Jon Joseph

The biggest question coming out of ACC Media Days: Can Bill Belichick's defense prevent Jordon Hudson from hopping on OC Bobby Petrino's motorcycle?

But, Gat, me Matey, Pitt barely had to walk the plank, losing by only six, 17-23, in its 2025 bowl game, a hard-fought take-no-prisoners battle against the G6 East Carolina Pirates. 😁Is the ACC better than the American Conference? On the way to Davy Jones' locker, Panthers Coach Narduzzi must have B1G-time planked his head. The Panthers open against Miami OH, OH, not Canes; I still recommend the Under 7.5. 🤑 (College Football News agrees; Pitt 7-5.) https://collegefootballnews.com/college-football/pitt-football-preview-2026 Make no mis-state, the world anxiously awaits 6-6 Pitt matching up in the 2026 postseason against a New World Pac-12 Oregon State team that went 2-1 vs. Wazzu, and didn't break a sweat against Gonzaga. Yo ho ho and a warm bottle of Iron City beer. 🤪

Riiiiiiiiiiight. Under Off Topics, I just posted CBS Sports' list of the 10 teams with the easiest schedules in 2026. One B1G team is on the list -10 Penn State Four B12 teams - 9 Houston, 7 BYU, 3 K State, and 2 Texas Tech 5 ACC teams made the easy-peasy schedule list - 8 SMU, 6 Pittsburgh, 5 Miami, 4 UVA, and 1 NC State. Patt, you can now exit to your room without a shot of Jack and without a can of Iron City Beer. You, Sir, have had enough, and we've had more than enough from you! 🤮

CBS Sports 10 Easiest CFB Schedules - https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/news/college-football-schedule-rankings-2026-texas-tech-miami-easiest/

On3's Preview of TCDS (That Conference Down South 😁) Darn It! I'm not seeing an answer to whether Lane and Kirby have the same yoga instructor. On32026 SEC College Football Preview: CFP favorites, power r....

GIMME 5! (Disclaimer: Las Vegas is not our nation's 52nd state 🙃) https://www.yardbarker.com/college_football/articles/five_intriguing_numbers_behind_oreogn_ducks_recruiting_class/s1_16787_44068589?utm_source=mb&utm_medium=email&mb_edition=20260718&mb_loc=right_h

To be fair, why, I have no idea, UW did capture the Men's NCAA soccer title. That and $5 at Starbucks will buy you a Venti latte. 😁

I'm down with the (real) Dawgs, but the Buckeyes? We'll find out in Week 2. https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/news/college-football-top-offensive-lines-2026-georgia-ohio-state/

This article has been posted by Forum Post Up Man, NJ Duck, under B1G Info, Predictions, Etc. Thank you, NJ. On the forum, you are the Victor, covering the post like Yaxel Lendeborg. 😍 https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/49317249/2026-college-football-top-25-lingering-questions-team Here's a chance to comment on ESPN's Man vs. Machine Mark Schlabach's preseason top 25 CFB ranking. And the Man's question for each of his top 25 teams. Mark had to have been out sick and missed the memo that was programmed into ESPN's FPI and SP+, otherwise how could he only have seven SEC teams ranked? Only SEVEN! That's Bristol Blasphemy! Compounded by Mark ranking EIGHT B1G teams. 🤪 For anyone who had the slightest doubt about QB being the most important position on the field, 14 of the 25 questions directly or impliedly bring 2026 QB play into question. OBD is Mark's 2nd-ranked team. Mark wonders if Oregon can win the biggest of B1G and other big games. Impliedly, "With more experience, will Dante Moore and the coaching staff be ready to show up when it matters most?" Our Man Moore was fantastic against G6 JMU in last season's 1st-round playoff game. But Dante and the O were average at best against a strong Texas Tech defense, and yes, there were injuries to deal with, but Dante and the Ducks coaching staff were MIA in the Peach Bowl, missing out on a return trip to MIA to play Mario and a terrific Miami D for the title. Other QB questions: Will CJ Carr up his big game play for No. 4 Notre Dame? ND does not play many top 40 teams in 2025, but in 2025 Carr's QBR was a dismal 48.9. And this was with two now-in-the-NFL RBs in the backfield. Will Hoover drive the 'Cig crazy instead of officials? No. 6 Indiana. Will QB Josh Hoover stop the picking? 24 interceptions collectively for Josh at TCU in 2024 and 2025. If this isn't fixed, Josh and Coach Cig won't need to pack for a trip to NYC in December. No. 11 Texas Tech - You may have heard that the presumed TT starting QB will not be taking the field in 2026? Will Hammond will start at QB; has he fully recovered from a late-season Achilles tear? It may not matter because in 2026, the most difficult out-of-conference game has the Red Raiders playing Beavis in Corvallis. TT misses No. 12 BYU and No. 18 Utah and plays No. 23 TCU and No. 24 Houston, ASU, and Arizona in Lubbock. (FYI, the question for Houston is whether RB Makhi Hughes regains his 2024 form? If he does, what will this say about the B12?) Tech and Notre Dame are battling to see which team has the easiest FBS schedule in 2026. Another year for Marcel to mature as a QB? No. 9 Texas A&M - Will QB Marcel Reed, without OC Colin Klein now the head man at Kansas State, bounce back from throwing eight picks in his last five games? In 2024, A&M did not defeat an SEC team that finished with more than six wins. No. 12 BYU - Will QB Bear Bachmeier's play improve in his second season starting for the Cougars? Except for BYU's two losses in 2025 versus Texas Tech, Bear had an exceptional freshman season. No Texas Tech in the regular season, but Notre Dame visits on October 17th, with The Holy War played at Utah on 11/7. No. 13 Oklahoma - After losing to Texas 23-6 last season, John Mateer's finished the season with a dismal QBR of 60.5. Which Mateer will appear in 2026? No 16 Alabama - Newbie Mack or Newbie Russell at QB? If one cannot step up, the Tide could roll out on Bama AD Greg Byrne, who gave DeBoer a contract extension and pay raise after Bama's worst bowl loss in its storied bowl history. And DeBoer could need asbestos seat liner. No. 17 Washington - Can DeMond Williams win at home vs. Indiana and Penn State, win at Michigan, OBD, and against lesser B1G opponents on the road? (Answers - IMO - Maybe, and how about NO for the Week 14 game in Autzen!) No. 19 Iowa - QB Brown or Hecklinski. Brown bombed at Auburn; Hecklinski was the backup at Wake. Eminent DC Phil Parker will have his hands full. Other B1G Questions - No 1 Ohio State - Will the O-line that was MIA against Indiana and Miami toughen up in 2026? No 13 - Penn State - Was the choking all the fault of Little Game James? Matt Campbell's Nittany Lions have the Big Ten's easiest schedule in 2026. Along with QB Rocco Becht and his 39 starts, and 19 other Cyclones, does the roster come with a Heimlich Maneuver? No. 20 USC - Does Linc make it through The Doors and Break On Through to the Other Side? Beat Boise!

Athlon Sports is Paying Attention - Kind of. The B1G ahead of the SEC does not square with Athlon's prediction of five SEC teams in the 2026 PO field. But consistency is the hobgoblin of mediocre minds, right? 🤪 https://athlonsports.com/college-football/ranking-conferences-big-ten-sec-acc-big-12

Hail to the Victors? Not on 11/14, please. I think 9-3 could be optimistic for a team with a brutal schedule and a QB who has not yet played like a 5* recruit. How will Michigan fare against Oklahoma, Iowa, Penn State, Indiana, and UCLA in Ann Arbor, and on the road against OBD and Ohio State? WHEW! https://collegefootballnews.com/college-football/michigan-football-preview-2026

I want some hot seats, baby, this evening; I want some hot seats, baby, tonight! Riley off the hot seat? Not so fast - OBD, UW, Ohio State in LA. On the road at Penn State, Indiana, and an improved UCLA. Is the new old guy, DC Patterson, up to the task? https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/news/college-football-hot-seat-rankings-2026-fired-first/

David, in summary, I agree with your well-made point. I know you are busy, so stop reading now if you so desire. 😁 The SEC went 2-8 in the 2025-26 postseason. In 2024-25 and last season, the middle of the Big Ten more than held its own against the SEC. Because of its emphasis on recruiting, and to your point, David, SP+ ranks 11 SEC teams in the top 25. FPI has 12 SEC teams ranked in its top 25. Where is the coaching factor in these rankings? Based on recruiting and portal rankings, the SEC is doing less with more. Vice versa for the B1G. Three very interesting games coming up: Ohio State at Texas, Oklahoma at Michigan, and Mississippi State at Minnesota. Mainstream media has the SEC going 3-0. I don't see it. FPI No. 18 Florida, which did not win six games in 2024 and 2025, is in the top 25. Why? Because Coach Sumrall, whose Tulane team was destroyed twice by Ole Miss last season, is now the head man in Gainesville? Or because Georgia Tech backup QB Aaron Philo (?) is now the QB in Gainesville? No. 21 Missouri did not defeat a team that won more than six games last season and lost 13-7 to UVA in its bowl game. No. 8 Bama defeated No. 12 Oklahoma in Norman before suffering a historic bowl loss to Indiana. No. 16 Tennessee was defeated by Illinois in Nashville. Miami shut out No. 11 A&M on its home field. A+M defeated seven SEC teams that did not win more than six games before losing badly at Texas. No. 23 South Carolina lost to Illinois in 2024-25 and was not bowl-eligible last season. No. 22 Auburn has not been bowl-eligible the last two seasons. Of course, if 25 teams are ranked, many SEC teams will be ranked. But the middle of the SEC should not, for the most part, be ranked above Michigan, Penn State, USC, Iowa, and Illinois. And Minnesota, Nebraska, and Northwestern went bowling last season and won their bowl games. Half of the SEC will have one more loss this season. It will be very interesting to review these SP+ and FPI preseason rankings when the PO committee's final ranking is revealed on 12/6/25. Play Ball! And Beat Boise!

You can't go home again! Dante rates Bama vs. Auburn as a better rivalry than Michigan vs. Ohio State! Blasphemy! 🤬🤬🤬 Oregon Ducks On SIDante Moore Ranks Oregon Ducks Rivalry With College Footb...Rivalries in college football are the heartbeat of the sport. They produce some of the most memorable, heart-racing moments and can even divide a workplace, fam

Good question. SOS varies depending upon how a given site ranks teams in the preseason. For example, in the SP+ rankings, every SEC team plays a top 25 schedule with Georgia coming in 25th and Texas 1st. Eleven SEC teams are ranked in the SP+ top 25, and SOS rankings follow suit. SP+ does have Ohio State ranked first, Oregon second, and Indiana fifth. Good call on Penn State. PSU misses Ohio State, Oregon, Iowa, Illinois, and Indiana, and plays USC in Happy Valley. On the road at Michigan and Washington look like the two most difficult games. QB Rocco Becht and 19 other Iowa State players followed coach Matt Campbell to Penn State, as did the OC and DC. Becht has 39 starts under his belt. Same coach, same offense, no learning curve for Rocco. Washington has road games at USC and Oregon, plays Penn State and Indiana in Seattle, and misses Ohio State, Iowa, and Illinois. PSU and UW do not play a P4 team out of conference. CLEATZCollege Football SP+ Rankings for the 2026 SeasonCollege Football SP+ rankings for the 2026 season — updated weekly. Offensive and defensive ratings for all 130+ teams, plus the biggest gaps between SP+ and the AP Poll.

On the top line, two teams stand out for having the easiest schedule and the easiest paths to the PO. Mario and Miami, and Marcus and Notre Dame. Ken Massey SOS Rankings - Ohio State 11, Oregon 25, Georgia 26, Miami 64, Notre Dame 67. There are 68 FBS P4 teams. This is not an aberration. Massey SOS rankings are consistent with all 2026 preseason SOS rankings. Think the CFB PO Committee will consider this when counting wins and losses? How about: NO!

I'd reword the article lede to be: Has the B1G Eclipsed the SEC for Good? The article by Dennis Dodd is well worth the read. But how much of the Big Ten is now Bigger than the SEC is a result of recency bias in today's wired world in which we reside? Clearly, the B1G has not surpassed the SEC in baseball, softball, golf, gymnastics, and other nonrevenue sports. And the B1G just won its first title in Men's Basketball since the year 2000. Three things are certain. Since the departure of Saint Nick, the Big Ten has had the better coaching on the football field. The Big Ten, where it really just means more, has the deeper pockets. And although the Power 2 are fiercely competitive against one another on the field, the court, the diamond, etc., the future of college athletics will be determined by the Power 2 and not Congress, the NCAA, or any other third-party institution. https://athlonsports.com/college-football/the-big-ten-has-taken-over-college-football-heres-how-the-sec-lost-its-grip FYI, Athlon's headquarters are in Nashville, Tennessee. Since opening for business, Athlon has been SEC-centric.

B1G has overtaken the SEC? Again, I caution against recency bias. https://athlonsports.com/college-football/the-big-ten-has-taken-over-college-football-heres-how-the-sec-lost-its-grip

Hail to the Victims? If the facts are correct, I don't see Warde Manuel, even though he played ball for Bo Schembechler, staying on the job. Maize n BrewReport: Warde Manuel knew about Moore-Shiver relationship...According to a report by the Wall Street Journal, Michigan AD Warde Manuel and others knew of Sherrone Moore and Paige Shiver’s relationship over a year before Moore was fired:

On3 top B1G transfers. Koi Perich is No. 4 - But Joseph is No. 6 🤬 And watch out for Purdue's Mister (🤪) Clarke! If Mister has a sister, is her name Miss, Mrs, Mz, or Lewis Ann? On3Ranking the Top 10 Big Ten Transfers: A look at the most...A look at the 10 most impactful transfer portal additions in the Big Ten heading into the 2026 college football season.

The Flip side of Sir Smith 72's above post - Thank you, Smitty, for all of the great posts! Why can't the authors of CFB articles get their facts straight? 🤬 Dante Moore is from Detroit, Michigan; he didn't decide to flip his commitment from Oregon to UCLA so he could stay at home. His home is 2,000-plus miles from California. And this is from a guy who covers OBD full time. SMH. Autzen ZooThe 5 Transfer Portal surprises that laid the foundation...The NIL and Revenue Sharing Era has allowed Oregon to operate at a higher level than ever, as the Ducks were one of the first to embrace the new era and have ca

B1G Game Matt? With an Easy Schedule, Will 9-3 be a Success for PSU in 2026 - https://collegefootballnews.com/college-football/penn-state-football-preview-2026

Ducks against Drew in Week 2 - https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/news/drew-mestemaker-oklahoma-state-blue-blood-cash/

Phil Steele is sending out an SOS - Oregon ranked as having the No. 20-hardest schedule in 2026 - Other B1G teams in the SOS Top 25: 2 Michigan, 3 USC, 6 Ohio State, 7 Michigan State, 9 Purdue, 14 Northwestern, and 24 Indiana. On3Phil Steele ranks 25 toughest schedules for 2026 college...It's the summertime, and Phil Steele is getting ready by ranking the 25 toughest schedules for the 2026 college football season.

OBD ahead of Michigan and Penn State - Coming for you, Buckeyes and Hosers, er, Hoosiers! https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ncaaf/bigten/2026/07/13/big-ten-college-football-program-rankings-ohio-state/90840243007/?utm_source=usatoday-sports-strada&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=usatbaseline&utm