Jon Joseph

$$$$$$$? By entering the portal Dye will be a valuable "NIL" commodity. If Oregon keeps his scholarship in place, he could return to play for Oregon and make more money doing so. The kids today, as is their right, all have agents. Folks advising them how to leverage their worth as soon as possible. Happening everywhere. WAZZU set up a bunch of NIL deals to get new QB Cameron Ward. CFB coaches are going to have to re-recruit their roster every year. CFB is the NFL. The team does matter but what I am being paid matters more. However, the NFL does regulate free agency and caps what a team is able to pay its players. Maybe he is getting paid by UCLA or SC to 'come home?" Maybe he wants to play for a school with a far better chance to make the Final 4 than does any Pac-12 team? But the 'why' really does not matter. THIS is now the rule and not the exception. The way of life today when players sit out even 'big bowl' games in favor of 'the merchandise' over their teammates.

The ACC has officially vetoed any playoff expansion until the existing contract expires after the 2026 season. Hard to bring in recruiting beef when you are up against boosters (morons?) at A+M paying $70M to a group of kids who have not played a down of college football. But based on the Alston decision and many state laws, how can NIL be controlled without a consequent law suit. There is no one in control of CFB. The ACC unilaterally just took billions of dollars off the playoff expansion table. There is uncontrolled free agency and under the guise of NIL, uncontrolled pay -for-play. BTW, without playoff expansion it makes no sense whatsoever to play at Georgia, BYU and 5 additional road games. How many SEC teams play 6 road games? NONE.

The ACC has officially killed any playoff expansion prior to 2026.

You've figured out the SEC OOC schedule.

A huge portal pick up for Utah to pluck UF's leading 2021 tackler, 2nd team all SEC LB, from the portal. And Whit will be going against a new UF HC and staff. But Utah best arrive in Florida early. Utah has no altitude going for it and huge humidity going against it.

Hope this is not too out of line, but I'd jump too!

However, with BYU you know you are going to be playing against older, seasoned guys. Usually, much older guys.

I understand your point my friend, but in combat on enemy terrain I'll take seasoned troops under a known command structure over the newest of newbies fighting under a new command. Unfortunately, I have seen this movie before.

Being vertically challenged I'll have to be on stilts.

Forget about my Run For The Roses idea. Symbolically it harkens back to the 'good old days' of CFB but it would leave far too much money off the table. This is of course after the fact but here is what a 12 team playoff using the AP final poll and the 12 team playoff recommended by SEC commish Greg Sankey, ND AD Swarbrick, MW commish Craig Thompson and B12 Commish Bob Bowlsby, would have looked like in 2021. The 6 highest ranked conference champions are in. The top 4 conference champs have a 1st round bye. 6 at large teams are added to the mix. More than the current 3 playoff games in the current structure would matter. 1.Georgia - SEC vs 9. MI ST AL at 8. Notre Dame AL 4. Baylor - B12 vs 12. Pitt - ACC at 5. Bama AL 2. Michigan - B1G vs 10 Oklahoma AL at 7 OK ST AL 3. Cincinnati - AAC vs 11 Utah - Pac -12 at 6 Ohio State AL 3 SEC - 4 with OK 3 B1G 3 B 12 - 3 with Cincy less 1 OK 1 Independent 1 Pac-12 1 AAC 1 ACC 6 conference champs - SEC/B1G/ AAC/ B 12 with byes + Pac-12 and ACC champs qualify. All P5 champs in. Break down as to be expected. SEC and B1G expected to have at least 3 teams in the field. Ideal for the Pac-12? No. But business-wise sensible with millions more dollars to be distributed. As Jon Wilner noted, the Pac-12 is Switzerland in this expansion battle. Prepared to go for this or any other structure that can obtain a required unanimous vote needed for expansion before 2026. B1G wants all P5 champion teams in but is willing to compromise. Because of its lousy locked up through 2036 media deal, the ACC is holding out for an 8 team field with all P5 champs in. Why, because unless the ACC can force Notre Dame to be a full time football member of the ACC it cannot renegotiate its current media deal. In effect. the ACC is vetoing playoff expansion. The exclusive owner of playoff rights through 2025, ESPN, has indicated that it would further open the wallet if the field expanded to 12 as noted above and also allow additional media entities to bid on playoff games. Millions and millions of dollars are being whizzed away at a time when CFB most needs the money. Just another senseless situation for parochial CFB where no one is in charge and it is every man for itself. This in a season when 20 teams have relocated from their existing conferences. The 'new' playoff format could begin in 2024 with much needed additional dollars raining down. If expansion doesn't happen before 2026, it is simply business male bovine excrement.

Man, I sure hope so. Utah is usually slow out of the box. But lots of key guys back and Coach Whit did not retire.

And the state of Utah finishes with 3 ranked teams! And on 9/3/22 Utah plays the first of a H+H with UF in the Swamp.

And CU has 2 P5 OOC games including at Minnesota. Karl Dorrell was a strange and on the cheap hire. CU AD George is a smart guy but after Tucker bolted Dorrell 'made sense' because he had a home in Boulder? It's too bad because CU fans actually give a whip about football and show up for the games.

This season with the Rose Bowl a playoff semi-site the Pac-12 conference championship will most likely be a Run for the Fiesta. Anything but the Alamo Bowl.

Pretty much spot on I think. Author got the Incarnate Word QB to WAZZU spot on but failed to include Florida's leading tackler from last season coming to Utah to replace Devin Lloyd at LB. And he missed on a top DB from CU transferring to Oregon and DT Sami coming in from UW. Will Always say Dye and Verdell both return? My guess is that Lanning et al are far from through plucking the portal? And we could see a few surprises come February signing day? BYU? That's a toss up game IMO. I do know that playing both UGA and BYU OOC is as tough as it gets OOC across the country. At AP Final Poll No. 1 and versus No. 19 in the AP Final. I hope BYU stays Dart-less? One thing to add, Bo Nix had his best season ever at Auburn his true frosh season playing for new Oregon OC Dillingham. Nix was having a good season in 2022, before injuring his ankle. One thing for certain, Nix is the only player on the roster, to date, to have a win over Alabama.

Just returned from a walk here in Aiken, SC. Aiken is about 70 miles from Title Town, Athens, Georgia. Had my Ducks sweatshirt on a couple going the other way dressed in Georgia gear told me, besides the title which they witnessed in Indy, how happy they are for Coach Lanning getting the Ducks gig. They are UGA season ticket holders and (I imagine they are well heeled) visited often with the UGA coaches and told me what a great guy Lanning is and how much the kids love playing for him. They believe that we will do great in the Pac-10. (SIGH. But no surprise regarding a southerner's confusion.) Said they were looking forward to visiting with him in Atlanta before the game on 9/3/22. Wished the Ducks good luck with the friendly caveat, "you're going to need it!" I do plan to do my part and I will be in the ATL for coach Lanning's debut.

Great article. When does spring practice begin?

The Athletics final ranking: Utah 14; Ducks 15

True, but B1G commish Warren appears to be far more flexible than the ACC commish who was the AD at Northwestern. I think a 10-3 B1G champ would get one of the 6 AL bids? I don't see the B!G champ finishing behind 9 other conference champs or being ranked outside of the top 12? Divisions will go away. Conferences have to assure that if a champ game is played it is played between the 2 highest ranked teams in the conference.

I don't see a warm up game as being the same? UGA will be running the same system on O and D and without that much coaching turnover.

The Super League is coming and coming soon; within a decade.

OR ST was great at home but lost every road game except at USC.

247 Sports roster ranking had the Ducks roster ranked #9 preseason 2021.

This also is on the ACC and the former commish who welcomed all other ND sports so ND could stay independent in 1 sport, football. The same genius who has the ACC media rights locked up through 2036. Agree. Why when 10 commissioners meet to discuss playoff expansion is an AD there with an equal vote?

OREGON, USC and UTAH - call Bob Bowlsby!