Charles Fischer Administrator No. 1 Share Posted November 18 These are parts of an article on The Athletic by Scott Dochterman that makes you ponder and bask on what is occurring that much further... ----------------------- Welcome to the Big Ten? No. 1 Oregon is on the Verge of a Rare Feat: Acing Its Initiation Over the last quarter-century, no team has waltzed into one of college football’s power conferences as a new member, beaten the league’s heavyweights and walked out undefeated in its debut season. That is, until the Ducks this year. Top-ranked Oregon (11-0, 8-0) is one victory shy of completing a spotless regular season in its first Big Ten campaign. No realignment newcomer has even approached that mark in the last three decades, especially not in the current era of super-sized conferences. Oregon’s 16-13 win at Wisconsin on Saturday night symbolized a season’s worth of resolve that often has gone unnoticed, due to the program’s high expectations and the decentralized intrigue of the expanded College Football Playoff. Oregon has handled its Big Ten initiation better than any other program. As one of four former Pac-12 teams joining the league this year, Oregon has brought a program in no way defined by finesse or fragility, common put-downs directed at West Coast contenders by fans within the traditional Big Ten footprint. It outrushed Ohio State and its pair of NFL running backs. It pounded defending national champion Michigan 38-17, holding the Wolverines to 270 total yards. It faced a ranked squad in Illinois (now 7-3 and back in the Top 25) and built a 35-3 halftime lead into a 38-9 win. And Saturday, Oregon proved its mettle in one of the Big Ten’s most intimidating environments. Wisconsin’s Camp Randall Stadium has a different energy at night, especially compared to those sleepy 11 a.m. kickoffs. The Badgers may not be considered Big Ten contenders, but they were fired up. They forced a red-zone turnover early and led 13-6 in the third quarter, setting the stage for a monumental upset and a signature win for second-year Wisconsin coach Luke Fickell. There are countless examples of championship-caliber Big Ten teams fading in those situations. But not Oregon, not this time. So, how unprecedented would it be if Oregon’s ran the table in its Big Ten debut? Not since Florida State in 1992 has a power-conference newcomer finished its inaugural campaign unbeaten. So, what Oregon has done is both unprecedented and underrated. As Big Ten eyes fixate on Indiana’s incredible rise and the unbeaten Hoosiers’ showdown with Ohio State, the Ducks keep winning. While the rest of the nation discusses which SEC team could get left out of the Playoff, the Ducks quietly dismantle their opponents. Hypothetical Big Ten championship game tiebreakers are worthwhile mid-November banter, but none of them apply to Oregon because it hasn’t lost. ---------------------------------------------------- 1 1 1 1 1 Mr. FishDuck Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles Fischer Author Administrator No. 2 Share Posted November 18 How about THIS! 1 1 2 4 2 Mr. FishDuck Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles Fischer Author Administrator No. 3 Share Posted November 18 Yep! 1 1 1 Mr. FishDuck Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
30Duck Moderator No. 4 Share Posted November 18 There's no way to be hyperbolic over OBD this season, it's Joe Friday time, "Just the facts, Ma'am" The B1G did everything it could to trip them up, but it didn't work. The rest of the Newbies haven't acclimated as well, but they're doing the best they can. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles Fischer Author Administrator No. 5 Share Posted November 18 On 11/18/2024 at 11:12 AM, 30Duck said: The rest of the Newbies haven't acclimated as well, but they're doing the best they can. In the end...."The B1G got Oregon, and three Fresno States." 1 Mr. FishDuck Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Joseph Moderator No. 6 Share Posted November 18 Thank you, Charles. And OBD's Women's Cross Country team won the B1G title! Nine (9!) B1G Women's soccer teams won their first-round NCAA Tourney games and are moving on. Oregon lost a tough game to Indiana. The Northwestern Field Hockey team has advanced to the Final 4. Women's Volleyball. Nebraska, Penn State, Wisconsin, and Purdue are in the Top 10. OBD is No. 11 with Minnesota and SC also in the top 25. Last night in CBB, Purdue upset Alabama and Wisconsin upset Arizona. Six Women's B-Ball teams are in the top 25 including No. 23 OBD. It's so Good to be B1G. WIPE OUT UWho! 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Kamikaze Kid Moderator No. 7 Share Posted November 18 Wait! There’s more. By trying to trip up OBD with a grueling eight games in a row, they will go from the most exhausted team in the regular season to the most rested team in the playoffs. 2 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Sousa No. 8 Share Posted November 18 Yep! Wait! Where is #2 anOSU on this list? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles Fischer Author Administrator No. 9 Share Posted November 18 On 11/18/2024 at 12:07 PM, Jon Sousa said: Wait! Where is #2 anOSU on this list? They have one win over a ranked opponent in Penn State. 3 Mr. FishDuck Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
30Duck Moderator No. 10 Share Posted November 18 On 11/18/2024 at 11:44 AM, Jon Joseph said: Purdue upset Alabama This is just right. It's just wrong for Alabama to have a great basketball team, Kentucky tries to have a good football team, Kansas too. UCLA isn't particularly good at either this year. Michigan? 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
HDuck No. 11 Share Posted November 18 Historical note about 1992 Florida State in the ACC: Seminoles were 8-0 in the ACC first season after being an Independent since 1951. Miami wasn't part of the ACC yet. And, Miami was REALLY good then (1985-94). Miami was FSU's only loss as they beat Tulane, Florida, and Nebraska in the Orange Bowl to finish 11-1. Miami ended up 11-1 with a loss to Alabama in the Sugar Bowl. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
30Duck Moderator No. 12 Share Posted November 19 On 11/18/2024 at 3:54 PM, HDuck said: Miami ended up 11-1 with a loss to Alabama in the Sugar Bowl. Yes, that was the championship game of the inaugural Bowl Coalition, Alabama beat Miami, 34-13. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tandaian No. 13 Share Posted November 19 Out of the top 6 football conferences, 5 could have a newcomer win the conference this season. 3 of them could go undefeated. AAC ACC Big 12 B1G TEN SEC Army 7-0 SMU 6-0 Colorado 6-1 Oregon 8-0 Texas 5-1 ASU 5-2 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
