I'm not sure I can support this writer's premise. Eight games in a row to finish season is not good news!

Oregon Ducks On SI

Oregon Ducks Are Big Winners of Big Ten Schedule Release

The Oregon Ducks enter the 2026 season aiming to capture the first national championship in program history. Oregon reached the College Football Playoff in 2025

This is the 3rd time i have read this article and I don't see where the Ducks are BIG Winners in their 2026 schedule....

Where is the benefit of 8 straight games after the break? With 4k plus round trips to play, tOSU, Illinois and MSU?

The schedule difficulty from school to school is too unbalanced, PSU and tOSU travel west just once. PSU schedule is so soft that they should be favored in all their games except Michigan, USC and the Huskies. They can go 1-2 in those games and hit 10-2. NO IU, tOSU or Oregon on their schedule?

Michigan has PSU, IU, tOSU and Oregon on their schedule in 2026. And for a tune-up the Sooners come to Ann Arbor.....WTH?

DL and the team will not complain and they will take that schedule one game at a time. Only good part of the schedule is OBD's have until November to gell before playing tOSU.

Gonna be another nerve wracking season and I can't wait. 11-1 and a 3 way tie with IU and tOSU. Hope we lose the BIG tie breakers. Looking forward to a first round home game.

GO DUCKS!

I just posted on another thread the requirements the B10 uses to schedule games. I agree with you HappyToBeADuck ... it just doesn't make sense. Oregon is going to be beat up after 8 straight B10 games with additional travel to the east. The Penn State schedule is totally out of whack. They say the schedule is set "years in advance" ... what like 2 years since the 4 Pac12 teams joined?

I would think in today's world of high tech and even AI ... the B10 could come up with something more even(fair) in scheduling. PSU (Iowa State) with a new coach will be THE surprise contender for the B10 Championship with two possibly three games they could lose but should win ... USC, Michigan and Washington.

As an IU fan I would like a first round home game in the playoffs but after the weather in 2024 at Notre Dame and the weather in Bloomington this year when you played JMU ... I would not want a home game in that freezing cold weather in Bloomington.

Declaring “big winners” of the future schedule is a bit tricky. We certainly don’t have a very common 3 or 4 week stretch without a home game is nice.

Start sliding around where the bye could have taken place and I’m not sure it makes that big of a difference. We play 4 then 8. Is that significantly worse than 5 then 7? 6 and 6? 7 and 5?

What is the ideal bye week? Really hard to say.

I still cannot find an answer on why they moved the playoff championship game out a week further while remaining with the same 12 teams in the playoffs. How does that affect the number or the length of bye weeks in the playoffs?

Thanks for the post Mr. Smith, I think?

What a sunshine pumping, puff piece. The schedule stinks, stinks with a B1G S.

In today's world of constant roster turnover and lack of roster depth, asking any team to play 8 straight games against Power 4 competition without a week off is unfair to the players and the program.

OBD is the only B1G team playing 8 straight against P4 competition, including Northwestern and UCLA. This, for the second time in three seasons.

Asking a Western member to make two trips East in November, to Columbus to play Ohio State with a home game against Michigan to follow, then a game at Michigan State with a home game against rival UW to follow? And possibly another trip to the Eastern time zone to play the best or second best team in the conference?

Does anyone at B1G HQ give a whip about the health and safety of the athletes?

Looking at the opponents, before the dates of the games were revealed, I thought OBD would finish 11-1. Now?

Knock wood that OBD this season has the same luck on the injury front Indiana had last season. Knock wood that OBD doesn't have injuries to its WRs, RBs, and O-Line players like last season. If Dante isn't healthy come and through November?

However: Next Case! What are you going to do other than hope that Rob Mullens is making it known that 8 straight without a break will not fly in 2027, and 2028.

Changing the schedule is out of anyone and everyone's control so let's hope for the best and play ball!

When the 4 PAC 12 teams arrived, the B1G TEN did reveal which teams each team would play for the 2024, 2025, 2026, 2027 and 2028 seasons.

Big Ten Conference

Big Ten Conference

The official athletics website for Big Ten Conference

There is no way to balance schedules with 18 teams. It isn't possible for all the other B1G TEN teams to play all 4 west coast teams. The B1G TEN is looking out for its own interests as well. Do we really want to see Oregon, tOSU, Michigan, Indiana, Penn St. all play each other every year?

When the schedule was revealed in 2023, did anybody think the 2025 schedule was going to be tough for the Ducks? It was essentially Penn St. Even with Indiana, last seasons schedule wasn't exactly murders row. After the opening week, the Ducks only had Penn St. and Indiana as ranked opponents on the schedule.

There are going to be seasons where the Ducks have an easier schedule than others. I do hope the B1G TEN do rotate the BYE weeks though. It does look like the B1G TEN did do a better job of having teams play each other after both have BYES.

Based on "years in advance" scheduling the B10 claims, I have a feeling 27 and 28 are already done. The B10 commissioner has nothing in his background that is football related. It's been sports media around MLB.

18 minutes ago, Tandaian said:

There is no way to balance schedules with 18 teams. It isn't possible for all the other B1G TEN teams to play all 4 west coast teams. The B1G TEN is looking out for its own interests as well. Do we really want to see Oregon, tOSU, Michigan, Indiana, Penn St. all play each other every year?

I'd also argue that there is no way to truly balance schedules because you don't know the strength of any of the given teams from year to year.

I'm sure many in the B1G schedule office thought that USC was going to cause more of a problem to B1G blue bloods than Oregon.

Also... no one saw Indiana's rise when the teams were sorted for who plays who years ago.

If you were putting the team slates together back in 2022 with the match-ups you would be absolutely shocked to find out that Oregon and Indiana both were power houses and both had a B1G Championship. And that Penn State imploded so badly that they fired Franklin, because Penn State has had a pretty manageable schedule from year to year, especially if you assume that Oregon and Indiana weren't supposed to be fighting for the top spot in the conference.

1 hour ago, Tandaian said:

When the 4 PAC 12 teams arrived, the B1G TEN did reveal which teams each team would play for the 2024, 2025, 2026, 2027 and 2028 seasons.

Big Ten Conference

Big Ten Conference

The official athletics website for Big Ten Conference

There is no way to balance schedules with 18 teams. It isn't possible for all the other B1G TEN teams to play all 4 west coast teams. The B1G TEN is looking out for its own interests as well. Do we really want to see Oregon, tOSU, Michigan, Indiana, Penn St. all play each other every year?

When the schedule was revealed in 2023, did anybody think the 2025 schedule was going to be tough for the Ducks? It was essentially Penn St. Even with Indiana, last seasons schedule wasn't exactly murders row. After the opening week, the Ducks only had Penn St. and Indiana as ranked opponents on the schedule.

There are going to be seasons where the Ducks have an easier schedule than others. I do hope the B1G TEN do rotate the BYE weeks though. It does look like the B1G TEN did do a better job of having teams play each other after both have BYES.

Correct, there is no way to balance mega-conference schedules. But there is a way to ensure that one member school doesn't play 8 straight conference games without a break in 2024 and 2026.

With today's computer power and AI, how about asking "HAL" to have 10 teams bye in Week 6, 8 teams bye in Week 7, including the four teams in the Pacific time zone that have the farthest to travel, and have quality over quantity in Week 6 and 7 by scheduling appealing matchups between the teams playing those weeks.

Also, HAL, please have the Pacific time zone teams travel East before inclement weather arrives in November.

I'm a 79-year-old tech dummy, but in today's wired world, with the world's knowledge in whatever hand you carry your smartphone, I don't think this is a huge ask.

No way one conference team in two of three seasons should be asked to play 8 straight conference games without a break. And sending any team from the Pacific to the Eastern time zone twice in November is just wrong.

UW traveled East twice last November, and its PO hopes were doomed when UW lost to Wisconsin on the second trip, which was a trip to the Central and not the Eastern time zone.

East Lansing, Michigan, like Columbus, Ohio, is in the Eastern time zone. There's a good chance that the game in Columbus will be a 9 AM body clock kickoff, coming off a game at Illinois, which is off the week prior, and Northwestern at home.

Three trips East in six of the final regular-season games is a yo-yo with a good chance of the string running out.

You want better TV ratings? Take control of when the games are played. Ohio State at Texas this season at 7:30 Eastern will draw millions more eyeballs than last season's B1G Noon game.

OBD will show up and play the games as scheduled, but to give B1G HQ a pass on Northwestern playing 11 games in a row, and doubling down on 2024 conference champ and a two-for-two Oregon PO team that brought millions of dollars to the conference in 2024 and 2025, playing 8 straight conference games? Why?

Because scheduling is hard? Because you want to make more money off the Ducks' back? Male Bovine Excrement! Playing the best opposition is one season, like in 2027, bring it on, but don't tie a wing behind my back.

If I have done nothing to deserve it and get punched in the mouth, not once but twice, I'm not going to apologize on behalf of the guy doing the punching.

I'd wager that members of the Forum with less computer power at their hands could do better than this.

4 hours ago, Smith72 said:

I'm not sure I can support this writer's premise. Eight games in a row to finish season is not

good news!

3 hours ago, HappyToBeADuck said:

This is the 3rd time i have read this article and I don't see where the Ducks are BIG Winners in their 2026 schedule...

Yeah, what is left of Sports Illustrated today.

A "legacy brand" that essentially exists to be licensed to whoever wants to pay to attach their content to its name.

ABG now owns the S.I. brand. First gave it to the Arena Group who eventually bailed and now Minute Media is trying to do something with it.

You, me, Jon, and $30 million lying around and we could have been Sports Illustrated instead.

I recently caught an S.I. Fox Crader article that sounded interesting. It turned out to be mostly a nothing burger of info, which wasn't great but fine. The thing that bugged me more was the article had two pictures, one of Dante Moore and one of OL coach A'lique Terry.

S.I. going to write an article called "Oregon's Next Star OT is Already on the Roster (Fox Crader)", yet not get a picture in there of him? I know he didn't play a ton, but he did make it into 5 games (including the entire USC game and most of the second half of the Indiana game). S.I. regularly seems like barely trying, with "barely" having one foot out the door. 🫤

Oregon123, if you start a contest for how many games a team in Lubbock, Texas, will win this season, on December 4, 2026, well, I predict That'll Be The Day Texas Tech goes 13-0.😁 - 🤪 But, be wary of Beavis!

But automatic qualifiers will destroy CFB, right?

With this schedule, I'll leverage everything I have and borrow money to get down on the Ducks going 12-0. Oregon would probably have to face a worthy opponent in the conference champ game.

Wreck'Em Red

CFB fans sound off on the Big 12 as Texas Tech’s 2026 foo...

Well, the 2026 Texas Tech football schedule has been released and it sure seems like something that the Red Raiders are going to enjoy playing.  Being fully tra

1 hour ago, Jon Joseph said:

Also, HAL, please have the Pacific time zone teams travel East before inclement weather arrives in November.

🤣 Let's don't get too excited Jon ... only wanting good weather in November games??? So are you saying other B10 teams should play in inclement weather only because they live there?? (This is all in a joking manner btw)

IU played Purdue in the snow in 2024 Thanksgiving weekend. 2022?? IU played at MSU in the snow and wind, only 6 total pass attempts it was so bad. Your favorite Huskies were beat in bad weather last year in Wisconsin as you mentioned. Bad weather is part of B1G football !!! Where else can you take your coat and shirt off in a snow storm at a B1G game as a college student (alcohol was a rumor) besides playing B1G football in November.

I'll give you the 8 straight games thing and the flights back east ... but I am going to have to pass on the "before inclement weather arrives in November" request. BTW counting those easy cupcake OOC games at Bloomington in 2026, they will have played 9 games before their bye week. I know I know ... North Texas and Western Kentucky are not B10 teams but not that bad of teams to be included in a streak of games.

1 hour ago, iubhounds said:

🤣 Let's don't get too excited Jon ... only wanting good weather in November games??? So are you saying other B10 teams should play in inclement weather only because they live there?? (This is all in a joking manner btw)

IU played Purdue in the snow in 2024 Thanksgiving weekend. 2022?? IU played at MSU in the snow and wind, only 6 total pass attempts it was so bad. Your favorite Huskies were beat in bad weather last year in Wisconsin as you mentioned. Bad weather is part of B1G football !!! Where else can you take your coat and shirt off in a snow storm at a B1G game as a college student (alcohol was a rumor) besides playing B1G football in November.

I'll give you the 8 straight games thing and the flights back east ... but I am going to have to pass on the "before inclement weather arrives in November" request. BTW counting those easy cupcake OOC games at Bloomington in 2026, they will have played 9 games before their bye week. I know I know ... North Texas and Western Kentucky are not B10 teams but not that bad of teams to be included in a streak of games.

All valid points.

How far did Indiana travel to play Purdue? How far did Indiana travel the next week?

Iowa traveled to SC last season in November, but didn't play Oregon in Eugene two weeks later. Instead, after the SC game, Iowa played Michigan State at home, followed by a trip to Nebraska.

B1G HQ does not control the weather. It does control this: Week 10 at Ohio State, Week 11 vs. Michigan, Week 12 at Michigan State, and Week 13 vs. Washington. That's a lot of travel in the last four weeks of the regular season.

It also controls Oregon, being the only Big Ten team in 2024 and 2026, to play 8 straight Big Ten games without a break.

It's great having you on the Forum.

Allow to ask: If Ohio State had been scheduled to play straight Big games after an early bye, in 2024 and 2025, would TOSU fans, including Jack Nicklaus, say, "Well, that's just the rub of the green?"

In 2027, Oregon plays at Maryland, Michigan, Nebraska, UCLA, and UW. Plays home games vs. Iowa, Ohio State, Penn State, and Purdue.

And IMO, the level of competition in 2027 is all good. Bring It On! Bring on the B1Ggest, baddest teams. Swap Maryland with Indiana if you want to. No complaints, mega-conference in-conference scheduling will not be equal SOS-wise. Fine, that's part of the deal.

But it won't be all good in 2027 if Oregon has to play 8 straight B1G games without a nap and has to play two of Maryland, Michigan, and Nebraska in November.

If the B1G schedules year to year, or for two years, were designed for the best media results, Oregon should be playing Indiana twice and not once in 2026, 27, and 28.

Other than playing all the conference teams in five seasons, is there any method being used in scheduling? Was there any method in having Northwestern play 11 games in a row?

Thanks for the comment. I'm not looking for an easy-peasy schedule, but I do want a fair shake.

IU drove to campus to play Purdue. They didn't play anyone the next week because it is always their last game of the year, when they play Purdue. I get you point but you must of missed my "this is all in a joking manner btw" I only brought up my examples about bad weather in November.

28 minutes ago, iubhounds said:

IU drove to campus to play Purdue. They didn't play anyone the next week because it is always their last game of the year, when they play Purdue. I get you point but you must of missed my "this is all in a joking manner btw" I only brought up my examples about bad weather in November.

I get it, my friend. And I also understand and respect all who think this scheme, er, schedule, is fine.

But for putting together a back-of-the-envelope SOS analysis, FWIW, not much, I'm DUN scheduling DONE. (I can hear the sighs of relief all the way from here in the Eastern time zone. 😁)

It is what it is, so, is it 9/5 yet?

JJ, you go ahead and keep complaining about BIG scheduling......you being you is what's best for OBDF and its diverse group of members.

You are correct the BIG scheduling woosies did a weak arse job. NO EXCUSES FOR THESE CLOWNS.

The more I look at all the schedules there are some schools that are on the nice list and some being on the naughty list.

Start the non con games one week earlier. There are no rules against and if there arw rules? Break em. Every school should have 2 bye weeks. This is best for the players health and affords better play.

I was so excited to join the BIG. But the league officials seem petty in their actions. Please, someone, explain the polar opposites of PSU and Michigan's 2026 conference schedules? Same people in the room cranking out those conference schedules.

GO Ducks....we got the short change on revenue splits, hec, might as well be one of the schools short changed on scheduling...