programs. Or, they simply do not care at all about being competitive? Or they care but they do not, even when receiving the same share as Oregon, have the money necessary to compete. The Alliance will not 'fix this.'

The game in Columbus helped the cause with over 7M viewers. Good luck scoring a huge new media deal with these sorry numbers and deciding not to expand 'at this time.'

I'm shocked! About time these guys started to pay for those ugly blazers. Agree, no byes. I prefer 8 instead of 12.

Better? Not certain. But I posted above a list of guys who I believe could be MC's equal?

At Utah in late November? Weather could be a factor in SLC. UCLA wins in SLC Saturday and the Beavs beat ASU in Resar? Most happy to be playing the Beavers in Autzen. Both OR ST Ls have come on the road. Smith is likeable and at $2.4M a season he is the lowest paid HC in the conference. OR ST best get ready to open the wallet. If the Ducks go 11-1, this year could be a perfect example of why the conference has to drop divisions and make sure teams ranked 1 and 2 play for the championship. A 1L highly ranked Oregon team could be playing a champ game vs a 3 or even a 4L team? Makes zero sense for the good of the conference. BTW, when Oregon plays its 9th conference game and 4th cross over game at Utah, Bama will be playing NM State at home.

My bad in the post but good at the book; I have Ole Miss +3 and not -3. The line has come down to Auburn -2.5.

He has to be high on the WAZZU list? But will he wait for a better offer?

Hope you are spot on? Don't think Ducks will cover -24. Not the nature of this coaching staff.

And two late bad throws to keep the Bruins in the game and make it a one possession win game. With AB, what you see is what you get. He is playing at the level he has played at entire CFB 'career.' IMO, those two late pass calls were senseless. Not the throws that Brown will make for you. Not the throws he had made all game. No time for a risk adverse O to take a risk.

Karl Dorrell? Why is anyone surprised at the Buffs performance under a coach pulled out of coaching oblivion? A Fabulous photo indeed!

I saw it and thought the RBs forward motion was stopped? You know, kind of like Dyer? ICamel, you beat me to it my friend. This play is kosher in rugby, but in football?

LOL at the ESPN Talking heads. Herbie: "I'm not going to let what happened in week 2 affect the way I think today." Herbie thinks tOSU is better than Oregon. I know, you're shocked, right? Every game matters unless it doesn't matter? The Ducks defeated tOSU in Columbus and at this point in the season have a better SOS and better SOR than Ohio State. To call this THING a Playoff is an insult to the word 'Playoff.'

Tomlin was actually insulted that anyone would believe that he'd take a college job. USC is flat out bad on both LOS. The 5* DL guy SC recruited has de-committed and signed with Georgia. SC is a big time rebuild and with tougher admission requirements than when McKay and Robinson were there. And an administration that may not share the same fervor for football as when McKay + Robinson were there? How many Pac-12 powers-that-be today care about the conference being competitive in CFB? And if they do care do they have the money to spend to compete at the top level of P5 CFB? There will be more Mel Tucker situations. [IMO, CFB is headed to 4 -16 team conferences and also IMO, the Pac-12 just missed the boat in failing to move to 16 teams.] Why would any coach leave the financially secure B1G and SEC for a Pac-12 job? Who knows what kind of new media deal GK will pull off but it will not come close to the money received by B1G and SEC teams. Mario at $4.4M and J Smith at $2.4M, less than what the AZ coach is being paid, are prime candidates to be poached by schools with better financial resources? Smith is the lowest paid HC in the conference and Mario is behind Shaw, Kelly and Whittingham. My guess? SC ends up with a G5 coach or a former NFL coach?

'Home sick?' Isn't this what we heard about ISM before he ended up in Dallas? I just hope Kingsley doesn't transfer in conference? I do hope he transfers to Fansville? We are in an age of CFB free agency. Stud recruits have to be re-recruited. 5* recruits all believe they are headed for the NFL. They want to play as true frosh and get the 3 years in so they can get paid. KS will not be the only guy to portal out.

Great call on both the SOS and SOR being clearly in the Ducks favor compared to Ohio State. Ducks have the #15 SOS in the country and the Strength of Record is also up there. Ohio State has yet to beat a top 25 team. Probably will do so this Saturday when #20 Penn State comes to Columbus but there are many 2L teams on par with PSU. Oregon is 2 spots behind a team it defeated with the same record. The same is true with Auburn being ranked 18 and PSU 20. Another example of name over substance is Bama at 3 ahead of undefeated OK, MI and MI ST. Bama lost to a 2L team and its OOC win over Miami means jack. The first Committee rankings come out this Tuesday. It will be interesting to see the variance between the AP Poll and the Committee rankings. Whole lot of 'eye-test' ranking in the AP and Coaches Polls. Will the Committee rely more on stats?

Fleck played Ohio State close and has a winning record at season's mid-point including a blow out win at CU. Good point on Harsin but I'm not sure that Alabama has the same vaccination mandate as does Washington? Fun match up this Saturday when Kiffin brings Ole Miss, -3, to Auburn.

Huskies 3Ws this season have come against teams that are a combined 1-17 vs FBS competition.

Thanks Joshua, great analysis. Chipper are crew were outcoached. Chip is being paid $5.6M a year (Mario, $4.4M/ Smith, $2.4M) and is under contract through 2022. However, his buy out goes to $0 in mid-January 2022. The current UCLA AD did not hire Chip. Chip's recruiting numbers stink; especially, considering the LA location. The Bruins in 2021 is a very experienced team. Lots of starters depart after this season including QB DTR. Kelly obviously has not produced the expected results and I don't see him in Westwood after 2022. Perhaps he is gone after this season?

Better? I can't say that for certain. Equal? Lane Kiffin, Dave Aranda, PJ Fleck, Dave Clawson (sp?), Mark Stoops, Bryan Harsin, Matt Campbell?

This unfortunately may be the 1st of many. Make no mistake, there is roster tampering going on all over the place in this world of CFB free agency. TCU's Gary Patterson noted not long ago that 5 SEC teams had approached guys on his roster. You recruit 4* and 5* guys today? You best get them on the field of play.