Jon Joseph

Thanks, Darren, for taking a peek at next year's team. 😁 Spot on regarding Dante. He has started 20 games, and he will improve next season, especially if Oregon can stay healthy at the skill positions. It would be nice to make it to the semis next season and have a healthy cast of players in the biggest game. That Dante and Ducks played so well with 15 new starters and every unit on the offense dealing with injury is a credit to the coaches. Regarding the list of complete teams, Ohio State struggled to run the ball against top defenses. I don't want to go Lou Holtz on the Buckeyes, but Miami punched the TOSU O-line and D-line guys in the mouth, and they couldn't handle it. And Sayin, in his 14th start, like Dante at times, couldn't handle being pressured. If Cam Ward had the 2025 Miami D in 2024, or the 2025 Miami team had Cam Ward at QB, I think both teams would have had a legit chance of going 16-0. Carson Beck was good, not great. I do agree that Mario is not the micro-manager he was with the Ducks, and he made solid OC and DC hires. As to his QB in 2026, that is to be determined by lawyers and judges. Miami is an example of a program that supported the House Settlement with no intention of limiting NIL or tampering. The U is not alone, but its poaching is not restrained by any settlement or legal agreement. Mensah, like Beck, is not another Cam Ward, and Bain and Mesidor will not be easy to replace. Wilson coming in from Mizzou is a good DE, but not as good as these two. However, in the ACC, the U is fielding the deepest roster, and no other program is bringing in the same talent. Indiana in 2025 was a complete capital T Team that played complementary football. Cignetti saw that the 2024 team could not compete on the LOS with the Ohio State and Notre Dame programs and did an excellent job of using the portal to plug the holes. And having your OC and DC with you for eleven seasons is a CFB luxury. Will QB Hoover, transferring in from TCU, come close to Mendoza's leadership and production? That's a big vacuum to fill. (Sorry 🙃) The talent is in place for OBD to make a run at the title in 2026, but you never know how that stupid oblong ball will bounce. Thanks again. Is it 9/5 yet?

A brutal non-call. Ole Miss should have had one more play, 15 yards closer to the end zone. One more Hail Mary attempt. In the champ game, the B12 refs allowed the Miami DBs to mug the Indiana receivers. I like the idea of letting the players play, but not to the point where grabbing a receiver's jersey, arm, etc., isn't called.

Ready for 1 more? Are we in The Twilight Zone? Is it only a movie? The Hoosiers' Jamari Sharpe's 4th quarter interception of Carson Beck with 44 seconds left in the 4th quarter on Monday night sealed the deal for Indiana. Jamari Sharpe graduated from Miami's Northwest High School and, like Fernando, did not get a scholly offer from the U, the team he loved. Sharpe is the nephew of Miami player Glenn Sharpe, who was called for interference late in the 4th quarter of the BCS champ game, played in 2002-23 in the Fiesta Bowl. Ohio State took advantage and defeated Miami for the national championship in 2002. Cannot make this stuff up!

Williams and the Williams family retreated when UW promised to sue to uphold the contract he signed, and after his agent dumped him. The Judge in the Duke case ruled that Duke had to put the QB in the portal, but has yet to rule on whether he will grant another preliminary injunction to allow him to sign with another team, or if he does sign, whether his NIL money is his or Duke's property. The excerpts from the contract he signed with Duke are clear that, in return for the consideration paid to him by Duke, he assigned his NIL rights to Duke for two seasons and agreed not to enter the portal in 2025 or 2026. He is, under the laws of North Carolina, an adult who entered willingly into a contract as so advised by his agents. Like Wisconsin and UW, I'm pleased to see Duke stepping up to enforce the deal the QB signed. Without any guardrails, what's to stop players from transferring in-season? The NCAA says a player can only play for one team in a given season, but when was the last time an NCAA rule was upheld in favor of a player's opportunity to make more money? Like Williams, after the requisite mea culpas, he'll be welcomed back. I'd love to be a fly on the wall the next time the Duke and Miami ADs meet up. Miami is working its way out of a Super Conference invite.

One suit from Wisconsin for Miami tampering with Xavier Lucas is not enough for Mario and Miami. Wisconsin - EX: A - Video of Miami in the champ game with the poached Xavier Lucas out for the first half and in for the 2nd half. Why not tick off a conference member? Why not tick off a conference standard-bearer in academics and basketball? BTW, playing behind the QB you are trying to steal, a QB who signed a two-season contract, Duke was this season's ACC football champ, and defeated ASU in the Sun Bowl, 42-39. Rouges then and rogues now.

B-E-C-A-U-S-E he's B-E-C-K - 1 comeback PO win was enough. 😁 The TO Cig took before Fernando's run for a TD was also timely. Gave him time to talk things over with OC Mike Shanahan and run a 4th downplay drawn up for this game.

Apology Accepted? 🤬🤬🤬 On3LOOK: Big Ten responds to Paul Finebaum's apology after a....

Great topic, 123. I'll wait until the dates the games will be played, to be revealed on 1/27 on BTN, 2:30 PM Pacific. Will OBD have back-to-back road games, back-to-back trips East? The week Oregon travels to Columbus to play Ohio State, and what opponents and where the games are played the week prior? Will we see Michigan in Eugene, followed by Ohio State? Will there be a Saturday game in the Central or Eastern time zones, followed by a Friday night home game against a team coming off an idle week, like Minnesota last season? But against an opponent more dangerous than the Gophers. Also, with a late Labor Day, 9/7/26, there will only be one Bye in 2026. Will OBD's Bye come too early, too late, or be just right? (Only Goldilocks and B1G HQ know. 😁) I agree with GODUCKS15, except for the trip to Columbus. I think OBD will be favored in every game, with the possible exception of the game at USC. BLAST BOISE!

We only have to wait until Boise State shows up on September 5, 2026. 🤬 On3 has released its ranking of the Top 100 players in 2026—30 of the 100 play in the Big Ten. DUCKS - 2. Dante Moore, behind No. 1 Jeremiah Smith/ 19 Matayo Uiagaleleli/ 22 Bear Alexander/ 37 Teitum Tuioti/ 69 Brandon Finney/ 92 Jemari Johnson/ 98 A'Mauri Washington - Hey Cisco, where's Poncho? Jordan Seaton, TBD. Quack Jordy, Quack! On3Way-too-early Top 100 college football players for the 20...The 2025 season just ended but it's never too early to look ahead. Here are the top 100 college football players heading into next season. BTW, Pawalllll hasn't left the country as of yet, but after this B1G comment, Paul was seen hitchhiking on I-65 North 😁. On3Paul Finebaum apologizes to Indiana, makes sweeping decla....

Another 1 for OBD - Let It Happen, Please https://www.profootballnetwork.com/cfb/oregon-following-indiana-as-college-football-champions/

Up now on The Athletic site, Mandel has OBD No. 1 in his Way Too Early Top 25 for 2026.

Sweat, Lame Kitten, Sweat! 🤪 Death Valley VoiceLatest Jordan Seaton development has LSU fans everywhere...Lane Kiffin continues to pull out all the stops in an effort to land 5-star offensive lineman Jordan Seaton through the transfer portal. Kiffin has already brou

Fun to read these B1G better than SEC takes, but IMO, Not So Fast! B1G game on 9/12/26 when Ohio State visits Texas. Both teams have warm-up games on 9/5/26 - Ball State at TOSU, and Pac-8 (12?) Texas State at Texas. Also on 9/12 - Minnesota at Mississippi State, and Oklahoma at Michigan. A B1G game on Sunday, 9/6/26 - Wisconsin vs. Notre Dame in Green Bay, WI 9/5/26 - OBD opens against Boise State - Portland State is on the schedule, why open against an too early top 25 (never, ever, never schedule) Boise State? Saturday BlitzThe SEC’s reign is over as the Big Ten now runs college f...For the first time since 1942 (Minnesota in 1940, 1941, and Ohio State in 1942), the Big Ten has won three straight National Championships. Michigan in 2023, Oh

Get ready to watch these 11 Ducks in 2026 - https://duckswire.usatoday.com/story/sports/college/ducks/football/2026/01/21/oregon-football-upperclassmen-break-out-2026/88235728007/?utm_source=smg-duckswire-strada&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=SMGbaseline&utm_ter

Yes, Dan and Coach Terry had an in-home visit with Seaton in Atlanta. IMO, OBD will not match Miami or LSU in a bidding war. Seaton will, of course, be paid to play for OBD, but he'll have to come West for morer than money. On3Transfer Portal: Where the top remaining targets are tren...After speaking with sources, On3 has the latest intel on where the top remaining transfer portal targets are trending as commitments near.

On3's Pete Nakos article on how Cig built a championship roster, turned around a laughingstock of a program, and won it all in two seasons. On3Curt Cignetti, Indiana reinvented how to build national c...Curt Cignetti and the Indiana Hoosiers reinvented how to build a national championship roster through the transfer portal.

Article - A Gead for Ardical Headlane Spitting + Chicking Da Kalendar - F 😁 Great take, thanks.

I politely disagree. I don't think Cignetti caught lightning in a bottle, which, in my understanding, means he lucked out. Arguably, he lucked out with the transfer by Mendoza, but under the coaching at IU, Fernando improved greatly during the course of the season. Mendoza improved, even though he was throwing to receivers not good enough to be stars coming out of high school, behind an O-line of mostly no-name recruits, and 'who are these guys' running backs. Instead, I think Cignetti used years of experience playing and coaching football, coupled with today's rules and an adequate war chest, to assemble a group of players based on productivity and not potential, and he inculcated them into a system that wins football games. His top D-lineman, statistically, went down after the win over No. 1 Ohio State, and other former no-star, one-star, two-star, and 3-star players stepped up, playing in a system designed to capitalize on the sum of the parts being greater than the whole. He coaches his coaches, who at the OC and DC positions, have been with him for 10+ seasons. Extraordinary in today's CFB. His practices are focused and among the shortest in CFB. Corny but true, he recruits Football Players, guys who love playing football. He has a process, and he doesn't deviate from the process. As he said postgame last night, he learned from his Hall of Fame coach, Father, and his other mentors, like Nick Saban, to play to win the game. For many coaches, Mendoza's iconic 4th down TD run last night would have instead been a FG attempt. (Dan would have gone for it! 😁) I believe that a plan executed by an experienced coach at the losingest program in CFB reached fruition last night. Cignetti was 62 years old when he was hired by IU, and he wasn't exaggerating when he said he has won everywhere he has been. Danny and the Ducks are getting 'There.' In any walk of life, experience matters. And, you do need at least some luck, lightning if you will, to help you along the way. Thanks, WW, for this and your other terrific comments.

The middle of the B1G does not stink. OBD at the risk of not making the PO because of 2 losses in the Big Ten - Absurd! Perhaps, in 2026, when Iowa plays a two-loss SEC team in Dixie and wins, it will be ranked above the team, Vandy, it defeated. SIIndiana Proves the Big Ten’s Football Dominance Is More A...The Hoosiers’ perfect season and a third straight national title for the conference show how the league’s strength now runs from top to bottom.

Yahoo! The B1G is Number 1 - https://sports.yahoo.com/college-football/article/sorry-sec-the-big-ten-has-taken-college-footballs-top-spot-i-feel-like-were-just-getting-started-071918467.html

Saturday Down South - OBD is No. 1 for CFB's next new champion - Saturday Down South5 teams most likely to become next 'new' college football...Indiana just became the first 'new' national champion since 1996 Florida. Who will be the next team to win its first-ever title?

Gulp. The Athletic's ($$$ wall) Stewart Mandel ranks OBD No. 1 heading into next season. His early look ahead No. 1 this season, Penn State. 😏

Massey Final 2025-26 Computer Rankings - 1. Indiana. 2. OREGON 3. Ohio State Nine B1G teams in the top 25 - https://masseyratings.com/cf/fbs/ratings

OBD - 2026 B1G No. 1 - Danno, Make It So - Saturday BlitzWay Too Early Big Ten Power Rankings: Which team will det...On Monday Night, the Indiana Hoosiers capped off the 2025 college football season, finishing off a perfect 16-0 season with a National Championship. The win for

More on the Canes Class, er, Crass Behavior - Miami, again, thank you for taking Cristobal MIA - Larry Brown SportsCarson Beck pulls an unsportsmanlike move after Miami's l...Miami quarterback Carson Beck pulled an unsportsmanlike move after his team's loss to Indiana in the CFP final.