USC’s Motives and Implications for Ducks

[CalBear95]

 

Big Ten growth, UCLA's motives, Notre Dame: Answering realignment Q's

THEATHLETIC.COM

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Is the Big Ten on a fast track? What was behind UCLA's move? Will the Pac-12 raid the Group of 5?

This story (paywall) has a ton of thoughts around realignment but there is a note from someone that a lot of what motivated USC was the opportunity to hurt Oregon via recruiting.  
 

This says to me that USC will fight Oregon joining the B1G tooth and nail.  
 

So what could this mean?

 

I do think the SEC is coming west.  The SEC will raid the ACC at some point.  Once that is done, they avoid the logistical wear and tear on athletes in non-football sports I spoke to in my post about geographically dispersed conferences.  
 

ND will join the B1G.  The B1G will wait years for that to happen.  They won’t expand before that because the SEC can’t expand until the ACC comes open (and if that happens, the B1G will be at that same trough)

 

Oregon is going to be forced into the Big XII.  And if and when the B1G looks to expand west, USC will ensure Oregon is not invited because they do not want to deal with the competition in recruiting.  
 

I am not optimistic about the trajectory of Ducks football going forward.  
 

After carrying the league and particularly USC’s carcass for the past 15 years, it looks like Oregon isn’t going to get rewarded 

[Annie]

Perhaps USC will get their revenge on Oregon this way, but the Trojans may very well not do any better in the expanded Big 10, maybe will struggle even more.

[NJDuck]

I heard talk USC would want to keep Oregon out of the BIG for that very reason.  I wonder if the SEC sees any value grabbing Oregon, Washington, etc. to keep the BIG from having completely the West?

[Desert Duck]

Props to Lincoln Riley. The USC move certainly makes his decision to bolt from Oklahoma make much more sense. It seems clear that the USC/UCLA Pac12 Exodus (aka. "Pac12 Gutting") plan has been in the works since before Riley made the jump and had to be a huge drawing card.

 

That Oregon was apparently not remotely considered as part of this Exodus, indeed, does not appear to bode well for the Ducks.

[David Marsh]

USC will rue the day! 

 

Though this all could backfire on them royally. 

 

What is USC continues to be bad??? And their recruiting pitch is... Come to USC and be in the B1G but in the sun! 

 

But Ohio State will counter that and say... Come to Ohio State and be on a good team. 

[1Ducker1]

Lets join the Mountain West and be the best team with the biggest stadium and the biggest TV contract and be done with it--GO DUCKS!!

 

its all getting out of hand and remember there are 126  teams fighting to be #1 -125 will be disappointed.

[EzDucksIt]

Oregon's new motto?  "Lead or get run over" thanks Phil and Nike for showing the way.

[GODUCKS15]

Is there a way Oregon could be the Clemson of the west?

 

Seems to me it would be righteous of Oregon to try and hold the Pac together and raid the B12 or other quality schools and help create a semi super conference on the west coast.

Not that USC or UCLA were pushovers but Oregon has mostly dominated them the last 10 years.

 

Now that they're gone it gives Oregon a shot at winning it all and making it to the CFP. 

 

Back in the Chip days Oregon made it to the CFP when the Pac was down. Now it's down for good. 

 

Eventually the CFP will expand and Oregon won't be fighting B10 schools every year trying to make it to the CFP. 

Too far out in left field? Just pondering. 

 

[Log Haulin]

USC fear of competing with Oregon, in recruiting and on the field, tells me the USC hype is all smoke. Fear makes people take extreme action a lot of times.

 

Resentment? Makes more sense than the fear theory, but the reaction is the same. What Do they say about resentment?

 

"Like drinking poison and expecting someone else to die."

 

Why would UCLA and USC blow up the entire Athletic department because they are sucked up over Oregon laying the wood to them the past 2 decades?

 

They want to bounce? Fine. The Pac needs to be clear that both schools need to take their entire athletic department with them. No exceptions.

 

I have faith in Oregon and PK. They have brought this athletic department to places few ever dreamed of. End of the day, Oregon comes out on top and USC crumbles under the weight of their own ego.

 

 

[AllOregon]

^  I am thinking similar now as a decent viable route.  Still believe Plan A is join ND in the B1G.  But (and this goes for USC as well), what are the better odds to CFP?  Fight through B1G schedule with the travel and huge away stadiums, or put up gaudy #s and more conf titles in a lesser conference aka Clemson and Oklahoma.  Both used this path very well.

 

I think this is where USC’s move can backfire.  They have not been relevant lately (1 Pac12 title in last 13 seasons and ZERO CFP appearances).  Sure the tv $ can pad NIL offers for recruits, but not seeing them rise toward top of B1G.   Then despite NIL $, how do they convince recruits that they can win big there if are an avg 7-9 win team AND have to spend half their time traveling Far East to play in the freezing/windy conditions of Michigan, Wisconsin, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Illinois.

 

I would see some studs deciding to truly stay on west coast and play at 10-11 win on average Oregon team, that got more sniffs at CFP.

 

This may be the mold until 2036 when ACC can be demolished after their current contracts expire if ND waits a few more years to pull the B1G trigger.  Then Oregon expands out.   Which also says to me don’t pull the B12 move.  Ever.

Edited July 2, 2022 by AllOregon