Jon Joseph

The Game today is, of course, in Iowa City. The weather? Cool and spitty.

Final - USC 38, Northwestern 17. Are you happy now? No. 😧

Great post, Doctor. We heard a lot of the same coming out of Columbus when Dan purposely put 12 defenders on the field late in the game. I agree with you; this tactic should not be allowed. 🤬 Then again, shouldn't the smarties from Northwestern have spotted this move? 🤔 SC 35 NW 17 with 6 minutes left in the 4th Q. 7-2 SC can now sit back and watch its next two opponents pound one another in 'perfect' Midwest November weather. For OBD, I'm hoping this will be a November game to remember, beginning with a joyous plane ride back to the Pacific time zone, with the final three games of the regular season being played in the Pacific Northwest. Go Ducks! - Hand Kirk his 90th Big Ten loss. 😁

Is it possible for a team from Illinois to lose to Lincoln? 😁

Luuuuke, I am your (AD god)father. 😇 Badger of HonorWisconsin AD tries justifying why he won't fire Luke Fick...Here we go again, everyone. With the Wisconsin football team once again stuck in a poor level that no one wanted to see in 2025, a lot of us thought that maybe

Good Josh! Not according to Trojans Wire - https://trojanswire.usatoday.com/story/sports/college/trojans/football/2025/11/06/josh-pate-lincoln-riley-thinking-departure-usc-football/87124188007/?utm_source=smg-trojanswire-strada&utm_medium=email

No. 9 Oregon at No. 20 Iowa - 12:30 PM CBS Rain, Sleet, and/or Snow predicted. Iowa will lean on its run game. If OBD does the same, this game could finish in the allotted three-hour broadcast time with few possessions for both teams. An Iowa-kind-of-game, where turnovers could be the difference. Fasten your chin straps. SP+ Oregon by 7.5 FPI Oregon by 5.1

Thank you, Darren. One change I believe we will see has already occurred with Matt Ruhle's extension at Nebraska. Ruhle has the same base salary, but with incentives met, he could earn up to $12 million a year. And he doesn't have to be paid stupid money if he's fired. James Franklin andBrian Kelly just 'earned' around $50 million each for 'screwing up.' 🤪 Agents vs. Athletic Directors has been an unfair fight. 3rd parties are stepping in to eliminate the absurd exit fees. Contract for a right of first refusal. If the current school matches the new offer and the coach leaves regardless, why would you want him to stay? Mega UCLA booster Casey Wasserman is in charge of the search. He is also in charge of the effort to have enough money pledged so that the new coach knows what he has to work with. I think boosters with business sense will have far more influence on new coaching hires. Fisch coached at UCLA (where hasn't he coached?), and he and his spouse love SoCal. But I don't see him being offered enough money to take him away from Washington. I think the only move he would make is to his alma mater, Florida. Does he want to coach in the SEC grist mill? As the good Doctor noted, the Badgers are sticking with Luke Fickell while also promising him better resources. When it comes to Lady Luck, she's been fickle when it comes to Luke. Three years in a row, the Wisconsin starting QB has been lost to injury in the opening game. Also, Wisconsin doesn't have the money to pay the exit fee, money that instead can be invested in the program. The Badgers' 2026 schedule is not the most difficult in the conference, a schedule that was difficult enough without a trip to Tuscaloosa. The man took G5 Cincinnati to a four-team PO. The Wisconsin defense was down several starters in Autzen, but the team played hard for sixty minutes. Give him a chance with better resources and a schedule easier than this season. Playing this schedule, Ohio State and Indiana would likely have lost a game or two. J. Smith? Lots of money is required to send him packing. The same issue that Wisconsin is dealing with. Pay the coach to leave, or invest the money in the program. Smith changed QBs last Saturday, and Sparty played well against Minnesota. Smith didn't use it as an excuse, but MSU was repeatedly screwed over by the refs before losing in OT. You'd think that Smith would be perfect for a developmental program like MSU. But it's hard to compete against teams with more resources and develop players who don't stick around to be developed. I know Magic isn't happy, but I think Smith gets another year. With the demand for coaches, who is out there with better bona fides than Smith? Oregon's remaining opponents are 24-9. SC has Northwestern and UCLA left to play, and gets Iowa in LA after a likely slobber-knocker game against Oregon. SC has a shot at the PO and should finish no worse than 9-3. I don't think SC will risk losing a top class of recruits, and I don't think that Riley would leave a Power 2 program for a team in a lesser conference. Florida and LSU are located in recruiting central territory and have the money to pay top dollar. But are the programs aligned with support from the administration on down? These two jobs are Natty or you're gone. An eight-team conference schedule was hard enough, and now you have to play nine SEC opponents? Arkansas basketball got Calipari because he was used up at Kentucky. Who wants to coach a program under an AD who goes public with the fact that the Hogs don't have the money to compete in the SEC? Penn State is another Natty or bust job. Be careful what you wish for, fans. James Franklin won a lot of football games. One of the more interesting things that happened this season was Penn State DC Tom Allen leaving for Clemson, and DC Jim Knowles leaving Ohio for Penn State. Tigers and Lions, Oh My! While the new guy at Ohio State without college coaching experience was a terrible hire, right?😁 Based on what we've seen to date, I trust Dan Lanning to hire quality replacements for any assistant coaches who leave for another job. I think many programs are going to exit this carousel with a brass ring. And please, ADs, stop crying about not having enough money. Another winner, Darren, thank you!

OBD 24-17 - Weather or Not! 0 1 225

Stars from grade school on. Someone is better than me? I'm moving to where my talent will be recognized and rewarded. Hmmm? I'm moving so I can start and show the NFL what I've got. This, I get. These superstar recruits are being compensated, but they can score more money now and perhaps in the future, if they see the field. 'I'm going where I'm wanted, can start, and be paid. Exhibit M: Malik Murphy, Texas, to Duke, to Beavis, to? It will happen, but so far, OBD has not lost a Grass Is Damn Green in Eugene starter. Managing a CFB roster today? Good luck trying to control Chaos; Greek for abyss or void.

Love Ya Man. And I also love the gal above lighting it up! But you and others do not want to see a two-loss OBD in the PO? I don't get it. Yes, I get the worst-case scenario, I'm a lawyer. More than one loss in the next four games, let's get ready for the Holiday Bowl. 10-2, let's play PO ball! Oregon basketball may not be a top 16 seed, but does anyone want to see a 20-win or so Oregon CBB team with many losses not make the Tourney field because it might not win a title? Me? I'll take a spot in the CFB PO every year from the No. 1 seed last season to No. 12 seed, if need be, this season. As Lou Holtz said, 'You have a different team every time you play.' OBD may lose at Iowa on Saturday. Many higher-ranked teams have lost at Iowa. This means a 10-2 OBD should not be in the PO? I'm baffled by this negativity. A loss in Iowa City does not mean OBD will lose one or more of the next three games. Ohio State, 4th in the B1G last season, got into the field and earned redemption. At the end of the regular season, Ohio State was lower than whale feces on the ocean floor. Ryan Day? Dead coach walking. My undefeated Pats? Super Blown by a bunch of, except for one game, midget Giants. Google it, the G-Men won the Super Bowl. You never know. Just like you never would have thought the last third of OBD's schedule would see games versus three teams ranked by the committee and a bowl-eligible team. If you defeat me? If I have the opportunity, I'm getting off the mat and punching you in the mouth. The Playoff is a new season with new opportunities. A two-loss Ducks team with the right draw could make it to the title game and win it all. OBD plays in a conference that has the second-most teams ranked by the PO committee. As evidenced by last season's postseason record, which I believe will be repeated this season, the Big Ten does not suck! The push back this season, as evidenced by AP voters, in response to Petitti's PO plan, does suck. A two-loss OBD more than deserves a place in this season's PO. And an 11-1 finish will see OBD with a Bye or hosting a 12- to 10-seeded team. If Will Howard slides a second earlier last season, and Matayo doesn't intercept a pass late in the game in Madison, would a 10-2 Oregon have gone farther in the PO than 13-0 Oregon? Keep the baby, Faith!

Before looking ahead to the Week 11 games, let's take a look at where we were ten weeks back. Coach A. "Fire the SOB, he's already lost more games to unranked opponents than the Sainted Nick. A loss to an ACC team? A team that stumbled and bumbled last season. Two years in a row without a playoff experience. Send the Yankee bum back North, where he should have stayed." Coach B. "He did it, he won an opening game, and he won it against a sure thing conference champion and a playoff team. He shut up the Dabo denizens in their phony Death Valley. All that money we, and he, spent on portal guys, Natty here we come!" Coach C. "He did it! Our QB cashed the check he wrote with his mouth and paid back the Sons of Bama that screwed us out of a playoff bid. Can't wait to punk Miami at our place, and book rooms for our champ game win in Miami." Coach A. Redeemed. Coach B. Pink Slipped. Coach C. "Can we qualify for a bowl game?" College Football - A dull moment would be kind of nice, no? Week 11 Games with a Playoff Punch - Friday - No. 19 USC vs. Northwestern - 6 PM Fox Sorry, Forum Friends, but OBD needs SC to win this game. 🤬 Tulane at Memphis - 6 PM ESPN - this is a G6 Playoff elimination game. But it's Coach Cignetti's former team, James Madison U that has the best odds to be the G6 Playoff rep. Saturday - No. 7 BYU at No. 8 Texas Tech - 9 AM ABC - Tortilla Tossing has been banned, so expect to watch some very thin Frisbees being tossed. No. 2 Indiana at Not Ranked (🤪) Penn State - 9 AM Fox - Indiana is 2-25 versus the Nittany Lions and has never won a game in Happy Valley. With a Bye after this game and finishing at Purdue, this is the last regular season test for Indiana, and it comes against a team that has yet to win a Big Ten game. Jimmy could have been Coach D above: Like Coach Kelly, He Gone! No. 1 Ohio State at Purdue - 10 AM - BTN - Those who are about to die ... No. 9 Oregon at No. 20 Iowa - 12:30 PM - CBS Compared to the Playoff Committee, the AP voters hate the Big Ten. Seven B1G teams ranked in the Committee's Top 25 is a conference record. 😁 Weather or not, here's hoping OBD shows up dissed and pissed. and ready to hand Kirk Ferentz his 90th B1G game loss. Iowa has not defeated a ranked opponent since 2021. Let's continue this streak! Other games to tune into Saturday - No. 3 Texas A&M at No. 22 Missouri - 9 AM ABC No. 4 Alabama vs. LSU - 4:30 ABC Other B1G Games - No. 24 Washington at Wisconsin - 1:30 BTN Maryland at Rutgers - 11:30 FS1 Nebraska at UCLA - 6 PM Fox Krunch Kirk! Hammer the Hawkeyes!

Baylor AD and Playoff Chairman Mack Rhodes: 'The rankings are a blend of art and science.' No. 9 - Oregon is 7-1 with the 28th most difficult schedule according to the Massey Ratings. OBD's future SOS is ranked 18th. (I'm using Massey because, of course, the metrics the PO committee uses are super-secret, and I lost my Buck Rogers in the 25th Century Decoding Ring five or six decades back. 😁) Oregon's sole loss was to the Committee's 2nd-ranked team, Indiana. The undefeated Hoosiers SOS is ranked No. 34, undefeated No. 1 Ohio State's is 44th, undefeated A&M's schedule is ranked the 7th most difficult. I get why Booger is bugged. No. 8 - Texas Tech is 8-1 with Massey's 51st most difficult schedule and 54th in future SOS. Texas Tech's loss was to a not-unranked ASU team. Looks like science was used to drop Oregon from AP No. 6 to 9th. Looks like Texas Tech benefited from the PO Artful Dodgers Eye Test. The highest-ranked 2-loss team is Notre Dame because of two close losses and a win over No. 19 USC. ND defeated SC in a downpour by 10 points. If this is such a great win, why isn't 2-loss SC in the top 15? USC's remaining SOS is No. 17, Notre Dame's is 42nd. 2-loss Notre Dame is ranked ahead of 1-loss Virginia, Louisville, and Georgia Tech. And 2-loss Miami, which defeated Notre Dame. I remain bullish on 2-loss B1G teams making the PO field, but even with touted 'new metrics,' it's PO CT. SSDD. FWIW (Nada!) Oregon has two wins over teams with winning records; Montana State is ranked 2nd in the FCS poll.

Great discussion that has the folks in Bristol smiling. What the Grapevine Gurus have to say matters on December 7th, I don't see a Ducks Day of PO Infamy heading OBD's way. I'm pulling hard for Oregon to make the PO because I'm a Fanatic, the recruiting bump from being a team you can count on to get you to the PO, the chance to win it all, even if you finish in fourth place in the Big Ten in the regular season 🙃, the millions of dollars for the conference for every conference team in the field, and the stamp of further approval on the Oregon brand and consequent income from merchandise sales. A win on the road over the PO committee's No. 20 team will, of course, help the PO cause. Unless it's a blowout loss, a Ducks loss may put OBD on PO life support, but not on the critical list. Oregon, with the 18th most difficult remaining schedule in college football, according to Massey, is in the playoffs with a 10-2 record. The Indiana loss from the committee's perspective is, except for the Texas loss at Ohio State, as good as it gets. A competitive road loss to a top 20 team will not be viewed as a bad, PO-disqualifying loss. The Big Ten Championship game will feature No. 1 Ohio State vs. No. 2 Indiana. Ohio State will not lose to Purdue, UCLA, or Rutgers. This Michigan team will not defeat an Ohio State team that will not ground it out as it inexplicably did last season. This Michigan team will not be able to disrupt the Ohio State passing game and score enough points to win the game. Penn State could keep it close against Indiana, but the Hoosiers should prevail. How about this item Cig can use to have his team come out smokin' 😁, the Hoosiers have never won a road game against Penn State, and are 2-25 vs. the Nits. Win this game and after a late as it can get bye, I don't see Indiana losing at Purdue. USC is odds-on to defeat Northwestern Friday night. Same for UW at Wisconsin on Saturday. Minnesota is 6-3 and bowl eligible. I don't see the Gophers defeating the Ducks, but with a finish at Northwestern and Wisconsin at home, the Gophers could finish 8-4. After the Wisconsin game, UW hosts Purdue and then plays at UCLA. UW is odds-on to be 9-2 when Oregon visits, and with ranked SEC, ACC, and B12 teams playing one another, UW will be ranked higher than 23rd the final week of the regular season. One of Iowa or USC will, of course, have a loss in Week 12 when the Hawkeyes play the Trojans in LA. Iowa finishes with a game against Michigan State, and then is on the road against a crippled Nebraska team, and should finish no worse than 8-4. Big Ten teams that go 9-3 will finish in the committee's top 25. Seven B1G teams are ranked, two behind the SEC, two more than the ACC, which somehow has five teams ranked, and four more than the B12. Any B1G team that finishes with two or fewer losses is in the PO field. Hammer the Hawkeyes!

College Football News Likes OBD 24 to 17 https://collegefootballnews.com/college-football/oregon-vs-iowa-prediction-preview-2025

Here's hoping Joel is full of Klatt! 🤬 Who’s Likely to Climb Into the CFP — and Who Could Fall Out? | FOX Sports

A few Foxy takes on the 1st ranking - 4 Takeaways From the First CFP Rankings Release of 2025

OBD wins 70% of the simulated games. So, simply win. 😁 Oregon vs. Iowa football prediction: Where the experts see an edge

Iowa has a solid run game, but is last in the B1G in passing. Load that box! YardbarkerOregon has a clear path to victory against Iowa but it wi...When Oregon travels to Iowa City this weekend, the Ducks know exactly what kind of team they’ll face. The Hawkeyes have built an offense rooted in physicality and patience, utilizing a run-first appro

USA Today has grades for the committee's first ranking. OBD at No. 9 gets the committee a C. https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ncaaf/2025/11/05/college-football-playoff-rankings-grades-snubs/87094619007/?utm_source=usatoday-sports-strada&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=usatbaseline&utm_

Metrics? Notre Dame, with a loss to 2-loss Miami and a worse SOR than several 2-loss teams, is at No. 10, the highest-ranked 2-loss team. Baylor AD and committee chair Mack Rhodes went out of his way to explain that Oregon was dropped three spots from its AP ranking (Rob, cancel that series with Baylor!) because of its schedule to date, while justifying ND's ranking on the Irish looking good in the eyes of the committee. AP NewsCollege Football Playoff committee makes clear it will us...The College Football Playoff selection committee has revealed its first rankings, with Ohio State taking the top spot.

Not quarreling with the excellent take, but We Need the Dues! Every team in the PO field means millions of dollars for the conference and a nice payday for every conference team. I think come 2030 and a new media deal, and as is the case in the ACC today, teams that make the CFB playoff and CBB tourney will be keeping most, if not all, of the postseason revenue. OBD's loss in the 2nd round of last season's playoff, 😒, still meant millions of dollars for the conference. As did Indiana's 1st round loss, and Penn State and Ohio State brought in B1G bank. Interestingly, teams that advance to the champ game make the same money as the teams eliminated in the semifinals.

Courtesy of Stewart Mandel, wouldn't this be an interesting dilemma? 🤬 The last PO spot comes down to a 10-2 Ole Miss, that played thin air OOC, and a 3-loss Texas team that played Ohio State? If the Committee were presented with this and chose Ole Miss, shouldn't every P4 OOC game be canceled?

The home team manages ticket sales for 1st round PO games. The Playoff Poohbahs manage ticket sales thereafter. The home team must allocate 3500 tickets for the visiting team, including not more than 500 (!) for the visiting team's band. The number of Vols fans in Columbus last season for the 1st round game against Ohio State was an anomaly. Tennessee fans cracked the ticket sales code and volunteered to watch a beatdown of their mighty SEC team.

Notre Dame's two losses came at Miami, no longer a stellar loss, and at home versus Texas A&M. ND did not and does not play Michigan this season. Michigan lost at Oklahoma and SC. ND plays at Pitt after the Panthers are off this week, while ND plays Navy. Under Pat Narduzzi, Pitt has a solid record in Acrisure Stadium, which used to be Heinz Stadium, which replaced Three Rivers Stadium. 🤔The Panthers, undefeated since replacing the starting QB, will be sky high for this game. Pitt has a solid defense. 6th nationally against the run, giving up 80.9 yards a game. If Pitt can hold down ND's run game, it has a good chance of knocking ND out of the PO. This is a PO elimination game for ND. Pitt with wins over Georgia Tech and Miami, would finish 7-1 in conference, with a chance of playing in the ACC champ game. If OBD has a close loss against Iowa or UW on the road, or a close loss to an SC team that finishes with two losses, I double down on my call of a 10-2 Oregon team being in the PO field. Indiana will finish the regular season 12-0 and will be ranked in the committee's top two before the champ game. The loss to Indiana will continue to be a 'good' loss. The committee will value wins over teams it has ranked as of now, especially road wins, and will not ding OBD for a close loss to a team it has ranked. 3-loss B1G teams will be in the committee's final top 25. The committee has over one-third of the B1G conference teams ranked, two fewer than the SEC, with many SEC teams having tough games to be played. Two fewer ranked teams than the SEC, but three more than the ACC and the B12. The committee does not believe the B1G is only three teams deep. If OBD wins this Saturday, the loser of the BYU at Texas Tech game will be ranked behind Oregon next week. As of today, the ACC, without an upset in its champ game, is looking like a one-bid conference. Virginia's loss to NC State does not count in the ACC standings (🤪), but it counts with the committee. UVA is far from a sure thing vs. Wake and VA Tech, and on the road at Duke. Vandy plays Tennessee, so Vandy could have a 3rd loss, or Tennessee a 4th loss. A+M is at Missouri this Saturday. Odds have Mizzou losing its third game. 2-loss Texas has games left at Georgia and vs A&M, and could finish with three or four losses. The Longhorns' close loss at Ohio State and its brand name give Texas the best chance in the SEC to make the PO with three losses. A&M is undefeated, and Ole Miss, Georgia, and Alabama have a loss. Georgia has come close to three defeats this season. All other SEC teams have two or more losses. Bama came this close to a loss at South Carolina. Ole Miss has the easiest remaining schedule, but Ole Miss defeated Wazzu in Oxford by three points. None of these teams is invincible, and I think playing only eight conference games matters to the committee, especially the three former coaches on the committee. The SEC will place four teams in the field, perhaps five if Notre Dame goes down. The B1G will have at least three teams in the field, Ohio State and Indiana, and at least one 2-loss team from SC, Iowa, Michigan, Washington, or Oregon. I believe OBD still has a PO Mulligan. Of course, it would be nice for OBD to make it easy on the committee and its fans by going 11-1. 11-1 means a 1st round home game for the Ducks. BEAT IOWA!