Jon Joseph

This is from Matt Hayes whose articles usually appear on Saturday's Down South; this article appeared today Saturdays Out West. Hayes: Sources convinced Big Ten isn’t finished raiding the Pac-12 SATURDAYOUTWEST.COM 'If anyone thinks the Big Ten isn't coming back for more, they're not following along,' a source told our Matt Hayes. Bottom line: The Pac-12 is in trouble as a Power 5 league.

Does it seem to be taking eons to get this deal done? But I'm with Charles. Keep the powder dry until we see what the ultimate and not the rumored deal is.

I am a Yankee living 'down south' in Aiken, SC. Spot on regarding the football fervor in the south and the SEC. Huge stadiums by Pac-12 standards, including the 90,000-seat stadium in Columbia, SC routinely sell out for bottom-of-the-barrel teams.The only exception is Vanderbilt but that stadium is often filled to capacity with visiting fans.

However, what will FOX pay for the Oregon/UW inventory? FOX has locked ESPN out of B1G broadcast rights and it is FOX that would have to agree to welcome Oregon and UW and also agree with how much to pay each school for their respective media rights. It's sad but the media today is driving the future of the Moneyball sports and not college presidents. I think the point you make is excellent and I wholly agree that the way to the B1G could well be made easier if the 4-corner schools bolt to the B12.

All-in I believe that a number of ACC teams such as Clemson that sells out an 80K stadium for every home game could make $37M a year, no doubt. But pursuant to Sports Business Journal the media deal is as I noted above. And the only way the media deal can be re-negotiated before 2036 is for Notre Dame to join the conference as a full-time football member. I appreciate any and all suggestions that would improve the value of the Ducks' upcoming media deal including perhaps a CFB, CBB 'partnership' with the ACC. But would such a partnership convince ESPN to pay more money than it is willing to pay now to both conferences and how long would it take for future schedules to open to allow for a combined ACC/Pac-10 combined CFB and CBB conference? And in light of the PO going to 12 teams does it make sense to for the Pac-10 to have more teams in the way of making the 12-team field? Again, great thoughts on your part; any and all options have to be explored.

The ACC is getting $20M annually from ESPN for its media rights through 2036, with a bonus based on the number of subscribers to the ACC Network. The B12 schools under the new media deal receive $31.7M a year from ESPN/FOX. The Pac-10 may not finish ahead of the B12 media rights, but it will finish ahead of the ACC's current deal.

It's all voodoo media math based on potential households watching instead of the actual number of human beings watching. But it is not really up to the B1G. It is up to FOX that 'owns' the B1G and apparently is happy with having only the 2 LA teams on the west coast. NBC is fine with their occasional B1G game following the Notre Dame game and CBS appears to be satisfied with the limited B1G broadcast inventory it will be paying for. The B1G deal is over $1B a year. (Doctor Eval puts a pinky finger to cheek.) ESPN and FOX are CFB financially tapped out The Pac-12/10 erred in overvaluing the inventory post SC/UCLA leaving that it had for sale.

One reason the ACC gets its team, Clemson, into the PO field of 4 is that even with the ACC dropping divisions the ACC is staying at 8 conference games. The rationale? The ACC plays 4 to 6 games every season vs Notre Dame. State-mandated games such as Clemson vs South Carolina, FSU vs Florida, Ga Tech vs UGA, and Louisville vs Kentucky add another P5 opponent. SOS matters not to the PO Committee today; 2Ls and you are out. But it will matter when the field goes to 12 teams and IMO is likely to go to 16 teams when PO media rights go up for bid for the 2026 season. This is where playing 8 games could hurt the ACC, especially regarding seeding. The Pac-12 definitely does not want to copy the ACC's media deal that stinks to the high heavens through 2036.

On3 as of today's date, February 23, 2023, has nine Pac-12 teams ranked in the top 50 Transfer Portal (Portal) team rankings. 1. Colorado 2. UCLA 3. USC 10. ASU 11. Oregon 13. Washington 27. Oregon State 36. Utah 50. CAL The Portal will re-open on May 1, 2023, through May 15, 2023, after spring practice concludes for all college football teams. We can expect that there will be many new Portal entries come May 1st. Many teams will encourage scholarship players currently on the roster to enter the Portal in order to not exceed the number of players a team is allowed to have on scholarship which is 85 players. This approach is especially ongoing under Coach Prime at Colorado and also at ASU under new head coach Dillingham. Also, we can anticipate a number of players including 4* and 5* recruits not on a given roster's post-spring practice 2-deep to be contacted by teams offering a better opportunity to play and also in certain cases a better NIL opportunity. This kind of contact is not allowed by the NCAA as it constitutes roster tampering but is happening across the country with 3rd parties and not a given team directly being the point of contact with a player and/or with a player's agent. And the NCAA appears to be powerless when it comes to policing roster tampering. Additionally, depending on the terms and conditions of the Pac-10 conferences' new media deal many players may be encouraged via tampering to transfer if all or a good deal of game inventory will be broadcast only via streaming. To date, the conference is doing very well using the Portal to help with roster management but of course, two of the teams in the top 10 will soon be off to the B1G. Should UCLA and USC continue their success in the Portal post-2023 they will be at the top of or among the top B1G teams using the Portal. Oregon is ranked 13. as noted above indicating that Dan Lanning is not only doing a terrific job with recruiting but also using Portal to fill positions of need. I expect that post-spring practice if not before that Oregon will continue to actively and successfully work the Portal

Networks not carrying the Pac-12 Network will want to be guaranteed a minimum number of subscribers before picking up a new entity for distribution. Similar to bowl games requiring participating teams to guarantee the sale of X number of tickets. With the Pac-12 becoming the Pac-10 (subject to expansion) after the 2023 season there will not, IMO, be any incentive for cable providers not carrying the Pac-12 Network now to do so with lesser inventory and without the LA teams. I do expect ESPN to be part of Pac-10's new media deal. The rub for the Pac-12 Network still remains. Namely, it is the only conference network without a media partner. Even the loser Longhorn Network is owned and operated by ESPN. I expect this network will disappear once Texas joins the SEC.

Thank you for the comment. Alabama? returning production ranks 125 out of 133 FBS programs. A new QB, new OC, and new DC. No one should sell Saint Nick short but with Daniels returning to LSU I think LSU will repeat as the SEC W champ even though the Tigers have to play at Bama. I expect LSU to get a big rankings bump after defeating an overrated FSU team in its opener. Georgia? Lost its OC but has a terrific returning roster and an easier schedule than Bama. I know the game is at TN but I do not see TN having a QB who can defeat the Dawgs. Ohio State. Does play at Notre Dame OOC but gets Penn State in Columbus and as for the rest of the B1G, sans Michigan, the Pac-12 is better top to bottom. Will the new Ohio State QB be able to take advantage of a deep receiving corps as did Stroud? Like the SP+ I expect Georgia will be preseason ranked #1 in every poll.

Except many, many folks across the nation cannot access the Pac Network. The Network is functionally insolvent and not in a position to pay what DirecTV wants to be carried on this cable provider. Without a media partner, the Pac Network is not long-term viable. 2+ years ago ESPN offered to take over the network and the Pac-12 leaders demurred. It was likely a lowball offer but almost certainly more than ESPN with parent Disney not doing well financially will offer today for a Network without the LA schools. The Pac-10 is simply in a very difficult place. The conference will end up with a better deal than the ACC if the streaming component makes sense. But matching the ACC is not the bar, the conference needs to match or exceed the B12 and that will not be easy with FOX after locking up LA sitting on the sideline. Again, IMO Oregon because of the brand and actual viewership numbers will be fine. But I think all of us understand and appreciate that there is likely to be a further realignment in CFB with the Power 2 conferences holding the cards. It may well be in Oregon's best interest to sign a 'bad' but short-term deal, make the expanded playoff field and ball out in the playoff. The media vultures are circling but Puddles goose is far from cooked.

Good thoughts. Any deal between the B12 and Oregon and UW will have to be negotiated with and approved by ESPN and FOX. Media has been driving the sport for well over a decade and is now becoming more apparent day after day. It appears that FOX with the LA market could care less if the rest of the Pac-12 disappears and a more frugal ESPN is not going to bid against itself. Again, I like your thoughts. Oregon and UW are two valuable CFB properties left on the board and behind Notre Dame only in value, And in terms of brand building no school has done better at brand building over the last decade than Oregon.

Good thoughts on Netflix but a Netflix spokesperson recently stated that the company is not going to become invested in live sports broadcasting. I feel bad for GK. The B12 jumping ahead of the Pac-12 to sign a new media rights deal took FOX off the table and left the Pac-10 with one linear broadcast company, ESPN, to bid against itself. This is at a time when ESPN's parent Disney (market value down 17%) is not going to overpay for the rights to sporting events. It just seems as though the Conference of Champions can't catch a break. SC and UCLA were a big part of the problem but are too big to fail and therefore off to the B1G. The ACC, B12, and Pac-10 are clearly in a battle for 3rd place. Oregon's brand is valuable and sustainable but the Ducks must look after its own best interest and not agree to a deal that locks Oregon into a losing position. If Phil Knight and others have to take the media decision off the hands of the Oregon administration so be it and having a business person in charge would be refreshing.

AMEN friend, Notalot, AMEN. If wishes were horses ..... Larry and the enablers he reported to sucked the life out of The Conference of Champions. How does stuff like this happen? How is the ACC mired in a terrible media deal through 2036? How did the B12 jump ahead of the Pac-12 when the Pac-12 could have put the B12 to bed? Academics and the leaders they hired are how this happened. I'm mad as hell that the Ducks are caught in this swamp.

The apple of my eye is a poor substitute for Amazon But it is all about the Benjis and perhaps this is what GK is left with. Especially, with big-tech Amazon and other big-tech businesses laying off thousands of employees. It's all just complete conjecture in regards to the Pac-10 but look across the board. After Notre Dame, Oregon, and UW are the best choices on the block. I am staying with and following the mighty Oregon CFB brand and believing that the Ducks will land in a perfect Puddles puddle. But it may not be in the 'we are all together' Pac-10 or whatever. Oregon will find a good home but the longer the media deal negotiations and rumors of expansion I am not sure that home will be with the Pac-10. If this is a 'negative' POV so be it. Oregon has invested far more in its brand and facilities than any other school in the Pac-10. The Ducks have to find a place where every school is all in and ready to compete for CFB/CBB titles. Where the Ducks 'partners' are willing to invest in order to realize national championships.

Somewhat OT but with SMU on the conference radar I thought this would be of interest. SMU HC Rhett Ashley a former OC at Miami is bringing in 6 transfers who were on Mario's roster at the close of last season. Mario signed a very good class in 2023 but many Miami players and coaches are bailing out.

Just finished an article by the Athletic's Andy Staples regarding clock change rules in college football. One suggestion he had that I agree with is to mic the QB's helmet and the player who calls D signals helmet so plays can come in electronically as is the case in the NFL. Get rid of the bed sheets, etc. on the sideline. 1 problem with this is that it could impair warranties by helmet makers but as Andy says this could be easily overcome if enough CFB teams put pressure on the helmet companies.

I could see a 'merger' with the ACC working for CFB and CBB and keeping all other sports as-is. But the ACC media deal is lousy and runs through 2036. So unless ESPN was willing to rewrite its deal with the ACC this great thought of yours would not work. And the travel for basketball would be a witch. Love the idea and all other thoughts regarding realignment including simply staying at 10 teams for 5 years.

Thank you, Alex. Great thoughts on how the Ducks can improve in 2023. Analytics? I completely understand the concept but as a greybeard, I often cringe when a team within FG distance goes for it on 4th down. Especially when a team is playing on the road. Oregon State went for it 4 times when within FG range in Seattle and lost to UW by 3 points. As you so noted, 2023 will be a fine line between keeping Nix healthy and running an effective RPO game. If Nix is not a legit run threat we are watching an O with a hand tied behind its back. BTW, Go Ducks predicts that Oregon will make the Final 4 and play Ohio State in the Rose Bowl. I love the optimism and hope that it will come to fruition. Meanwhile, beat Portland State! Thanks again for the well-written and well-thought-out take.

LOL at UCLA CBB coach Mike Cronin's response to the CBB Committee's initial release of the tournament field. He thinks UCLA is being screwed over because of the Bruins' move to the B1G. A love a good conspiracy theory BUT COME ON MAN! If the Pac-12 had any influence with the Committee I think it would be used to have more conference teams in the field and not to hose over UCLA. The farther UCLA goes in the tournament more the money for the conference. These 'boys' refuse to gently go away. How huge will the SC at Oregon football game be? Bring your ear muffs.

Charles, I know your plate is loaded. But it was worth mentioning your name to get another great cat gif.

Spot on. Challenge is upheld and the challenging team does not lose a TO.

Thanks, PD. Something like this must happen especially with an expanded playoff field on the horizon. NFL games fit into the allotted broadcast time slots while CFB games consistently run well beyond the allotted time. I would like the stopping of the clock after a 1st don to go away. CFB was played for decades without this timing rule in place. I'd also like to see the NFL challenge rules put in place. In the last 2 minutes of both halves, every play is reviewed. And every scoring play is reviewed. But if a head coach throws a flag to challenge a play on the field and the play stands, your team loses a time-out. Also, something has to be done to bring uniformity to targeting calls. Both the timing of reviews and unless it is intentional I do not believe a player should be thrown out of the game without a 2nd targeting offense. Finally, what was wrong with a game ending in a tie in the regular season? OT in 'playoff' games I understand, but for decades CFB got along just fine with regular season games ending in a tie.

Thanks so much for all of the great replies and suggestions. Unfortunately, I have no connection with GK or the Pac-10 presidents. In the SEC all presidents including the president of academically elite Vanderbilt, are on the same page when it comes to athletics and understanding that success in athletics, especially in the Moneyball sports lifts all boats. I wonder if someone (Charles?) could create an online petition whereby those concerned about the conference's future could make our concerns known. I reiterate when I say I expect the conference to hold together and for Oregon to be just fine. I just hope the leaders of the conference act like intelligent business people. Block the B12 from the Pacific time zone and make the move into the central time zone significant by adding more than 1 school, SMU.