Which of the Pac-4 to the 2024 B1G teams has the toughest row to hoe? How do the 2024 schedules of OREGON, UCLA, USC, and WASHINGTON (UW) match up?
T-25 = teams ranked in the Playoff Committee’s (CT.) ultimate 2023 season ranking/ BT = 2023 bowl teams/ OCC = Out-of-Conference/ P4 = ACC and Notre Dame, B1G, B12, and SEC Conferences.
CS – SOB = Chicken Spit Sons of Beavers.
2023 T-25 teams are not guaranteed to finish in the CT.’s ultimate 2024 ranking or make the 2024 Playoff Delightful Dozen Playoff field, but most if not all will be ranked in the preseason polls and finish somewhere in the 2024 T-25.
OOC GAMES vs. P4 TEAMS –
Oregon – ZERO GAMES. Instead of P4 Texas Tech in Autzen, the Ducks play CS-SOB in Corvallis. CS-SOB has invited the Washington State Supreme Court Chief Justice to handle the coin toss.
UCLA – ONE GAME – LSU in Baton Rouge.
USC – TWO GAMES – Opening against LSU in Las Vegas and finishing with Notre Dame in the Coliseum.
UW – ZERO GAMES.
Ranking of OCC Games:
1. USC 2. UCLA 3. OREGON – (T-25 CS-SOB, and BTs Idaho and Mountain West Champ Boise State on the OOC schedule give the Ducks the edge over UW.) 4. UW – only BT OOC is vs. Eastern Michigan.
Oregon defensive end Bradyn Swinson sacks Ohio State quarterback CJ Stroud in 2021. Look for an epic game at Autzen. (Photo by Tom Corno)
GAMES vs. T-25 TEAMS-
OREGON – 4 GAMES. HOME – OHIO STATE, UW. AWAY – CS-SOB, MICHIGAN. OREGON draws both B1G Blue Bloods. Medic!
UCLA – 5 GAMES – HOME – OREGON, IOWA – AWAY – LSU (Tigers play both LA teams,) PENN STATE, UW.
9/21 – At LSU – 9/28 OREGON -10/15 At PENN STATE. WOW! The Bruins have the toughest 3-game B1G Baby stretch in the 2024 season. I don’t believe that any other CFB team in 2024 will play three T-25 games in a row, with 2 of the 3 being played on the road. Ducks Off the Saturday before tripping to UCLA for its first B1G game, with the Bruins coming off a road game against one of the SEC’s top programs. This should help OREGON.
USC – 5 GAMES – HOME – PENN STATE, NOTRE DAME. AWAY – MICHIGAN, UW. – NEUTRAL – LSU
Both the Ducks and the Trojans will travel to the Big House in 2024 for a B1G game. It is one of CFB’s greatest rivalries and likely CFB’s best intersectional rivalry. Does it make any sense to add an SEC power to Notre Dame and nine B1G conference games? Lincoln ain’t happy about this and I don’t blame him. Many heroes are awarded medals posthumously. The 12-team Playoff will welcome a couple of two-loss and maybe even a three-loss team into the Delightful Dozen. But playing LSU and Notre Dame is cruel and unusual.
UW – 4 GAMES – HOME – MICHIGAN – AWAY – IOWA, PENN STATE, OREGON
Having to travel to Iowa the week after playing Michigan is a B1G task. As is playing three T-25 opponents away from Seattle. Both OREGON and UW are Off the week before the concluding game of the regular season when UW visits Autzen.
Ranking vs. T-25 Teams:
1. UCLA 2. USC 3. OREGON (but drawing Michigan and Ohio State makes it close.) 4. UW.
Maryland has been rising in the B1G recently. (Photo by Maryland Athletics)
GAMES vs. BT In Addition to T-25 Games-
OREGON – 5 GAMES – HOME – IDAHO (FCS Playoff team,) BOISE STATE, MARYLAND – AWAY – UCLA, WISCONSIN. Note – From 9/28 through 11/16, OREGON plays 8 B1G games in a row. Medic!
11/16 in Madison. Better bring your Long Johns.
UCLA – 4 GAMES – HOME – MINNESOTA, USC, FRESNO STATE – AWAY – RUTGERS
USC – 5 GAMES – HOME – UTAH STATE, WISCONSIN – AWAY – MINNESOTA, MARYLAND, UCLA
UW – 5 GAMES – HOME – EASTERN MICHIGAN, NORTHWESTERN, USC, UCLA – AWAY – RUTGERS
Interesting that the B1G has both LA teams tripping to Seattle.
BONUS AWARD – FREQUENT FLYER WINNER – UCLA – @ 26,000 Miles. From Honolulu to Piscataway, New Jersey. Sign me up for the Hawaii trip. No offense Tony Soprano but I’ll skip Jersey. Buckle Up!
Not many easy game days with these schedules but I have to go with – 1. USC 2. UCLA 3. OREGON 4. UW. What say you? Share your thoughts in the only civilized, free Oregon Football Message Board/forum available where a fantastic community of Duck fans resides.
Note – 3 B1G Babies will be starting new QBs in 2024. At least 2 of the 3 will be transferring in. UCLA QB Ethan Garbers is returning after being named LA Bowl MVP. Garbers engineered a 2nd half-comeback win over Mountain West Champ Boise State. Gronk gave him a case of brewskis.
OBDs, Get Your Popcorn Ready for the B1G Show!
Jon Joseph
Aiken, South Carolina
Top Photo by Michigan Athletics
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Jon Joseph grew up in Boston, Massachusetts but has been blessed to have lived long enough in the west to have exorcised all east coast bias. He played football in college and has passionately followed the game for seven decades. A retired corporate attorney Jon has lectured across the country and published numerous articles on banking and gaming law. Now a resident of Aiken South Carolina, Jon follows college football across the nation with a focus on the Conference of Champions and the Ducks.