Will Ducks Football be Ready for the 2021 Season ??

[BigDucksFan]

Oregon at Ohio State (Sep. 11): Oregon has earned the Pac-12 crown in consecutive seasons, and Ohio State is the four-time reigning Big Ten champion. Ohio State begins the year at Minnesota, but this clash with Oregon is a critical test for the Buckeyes' new quarterback (CJ Stroud, Jack Miller or Kyle McCord).

[AnotherOD]

A number of fans over at one of tOSU boards don't see this game happening. The reasoning that Oregon's not going to travel to tOSU without its return game being rescheduled. I tend to agree there.

Ohio State doesn't take road OOC games unless its a high profile home-and-home, and it's booked up for quite a while. Its also not going to add Oregon in a year its already got one tough OOC game. Its not gonna play two OOC road games ever.

I see they have:

2022: three OOC home games, including ND

2023: two OOC home games, at ND

2024: only two OOC games scheduled, but at UW

2025: three OOC home games, including Texas and UW

2026: two OOC home games, at Texas

2027: only two OOC games scheduled, Alabama

2028:  at Alabama

2029:

2030: at Georgia

2031: Georgia

Some suggested tOSU might buy out or reschedule Boston College in 2027, but tough to see them playing Alabama then traveling to Oregon that year. Following the formula, 2029 would be the first opening that makes sense. Oregon if it wants its return is looking at 2029. Would that satisfy the Oregon athletic department and be in tOSU's future plan? That would be at Michigan State, Utah State, and tOSU in 2029 for Oregon, which I could see (or Michigan State being moved around which is far enough out I could see happening).

The most simple solution is obviously to cancel the thing, both teams pick up a patsy type, and both to cash in on a money making home game. Put it all in the COVID category and move on.

 

Edited January 16, 2021 by AnotherOD

[Charles Fischer]

20 minutes ago, AnotherOD said:

The most simple solution is obviously to cancel the thing, both teams pick up a patsy type, and both to cash in on a money making home game. Put it all in the COVID category and move on.

Good call, and great post.

[RatherBe]

On 1/16/2021 at 11:48 AM, AnotherOD said:

A number of fans over at one of tOSU boards don't see this game happening. The reasoning that Oregon's not going to travel to tOSU without its return game being rescheduled. I tend to agree there.

Ohio State doesn't take road OOC games unless its a high profile home-and-home, and it's booked up for quite a while. Its also not going to add Oregon in a year its already got one tough OOC game. Its not gonna play two OOC road games ever.

I see they have:

2022: three OOC home games, including ND

2023: two OOC home games, at ND

2024: only two OOC games scheduled, but at UW

2025: three OOC home games, including Texas and UW

2026: two OOC home games, at Texas

2027: only two OOC games scheduled, Alabama

2028:  at Alabama

2029:

2030: at Georgia

2031: Georgia

Some suggested tOSU might buy out or reschedule Boston College in 2027, but tough to see them playing Alabama then traveling to Oregon that year. Following the formula, 2029 would be the first opening that makes sense. Oregon if it wants its return is looking at 2029. Would that satisfy the Oregon athletic department and be in tOSU's future plan? That would be at Michigan State, Utah State, and tOSU in 2029 for Oregon, which I could see (or Michigan State being moved around which is far enough out I could see happening).

The most simple solution is obviously to cancel the thing, both teams pick up a patsy type, and both to cash in on a money making home game. Put it all in the COVID category and move on.

 

Good summary. I don’t think this game will be happening. I have some very strong opinions on the matter, but to be brief: no return trip, no game. 
 

As you outlined, the ridiculous practice of scheduling games a decade in advance is making the home-and-home appear to be impossible. Even a “back in three” scenario like we’ve seen with Michigan, Tennessee, and UVA is not happening. 
 

My concern is that Rob Mullens caves and allows tOSU to make a return trip in 2037 or some equivalent. I would consider that to be unacceptable. 

[AnotherOD]

If so, I believe Oregon still has the Stony Brook Seawolves scheduled, which means it would likely need to add an FBS opponent rather than grabbing a second FCS game.

I don't believe the Colonial Athletic Association played this year. One has to wonder if Stony will want to make the long trip out to Oregon, after a year off, with COVID still probably a lingering factor.

I don't see Stony as having a history of taking big OOC "payday" type games, so its athletic department is probably at least a little more able to survive missing the game. Some recent Stony forays with the FBS:

2019: at Utah State 7-62 (L)

2018: at Air Force 0-38 (L)

2017: at South Florida 17-31 (L)

2016: at Temple 0-38 (L)

2012: at Syracuse 17-28 (L)

It will be interesting to see if there is a lot of schedule juggling overall in college football or not, and when it might start shaping up. As I've read in a few places, one thing COVID has shown is that the need to plan things years in advance probably has been overstated if there is enough motivation.