Charles Fischer

From Jon Joseph: This is the third article in a series examining the schedules of the ten teams with the best odds to win the 2026-27 College Football (CFB) National Championship. Is a team’s schedule a barrier or a boon to making the playoff field? Here’s an obscure insight into the obvious: No team will win a Playoff if it isn’t in the field of contenders. Dawgs…Is Your SCHEDULE Playoff Friendly?

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE | SUNDAY, MAY 10, 2026 OREGON ATHLETICS | @OregonSB Ducks Earn No. 14 Seed; Will Host NCAA Regional EUGENE, Ore. – For the second straight season, Oregon will host an NCAA Regional. The Ducks earned the No. 14 overall seed and will host Big Sky champion Idaho State, West Coast Conference Champion Saint Mary’s and Mississippi State, an at-large selection out of the Southeastern Conference, Friday through Sunday at Jane Sanders Stadium. Oregon will open the tournament by facing Idaho State Friday at 7 p.m. on ESPNU. Saint Mary’s-MSU will be the first game on Friday at 4:30 p.m. The Regional will be pared down to two teams on Saturday and the Regional final will be Sunday. The Ducks earned the right to host a regional after going 40-12 overall and tying for second in the Big Ten Conference at 20-4. Oregon had a final RPI of nine, an overall strength of schedule of eight and a non-conference strength of schedule of four. This is the sixth straight NCAA Tournament appearance for the Ducks under coach Melyssa Lombardi and the 26th NCAA appearance all-time in program history. Last season, Oregon advanced to the Women’s College World Series for the first time since 2018. Oregon and Idaho State played earlier this season in the Oregon Classic in Eugene. The Ducks won, 4-3, in eight innings on Elon Butler’s double that scored pinch-runner Presley Lawton. Butler went 3-for-4 in that game with two doubles and two RBI. Oregon now leads the all-time series with the Bengals, 10-1. The Ducks and Saint Mary’s have played 26 times previously and Oregon leads the series 22-4. The last meeting was a 4-0 Duck win in 2020. Oregon and Mississippi State also played a game during the 2020 season which the Ducks won 7-2. Oregon leads the all-time series with the Bulldogs, 2-0. Tickets for the Eugene Regional will go on sale to the general public Tuesday at 5 p.m. https://am.ticketmaster.com/oregonducks/buy 2026 NCAA EUGENE REGIONAL SCHEDULE Friday, May 15 Game 1 – Mississippi State vs. Saint Mary’s – 4:30 p.m. PT (ESPN+) Game 2 – Oregon vs. Idaho State – 7 p.m. PT (ESPNU) Saturday, May 16 Game 3 – Game 1 Winner vs. Game 2 Winner – 2:00 p.m. PT Game 4 – Game 1 Loser vs. Game 2 Loser – 4:30 p.m. PT Game 5 – Game 4 Winner vs. Game 3 Loser – 7:00 p.m. PT Sunday, May 17 Game 6 – Game 3 Winner vs. Game 5 Winner – 4:30 p.m. PT Game 7 – Game 6 Winner vs. Game 6 Loser (if necessary) – 7:00 p.m. PT - www.GoDucks.com -

UCLA wins 9-6...we had our chances and did not get it done. Relief pitching sucked, and no scoring the last five innings. Bottom line is that a win would have rocked the college baseball world, but for Oregon's chances at a Regional...we got what we needed at minimum with a win this weekend, and now we must win the series next weekend beginning on Thursday against the despicable Trojans.

9-6 Bruins after eight innings. Oregon's relief pitchers ruined a great pitching performance by Miles Gosztola earlier...

6-4 Ducks after seven innings. Oregon has tried a bunch of relief pitchers to stem the Bruin comeback to no avail until we brought in the closer, Devin Bell, in the 7th? Gotta score some more!

6-3 Ducks after six innings. On offense...we stranded two on base! The Bruin superstar, Roch Cholowski, hit a solo homer for his third in just two days. Can't hold them down forever! Luke Morgan came in and gave up two more runs... My Duck-Buddies...the timing of the game is tough on me, as I am now cooking my big Sunday dinner that provides for three days, so I will be keeping it updated--but probably late at times.

6-1 Ducks after five innings. Nothing on offense this inning as UCLA brought in a relief pitcher who threw well. Oregon's Miles Gosztola is HOT, HOT, HOT as he has a career high nine strikeouts, and retired 13 of the last 14 batters faced. This is why he transferred to Eugene....for a chance like this against the No. 1 team, and it is great to see a pitcher doing his best when we need it. He has 77 pitches...he could go another inning!

6-1 Ducks after four innings. The bats are out! Maddox Molony struck out, but the ball popped out of the catcher's mitt and went back to the wall, so Molony got on base. Gabe Miranda lays down a 3rd base bunt to get thrown out...and the ball popped out of the first-baseman's mitt! Naulivou Lauaki walks to load the bases with no outs. Jack Brooks hits a liner to CF to score Molony, then Ryan Cooney hits a sac-fly to score a runner. Wowsa, as Brayden Jaksa blasts a bomb to score three with a dinger WAY OVER the CF wall. Then Oregon's Miles Gosztola comes in to fan the Bruin batters, and has eight strikeouts today!

UCLA has not even been in a deciding game to a series this season....this is their first Rubber-Match!

1-1 after three innings. Ryan Cooney walked, while Burke-Lee Mabeus hit a liner to RF for a hit. Then Drew Smith hit another line-drive to RF that was bobbled and allowed Cooney to score! But the Ducks stranded two on base... Miles Gosztola gave up a hit, most important....NO RUNS!

1-0 Bruins after two innings. Our Beloved Ducks got on base, but stalled. Miles Gosztola shut them down 1-2-3 this inning! With Superlative Help from Maddox Molony...

1-0 Bruins after one inning. Oregon's Miles Gosztola was doing well, but gave up some hits that turned into a run.

Who knew? (Just a two minute video)

Last night's game was a jolt of confidence for Our Beloved Ducks, and I imagine the Bruins are going to come out jacked to win this series on their home field. Whoever Oregon faces in opposing pitchers...they are all really good with low ERAs, and OBD will counter with Miles Gosztola, 3.98 ERA and I'd like to think that we could get another inning from Tanner Bradley and Cal Scolari in relief. Bottom line is that we have a ton of pitchers left, but it would certainly be a high-pressure situation .... Miles Gosztola

OREGON ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE | SATURDAY, MAY 9, 2026 BASEBALL | @OregonBaseball Ducks Land Last Big Blow in Heavyweight Battle LOS ANGELES — Jack Brooks delivered a bases-clearing three-run double with two outs in the top of the eighth to spark No. 13 Oregon to a 9-6 win over No. 1 UCLA in Big Ten Conference action at Jackie Robinson Field on Saturday night. Brooks’ three-run double capped a four-run inning that saw the Ducks (36-13, 18-8 Big Ten) rally from a deficit for the third time in the game. The eighth inning rally started after the first two Ducks’ batters were retired. Freshman Angel Laya sparked the rally with a two-out infield base hit that UCLA shortstop Roch Cholowsky backhanded in shallow left field. Laya came around to score from first base on a Maddox Molony double to right field. The Ducks shortstop hit a liner that right-fielder Payton Brennan attempted to make a diving catch on. Instead of making the catch, Brennan had the ball bounce off his glove toward the right-field line. Laya rounded third as Brennan retrieved the ball before racing home and eluding the tag by catcher Cashel Duggar. Laya slid over the right-handed batter’s box while touching the plate with his outstretched hand. After tying the game, Gabe Miranda walked before Naulivou Lauaki Jr. reached on a high chopper over the mound that UCLA second baseman Phoenix Call couldn’t handle on a short hop, moving Molony to third and Miranda to second to load the bases. After taking a first-pitch strike, Brooks laced a line drive into the left-center field gap, scoring all three runners giving the Ducks’ a three-run lead. “The at-bat started with those three guys before me getting on base and they did their job,” Brooks said. “I just had to come through in a moment there, I got my pitch to hit and I didn’t miss it. It was a good time.” Cal Scolari Tanner Bradley (5-0), who came in to get the final out in the seventh after UCLA took a one-run lead, pitched out of trouble in the eighth the keep the Ducks in front by three. The Ducks’ reliever walked the first two batters he faced in the inning before enticing a ground ball to third that Drew Smith fielded and then turned a 5-4-3 double play. He got the final out of the eighth on a line drive to Miranda before retiring UCLA’s two, three and four hitters in order in the ninth to lock up the win. “Our team doesn’t quit,” Brooks said. “That is the kind of stuff we pride ourselves on. Our standard is we don’t ever quit. We are going to keep going until the last out is made. I’d say we didn’t quit. We went through the whole game and it was a great win for us. Just awesome.” How It Happened: Things did not start well for Oregon after losing game one of the series 11-1 on a run-rule shortened game on Friday. The Bruins (45-5, 25-1 Big Ten) scored four runs in the bottom of the first, with three coming after Oregon couldn’t complete what should have been an inning-ending strike-em out, throw-em out double play. The Ducks came right back in the second inning scoring four runs to tie the game. Laya led off the second with a double into the right-field corner before Molony drew a base on balls. Miranda drove in Laya with a double of his own to right field to get the Ducks on the board. Naulivou Lauaki Jr. tied it blasting a 422-foot homer off the top of the batter’s eye in center field. UCLA took the lead right back in the third inning on a Will Gasparino solo homer and then held the lead until the top of the seventh. Oregon scratched a run together a run to tie it in the seventh. Brooks walked and swiped second, before moving to third on a balk. Ryan Cooney facing hard-throwing reliever Cal Randall grounded one to Cholowsky at short who had no play but at force allowing Brooks to tie it. Cholowsky put the Bruins back in front belting a solo home run to lead off the bottom of the seventh, setting up Oregon’s final rally from behind. Box Score Notes: The Ducks handed UCLA their first Big Ten loss of the season and snapped the Bruins 27-game conference winning streak … Oregon outhit UCLA 9-7 … Three Oregon pitchers – Collin Clarke, Cal Scolari and Bradley – combined for 11 strikeouts … Scolari fanned six of the 11 batters he faced … The win over the No. 1 team in the nation was the fourth in program history, with three of those coming against the Bruins. On Deck: The Ducks and Bruins play the rubber match in the series Sunday with a 12:02 p.m. first pitch.

Ducks win 9-6, as Tanner Bradley mowed them down 1-2-3 to finish the 9th inning. I cannot convey how important this win was from an RPI standpoint. Oregon had to win once this weekend, and needs to take the series vs. USC next weekend to get a home NCAA Regional. UCLA is No. 1 in RPI, and USC is No. 9 in RPI, so we get a big boost by playing and beating them. Even the homer announcers admitted that Bradley took on the best of the Bruin batting lineup to finish, and the Ducks scored runs on relief pitchers in the 8th inning with ridiculously low ERAs...among the best in the country. So cool!

9-6 Ducks after eight innings! Angel Laya snuck one through the infield to get on base, and then Maddox Molony nailed a liner to RF that was bobbled by a leaping outfielder. Laya jets from first base and eludes the tag at home to tie it up! Naulivou Lauaki hit a super high bouncer that was also bobbled, and thus we have everyone safe on bases. Jack Brooks hits a missile to deep LF that scores three runs to take the first lead in two-days! Tanner Bradley came in and was studly again with a 1-2-3 inning. Can the Ducks stay on top for one more inning?

6-5 UCLA after seven innings. Jack Brooks walked, stole second, and got to third on a balk. Then Ryan Cooney grounds out, but scores Brooks! The Bruin superstar got another solo HR... Tanner Bradley came in to get the third out for the Ducks, and is crucial keeping it close!

5-4 UCLA after six innings. Oregon's Cal Scolari got three strikeouts this inning!

5-4 UCLA after five innings. Oregon's Collin Clarke was relieved by Cal Scolari who left two Bruins stranded in scoring position. We're still in this!

5-4 UCLA after four innings. Oregon's Collin Clarke did well, but for a solo HR given up.

4-4 after two innings! Wow...what a needed jolt for Our Beloved Ducks! Angel Laya hits a screamer past first base and angling off the field for a double, and then Gabe Miranda nails a low line-drive to RF that is muffed to get a double and score Laya. I was distracted and cannot recall who was walked, but with two on....Naulivou Lauaki blasted a pitch over the CF wall for a 3-Run Homer to tie the score! Then Collin Clarke comes in for the Ducks and puts down the Bruins 1-2-3...

4-0 UCLA after just one inning. I was afraid of this with Oregon's Collin Clarke pitching, and was surprised last night at how Sanford was off.

It is a new day, and time for a Duck Rally!

Great article Mike, and very evident you really thought this through. It was not a knew-jerk "take" that writers elsewhere have, nor something to generate a reaction--you pondered this a ton. And we Thank You!