Jon Joseph

How About Some B1G Bowls? Bowl game projections for every Big Ten football team after Week 2 DUCKSWIRE.USATODAY.COM A look at where each college football team in the Big Ten Conference is projected to play in the bowl postseason after Week 2 of the season. But how many PO contenders will be happy to go bowling other than in the NY6 and how many players will want to suit up to play in a "meaningless" bowl game? OREGON - 9 Seed at 8 seed USC/ Penn State/ Iowa State? I do not see these games as being probable. Iowa State at 8 with the B12 champ the likely 3rd or 4th seed? 2 B12 teams in the top 8? No matter what the PO Poohbahs have to say, if at all avoidable, I do not see 1st round games vs conference members. Why? Less money than playing a team outside of your conference in the 1st-round. This ESPN would not like. Illinois is 2-0 and has home games left vs Central Michigan, Purdue, Minnesota, and Michigan State, and plays NW at Wrigley Field. The team just defeated No. 19 Kansas. No bowl? Rutgers with its conference schedule and 2-0 to date will be bowl eligible. I'm less certain about Maryland but I think the Terps win 6 or more games. USA Today has no love for the B1G and lots of love for the SEC. Georgia, Tennessee, and Texas should be highly ranked but Ole Miss, Missouri, and Oklahoma have defeated no one to date and ranked A+M lost to a team that just lost at home to a G5 team. I reiterate, I believe there will be more umbrage this season and next with a jury-rigged PO format than we witnessed in the 4-team PO including FSU being benched.

Thanks, David. In 2024, being B1G and with a 12-team PO with 7 at-large spots, one loss, if not a bad loss, like the Domers just suffered, does not put a team on life support. A loss in Corvallis would be a bad loss. You do not want to lose to G5 team and that is what OSU is and will be in the minds of PO Committee members. If it's any solace to date, Idaho State is Portland State East. San Diego State even before the loss to OSU was ranked in the 90s. In college basketball both of the Beavers wins are Quad 4 wins. The Ducks win over Boise, ranked 27 in the latest AP Poll is a Quad 2 win at worst and will probably be a Quad 1 win at season's end. The Ducks would have put the same whipping on Idaho State as it gave to Portland State last season. Boise would likely defeat SDS by two or three more TDs than the Beavers. I'm not suggesting that Saturday in Corvallis will be an Easy Day, but the Ducks have by far the superior roster, Boise's QB started for Idaho last season, Gabe was the 1st team All-B12 QB, and will not take OSU for granted. As you noted, David, get by OSU and what looked to be a too-early Idle Week is coming at the right time to give the transfers more practice time with the holdovers and get dinged OL guys healthy. BLAST THE BEAVERS!

Critical Duck, this 'expansion,' if approved by the Pac-12 "Board of Directors 😁" will cost $72M in exit fees plus $40M in addition to the MW exit fees that the Pac-2 when it bought MW game inventory, agreed to pay for poaching MW teams. $10M per team poached. What ROI is expected on this expenditure of $112M? Why not simply do a reverse merger with the MW. Are they saving spots for the Pac-10 to come back? You can put lipstick on a pig ... As noted above, this will not bring 'The Pac-6' close to being a Power conference or increase the money networks are paying for game inventory. No Comprende. The Pac-2 are Terrific Thieves but get an "F" in Economics 101.

Again, Solar, thanks for the great topic and everyone's thoughtful comments. Nick Saban. I can recall him reacting vehemently when things did not go well on the field but for the most part, Saint Nick called out his assistant coaches on the sidelines and not the players. I am certain Nick had no problem 'coaching guys up' in practice. As to the issue of Oregon fans being spoiled, 'this' emanates from the top and is part of the brand. The fans did not come up with 'That Team Out West.' Being brash is part of the Ducks sales pitch. Oregon today is a nationwide and worldwide brand. This happened because of on-field success, the support of one of the best coporate marketing entities ever, NIKE, and not being shy about putting up a poster of Joey Harrington in NYC, Bo in Dallas, and taking huge bath toys on the road. 😍 Spoiled fans? Look no further than Columbus, Ohio. Ryan Day is 56-8. 39-3 in conference, and he is on the hot seat because he lost the wrong 3 games in the Big Ten. WOW! Buckeyes fans are not spoiled, they are Entitled. When it comes to college football fans, remember that Fans is a diminutive for FANATICS.😁OBD is 2-0, has yet to use a Playoff Mulligan, and ugly wins today will simply be wins come December. Did any team last season have more ugly wins than that Other Team Up North? Bash The Beavers!

Thanks. Alex. One thing I want to see, Gabe LEADING the team. Get in an OLs face if he allows a sack. Run the ball yourself if the opportunity presents itself. 84% completions when passing is great but not if doesn't lead to scores. I'd rather see a lesser percentage and more Bird Bombs. Also, if the TEs and WRs are not finishing their blocks, get on their butts. I have yet to see on-field leadership assert itself from any position. Gabe is laid back. He needs to get his back up and lead as do other players with experience like Fergie, Burch, and the two OTs. It's time to turn passive into aggressive against a group of Beavs with their hair on fire. Is there any doubt that Saturday's game is Oregon State's 2024 Super Bowl? Coaches can only do so much. A team needs leaders on the field.

Thanks, H. FCS Top 25 - Idaho No. 5 - Idaho State Not Ranked. CBS Sports Ranking 1-134 - Boise State 27 - San Diego State 98

An Obvious But Spot On Review of the Ducks O. Oregon Ducks offense is unsustainable due to glaring and crucial area of concern WWW.YARDBARKER.COM There's plenty of discourse happening surrounding the Oregon offense, and for good reason. Most of the time, through two games, the offense has looked broken, unorganized, and dysfunctional...

AMEN! You need to play at least 7 home games every season and as you noted, every other season beginning in 2025 the Ducks will play 5 B1G games on the road. Wazzu and Oregon State are G5 teams masquerading as kind of P4 and a-half teams until the money they took from Pac-10 suckers runs out. The 2 have burned their bridges with the Mountain West. No one east of Pullman gives a whip about the Pac-2. Oregon would have defeated P4 Texas Tech at home. $6 to $8M will be lost by Lane County by adding this away game to the schedule sending the Ducks and Ducks fans into a snake pit of venom. Rob gets a lot of slack with the hire of Danno but his scheduling savvy is deficient. This from a man who chaired the Playoff Committee. In 2028 Rob has OBD scheduled to play a game in Logan, Utah. 😒

Solar, behind closed doors? I imagine it is a far less laid back Danno—Ditto for the Coaches' Meetings. Danno's mentor, Kirby Smart, lost four of five to Saint Nick. Kirby never whined in public and never took it out on his players in public. Kirby is 92-16 at Georgia, 9-2 in bowl games, 2 Natties. Throwing his guys under the bus in public didn't have Brian Kelly's LSU team ready to play MacSomething State in Week 2. Stars ultimately turn into Black Holes. Getting stars to play together is not easy; look at FSU's preseason touted D-line. It's always been a new team in college football every season. Today, it's a new team on steroids. The offense lost two QBs, Heisman finalist Bo, and 1st-round draft pick Center Jackson Powers-Johnson. The secondary is close to brand new. Two starting D linemen are new. The team is 2-0. Chip Kelly's first team could not have started any worse than it did. That team played in the Rose Bowl. Chip chastised Blount for the sucker punch, other than that he publically called out no player. If Dan Lanning was publically calling out this team I'd be worried about Dan's future at Oregon. IMO, it is far better psychologically from the head coach on down to keep criticism private. You do not coach guys up at post-game press conferences. Again, the team is 2-0 and perhaps is overrated. Let's see how the season plays out. 83% of the season has yet to be played. Great subject to ponder. Thank you. Ducks win by 2 TDs plus. 😍 The Beavers QB has played the same number of games for Oregon State as Gabe has played for Oregon. Idaho and Boise State are better than the Idaho State and San Diego State teams OSU has defeated. And I believe the Ducks will respond to the abuse they will face in Reser.

CBS Sports Tom Fernelli's B1G Time Weekly Take. B1G Time: Michigan must find its QB lane; where Nebraska needs to improve as Huskers look to be on the rise - CBSSports.com WWW.CBSSPORTS.COM Plus, this week's scorching hot takes dive into whether the Wolverines still have a shot at reaching the CFP again Michigan Man Jim Harbaugh brought home a Natty but he left the Wolverines hanging at his position, QB. And the NCAA is at the door. James Jordan? OBD is blessed with editors who should have B1Gger gigs. The take on OBD is harsh but not wrong.

Going on a Bender. According to The Sporting News Journalist, OBD Wins But No Cover. College football picks, predictions against the spread for Week 3 WWW.SPORTINGNEWS.COM Picks for Kansas State vs Arizona and Alabama traveling to Madison to face Wisconsin highlight Week 3.

But ASU is 2-0 with a win over SEC Mississippi State and Cal is 2-0 with a win at SEC Auburn. Are you sure you want to play these powerhouse programs?😁

The 'all of the plays in 60 minutes' is available on BTN.

Burning Down The House (Settlement.) Michigan NIL lawsuit, explained: Why ex-Wolverines Denard Robinson, Braylon Edwards are suing NCAA, Big Ten Network WWW.SPORTINGNEWS.COM Ex-Michigan stars Denard Robinson and Braylon Edwards are suing the NCAA and Big Ten over name, image and likeness compensation. Please, make the proper strategic move and peremptorily BK the NCAA. The Ducks will be A-OK no matter what happens; why contribute money to a settlement that settles nothing after already contributing to the Pac-2 bailout fund? This season? Questions surround OBD but 83% plus of the season remains to be played and I believe the questions will be answered in OBD's favor.

We Want Bama - In Tuscaloosa? Oregon Ducks Face Alabama: New College Football Playoff Prediction WWW.SI.COM With the 12-team playoff format beginning this year, the Oregon Ducks would still compete for a championship if they finished the season ranked No. 9, the team’

Matt Prehm Thinks the Civil War Is Important No Matter When the Game is Played. Conferences change but the rivalry lives on as Oregon preps for Oregon State 247SPORTS.COM The conferences may have changed for Oregon and Oregon State, but the rivalry still lives as both schools gear up for the latest installment of the series.

Saturday Tradition Points Out Why The Win Over Boise Should Not have Been So Close. 10 college football ideas I’m buying or selling after Week 2 SATURDAYTRADITION.COM Let's break down some of the key narratives that have surfaced around college football after a memorable Week 2 slate. Puddles, stop shooting yourself in your webbed foot!

WEEK 3 - It's a Very Competitive B1G Champ Race With the Buckeyes In The Lead. Big Ten championship race wide open after Week 2 WWW.YARDBARKER.COM Two weeks into the college football season, the Big Ten is already stirring up some chaos and leaving fans’ fantasy predictions in shambles. SC should be ranked in the AP Top 10 if not in the Top 5, get Penn State in LA, along with a suspect and not a sure thing playoff Notre Dame. And ranked Nebraska also trips to LA. SC will likely be favored in road games vs Michigan, with SC coming off an Idle Week, Minnesota, Maryland, UW, and UCLA. No Oregon and no Ohio State on the regular season schedule. Who knew?

Way To Go V-Ballers. YOU Are In The B1G Leagues Now. Oregon Volleyball Weekend Roundup WWW.ADDICTEDTOQUACK.COM The Ducks defeat all opponents in the Ram Volleyball Classic

Never is Heard a Discouraging Word. As it Should Be! Everything Oregon head coach Dan Lanning said on Monday of Oregon State week 247SPORTS.COM Below is a complete transcript of Dan Lanning's comments about facing rival Oregon State this upcoming Saturday.

O-Line. Why Not Just Accentuate the Positive? O-Line rotations to continue: 'Positives and negatives to each group' 247SPORTS.COM Oregon coach Dan Lanning expects they'll continue to rotate across the offensive line, saying on Monday that the Ducks have seen "positives and negatives" from the various groups who've...

Thank you, Darren. The New World Order of College Football does have interesting consequences. Last Saturday, Cal scored a huge win for the ACC when it took down Auburn of the SEC on the road. War Bears! Thank you for properly referring to the game as "THE CIVIL WAR!" OBD's 'Civil War' game this season is versus UWho in Autzen. For The Beavers, it's a game on the Blue Turf in Boise. But Ohio State will still be playing That Team Up North. Blast the Beavs! And don't forget to wear your helmet and flak jacket. 😁

Great post by Mike West and a terrific and civil, discussion. The following is somewhat OT for which I apologize but players who take advantage of a broken system are not in my opinion 'mercenaries.' No more than the players' coaches who have left for better opportunities for more than 100 years. I am about as far from PC as one can get but I do find the term 'mercenary' for young men trying to find the best deal for their talents troubling. For how many decades did administrators and coaches make multi-millions off of the talents of young men? Yes, it is NFL Lite. In the NFL does anyone begrudge a free-agent football player trying to find a better deal from a billionaire who will pay him more than the current billionaire he is employed by? And while many free agents help out their new team many do not. The NFL has rules regarding free agency agreed to by the NFL Players Union. NFL Players cannot leave the team they are contracted to for any or no reason as is the case in college football. And there is a salary cap in the NFL. The Biggest Billionaire cannot gobble up every quality free agent. College football is 'half-pregnant.' The pendulum has shifted from being entirely in favor of the college program a young man played for to now being entirely in favor of the player. The player is favored not only by the ability to be paid but also by state and federal legislative bodies and state and federal courts. Somehow the NCAA has convinced its members to pay over $2 Billion and to pay players directly to settle a case that settles nothing; additional antitrust suits have been filed while the settlement is pending. This is senseless. The template for relief exists and is evident. The NFL has antitrust litigation relief from its employees because the employees have a union that bargains on behalf of the employees. NFL Union members have gone on strike, as is their right, to obtain benefits from management. But, there is one other significant difference, Roger Goodell administrates the NFL only. He does not have to administrate and look after the interests of the Arena League, the Canadian Football League, the USFL, and other professional football leagues. He is responsible for 32 teams and the players employed by 32 teams. Roger also has the benefit of the 32 team owners understanding that the biggest brands cannot control the enterprise. For the NFL to succeed, the 32 owners have agreed to a salary cap, an equal share of media proceeds, a free agency process that prohibits poaching, and a salary cap so the NY Giants and LA Rams cannot buy up all the best players. Approximately 1100 schools' athletic programs are regulated by the NCAA. At the highest level of competition, what is referred to as the 'Power 4' teams cannot agree on how many conference games they will play. There is no agreement on how much a player can be paid because the players have no bargaining entity and thus, no salary cap. A union representing athletes from 1100 schools is a non-starter. The young man playing Ifor Linfield is in a much different arena than a young man playing in Autzen stadium. College football needs a Super Conference for FOOTBALL and needs it Now. (And perhaps, for men's basketball.) The upper-echelon players need a Union now that can bargain with Super Conference management. Once the Super Conference and Union are in place, Congress should provide the same relief provided to the NFL. (To avoid Title IX issues, the "owners" of the Super Conference teams will likely have to be third-party assignees of the Super Conference colleges. Think. 'The Oregon Ducks Sponsored (and owned) by NIKE.') Do I like this? NO! I enjoyed football more when it was played in the daylight, did not need 'one true champion,' had locker rooms and not Taj Mahals, and had four postseason games for superior teams only. But that ship has sailed. This is off-topic per se. But today's players IMO are not 'mercenaries,' they are part of a capitalized enterprise and are now compensated in the manner of employees in a capitalized system and are free to move for a better opportunity just like their coach-bosses. Thanks again, Mike and commenters. OBD is 2-0. It isn't pretty but who cares. 8-2 over the next 10 games has Puddles in the Playoff. Teams are different every season and I believe this team will improve. BLAST THE BEAVS!

Saturday Tradition 3 B1G Storylines for Week 3. Love for the Civil War and the Apple Cup. The B1G storylines for Week 3: A visit from Alabama, in-state rivalries and more SATURDAYTRADITION.COM Several B1G teams have huge opportunities in Week 3, including Wisconsin, which welcomes Alabama.

After Week 2, Ducks Wire has OBD Power Ranked 2nd in the B1G behind Ohio State. I believe 2-0 USC, and Illinois are 2-0 with wins over Top 25 ranked opponents. LSU is still ranked at 16. Illinois knocked 19 Kansas out of the ranking. 2-0 Penn State and Nebraska have wins over P4 opponents West Virginia and Colorado. I like seeing OBD ranked just behind tOSU but Oregon's play to date against an FCS and G5 opponent does not deserve this ranking. Big Ten Power Rankings after Week 2 of college football DUCKSWIRE.USATODAY.COM See where each team stands in our Big Ten Power Rankings after the second round of college football games.