Jon Joseph

And is playing behind a better OL and perhaps in a better system. His 1st OC left to take the UVA job. His 2nd OC was fired. And he wasn't throwing to WRs the quality of guys he had to throw to when Lawrence was out and he lit up Notre Dame. Clemson's quality of players had decreased. Without Lawrence, in his last season, I think Clemson loses 3 to 4 games. Clemson's recruiting rankings have gone down even though kids who sign there get a rankings bump because it is Clemson.

But probably should be?

That was the agreed-upon buyout for OK/TX. I do not think this number applies to the new media deal and I'm not sure the new media deal has been officially agreed to by all B12 members. Not too long ago, Texas Tech among others was desperate to join the Pac-12. Shot down with USC Prez Folt leading the way. (Man I'd love to know if SC was already playing footsie with Warren and the B1G when the vote occured?) The Power 5 would have gone to the Power 4 and the Pac-20 would have been golden. In the interim the Oregon prez left for Northwestern and a discouraging word never comes out of Mullens' mouth. FOX manipulated the LA schools departure and Kevin Warren and by extension the entire B1G lied to the ACC and the Pac-12. Yet, other than for the CA trustees no one raised a peep as did Bob Bowlsby when ESPN raided OK/TX from the B12. IMO, if UW, OR, CU, Utah, ASU and AZ went in concert to KS, K-St, OK St, TX Tech, TCU, Baylor, Houston and Iowa State there could be a realistic shot at forming a strong western conference. One that could negotiate with ESPN, FOX and others and bring in more than the B12's $31.7M a year. But it's academia so it isn't going to happen. The only way to close the gap with the B1G and the SEC is for western teams to unify and reduce the Power 5 to the Power 4. The Oregon brand is strong and I'm hoping for the best but I wish the stronger Pac-12 programs would push harder for a logical, mutually beneficial and financially viable deal for the western schools. BTW, if the Pac-12 is too 'elite' to associate with B12 schools why are so many games including Oregon's next 6 P5 OOC games scheduled with the B12? Let CAL and Stanford join the Ivy League.

I do not disagree in the slightest. This is all algorithm-driven. Human polls will of course be different but at the top BC has usually been very accurate.

TT - blew out Ole Miss in its bowl game. 8-0 when Tyler Shough the presumed starting QB in 2023, starts and finishes a game. TT #1 in the country last season in plays run per game. 89.2 play average. Home - 95.7 plays/ Away 82.7 plays Ducks by comparison finished ranked #56. 71.3 play average. Home - 70.6 plays/Away - 71.9 plays - I find it interesting that the Ducks on average ran more plays on the road, The Red Raiders and former Ducks QB Shough (wasted by Mario?) will put a lot of stress on the Ducks D. Texas Tech - 64% of 2022 production returning. 75% on offense (31 nationally) 52% defense (58 nationally.) Oregon - 65% 0f 2022 production returning. 65% on offense (62 nationally.) 65% on defense (58 nationally) (At 65/65/65 is Oregon the Social Security Team?) 1st game Ducks have the advantage playing Portland State at home while TT trips to Wyoming. The stadium in Lubbock will be fired up and LOUD!

THIS ranking only gives Oregon 3 games versus the top 25 opponents. I continue to believe that based on the AP preseason poll SC, UW, Utah, OR ST and, Texas Tech will all be preseason ranked.

While I continue to believe OREGON will be fine there is no doubt that the barbarians from the B12 are at the gates.

Written and released by the conference.

On February 14, 2023, ESPN's Bill Connelly released his first edition of the 2023 SP+ rankings. SP+ is a predictive model that has nailed at least 3 out of the 4 participants since the inception of the Playoff. SP+ has not always been kind to Oregon but I think Oregon fans will be very happy with being ranked in the top 10 at #8. Below are the top 10 and Pac-12 rankings including the rankings for potential new members San Diego State (SDS) and SMU. 1. Georgia 2. Ohio State 3. Michigan 4. Alabama 5. Penn State 6.Tennessee 7.LSU 8. OREGON 9. Texas 10. USC -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 13. Utah 16. Washington 21. UCLA 31. Oregon State 53. Washington State (55. SMU) 58. CAL 63. ASU 78. Arizona (80. SDS) 94. Colorado 102. Stanford Oregon's Power 5 out-of-conference opponent Texas Tech is ranked #35. By Conference 1. SEC 2. B1G 3, B12 (this includes Texas and Oklahoma) 4. Pac-12 5. ACC This is one of the few preseason rankings I have seen that has Oregon ahead of USC. Also the only ranking I have seen to date that does not have an ACC team (Clemson or FSU) in the top 10. Should these rankings play out, Oregon wins the Pac-12 and plays in the Fiesta Bowl. 1. Georgia would play 4. Alabama in the Sugar Bowl Playoff semi-final. 2. Ohio State would play 3, Michigan in the Rose Bowl semi-final. One of these 2 would make the final 4 going 11-1 and without a conference championship. GO DUCKS!

Happy, patience is a virtue? I'm hoping for the best but slow-walking everything seems to be the conference mantra. The conference leaders need to get on board like the SEC and the academically sound B1G leaders have done. If you are not "all-in" Moneyball titles will not follow. Oregon will be fine in the long run. However, several members of the conference for whatever reason are not all-in. Unlike CU which recently changed its transfer credit requirements to support the hiring of Deion Sanders, a number of schools do not seem willing to make the changes to compete in today's world of CFB, and CBB. Oregon getting the same revenue share as these schools is galling. What happened to Stanford football and basketball? What happened to CAL basketball? Does anyone at Stanford or CAL give a whip? You can have fine academics and also have competitive teams. Check out the number of applicants for admission to Alabama before Saban's run and the number now. Many of these 'new' applications come from out-of-state students who pay full tuition. A rising Tide has lifted all boats in Tuscaloosa. I haven't checked the number but my guess is since the Oregon brand with the help of NIKE went national and global that applications for admission and donations have soared. It is frustrating but at this point in time all we can do is exercise patience.

In the SEC that's post-game hand shake money. One reason Brian Kelly is at LSU and IMO will win the SEC W again in 2023.

Where are the DL 4 and 5 stars?

Great take. The games were both wins which are all that matters but the LSU and Ohio State passing games lit up UGA last season. The Buckeyes beat the Dawgs in Atlanta if Harrison isn't 'cheap-shotted' out of the game. UGA sleep-walked through a number of games last season including at Mizzou. UGA certainly was not ready for the street-fight vs tOSU in Atlanta. I'm not disagreeing that Chip's teams featured a group of great competitors (aided and abetted by a great and underrated DC) but Oregon had at that time a huge schematic advantage. An advantage was that wasted by bad play calling versus Auburn and beaten up by superior talent, with Helrich as HC, in the 1st PO champ game versus Ohio State. [That Buckeyes team was loaded including having Joey Bosa who was this season's NFL D player of the year. ] And therein lies the rub. Have to have great roster depth to win 2 PO games and come 2024 and definitely in 2026 when the field will IMO go to 16 teams, to win 3 games in order to win it all.

With the 2023 schedule your Dawgs are back in the Final 4 in 2023.

Georgia went 1-1 vs Bama in 2021 and did not play Bama in 2022. Georgia's 2023 schedule by SEC standards is a cakewalk. I'll be very surprised if UGA is not in the final 4 in 2023. Bama is 125 out of 133 schools in returning productivity and has a new OC and a new DC. I know it's Saint Nick and the game is in Tuscaloosa this season but I like LSU to again win the SEC W.

Irving and Whittingham were both lights out with a healthy Bo Nix keying a solid RPO-oriented offense. Let's hope Bo is good to go all season and not the banged-up player he was at the end of 2022. The RB room is deep. Bot so the QB room. And let's hope without coach Klemm that the new O line can come close to the productivity and efficiency of last season's OL. Thanks for the article, David.

Thanks for this PA Duck and thanks also to Charles for sharing the Rivals information.

I like JC's thought: GET A DEAL DONE! Until all have signed the bottom line of a new media deal everything is conjecture and hearsay. I do believe the conference will hold together and be competitive. But talking is cheap.

It's a final 4 semi-final playoff site so not a bad bowl to settle for.

As always, thank you, Coach!

At this point my friend I think money trumps academics. You can bet that San Antonio would be on B12's radar if Baylor/TCU were not already on board.

Good take, thanks. ASU isn't happy? ASU's president Crow did more to enable Larry's antics than any other Pac-12 'leader.' Everything will work out fine for the Ducks regardless of what 'sleeping giant' ASU thinks. ASU has been napping longer than Rip Van Winkle. Oregon, Utah, UW, CU, OR ST, and WSU back their Moneyball teams. I care far more about Oregon and UW's 'happiness' than I do ASU's.

No way are the Ducks doomed in any way, shape, or form. My comment was directed at life in general where Murphy's Law will rear its head from time to time. NOTHING in this world is ever as good as it seems or as bad as it seems. On rare occasions my golf swing actually 'works.' In 2023 Oregon has a perfect week 7 bye week. But the schedule is tough. Oregon will play 5 to even 6 ranked teams. Ohio State will play 3 including at Notre Dame. Michigan will play 2. Georgia's schedule by SEC standards is a cake walk. Will Bo stay healthy? He was hurt badly his last season at Auburn and his injury last season crippled the entire offense. The QB room at Oregon is thin. If this was 2024 I'd like Oregon to make the 12 team field but to make a four team field in 2023 is a big ask. But, you never know?

Notre Dame football joining full-time would be a boon to the ACC that could then re-work its lousy media agreement. Notre Dame has an open invitation to join the B1G. But as Charles so notes Notre Dame dearly values its independence in football. Its AD is treated the same as a conference commissioner at the playoff table. It has a perfect relationship with the ACC for all other sports other than hockey where it plays in the B1G. It is guaranteed 4 to 6 ACC games yearly, which makes scheduling far easier. NBC is staying with Notre Dame and will also be broadcasting a B1G game every weekend. Unless the conference commissioners in 2026 demote Notre Dame from its status as a voting playoff committee member it has no reason to abandon its football independence. Oregon as an independent would not get the 'most favored nation' treatment as does Notre Dame and as Charles and others so correctly point out scheduling would be a witch. The B12 would not give Oregon the same treatment as the ACC gives Notre Dame. So, where would Oregon go for its other sports? The Mountain West? That's a G5 non-starter. Be of good cheer. With its brand Oregon will find a place for Puddles to play.

On occasion, but not for long.