Calling the current college football landscape “unfair” would be the understatement of the year. Things weren’t always this way, as conferences used to be aligned according to the regions of the country, with sensible, and most importantly, balanced schedules. Conference champions weren’t determined in revenue-driven championship games. They were simply awarded to the team that had the best record at …
Pac-12 Football Is Singing the Summertime Blues
“Before you criticize someone, you should walk a mile in his shoes. Then, when you start criticizing him, you’re a mile away and he has to try and catch you in his socks.” – First uttered by either Will Rogers or Nick Saban. I can’t remember. We’re in the dog days of summer. It’s hot, I’m old, and I’m grumpy! …
Pac-12 in the Playoff? Don’t Count on It
[To the tune of “Limbo Rock” by Chubby Checker] Every Pac-12 player twirl All around Champagne Larry’s world Gonna do da limbo rock Hope da conference won’t be jocked. North be limbo, North be quick South go under limbo stick As the Pac-12’s playoff hopes drop Hey, let’s do the limbo rock! Limbo lower now Limbo lower now How low …
Predicting the PAC: North Edition
Those of you who frequent this site are well-versed in the happenings of the Ducks’ offseason, from Justin Herbert staying, to Jim Leavitt leaving, to Kayvon Thibodeaux and Andy Avalos arriving. It’s clear Oregon has improved this offseason. But the Ducks aren’t the only ones who’ve had a successful spring and summer. Here’s what our fellow Pac-12 North members have …
Pac-12 … Show us the MONEY!
When it comes to all things capitalism, even avowed socialists should listen when the Wall Street Journal speaks. Below are the WSJ’s 25 most valuable college football programs. All forms of revenue, including media distributions, are taken into account. 1. Texas 2. Ohio State 3. Alabama 4. Michigan 5. Notre Dame 6. Georgia 7. Oklahoma 8. Auburn 9. LSU 10. …
Coach Kelly: Blue-Chip or Cow Chip?
Blur. No huddle. Hurry-up. These were the defining characteristics of Chip Kelly’s hyper-exciting offense. But was that the whole story? Kelly perfected a strategy that forced lumbering defenders to make split-second decisions in space, play after play, with little or no rest intervals. That much is clear. But what made his offense revolutionary was its relative simplicity, transferring a “shell …
Calling 9-1-1: A Quack For Help in the Pac-12
“What’s that you say? ‘Jackie Robinson, Johnny Wooden and McKay have gone away’? Hey, hey, hey!” B-r-r-r-ing! “9-1-1.” “Quaaaaaack!” It’s Poor Puddles calling to report animal abuse. Our fine-feathered friend has been whipped, spurred and ridden so hard by Trojans, Cougars, Huskies, Sun Devils, Beavers, Wildcats, Utes, Bears (both Golden and Bruin), and even two-ton Ralphie, that he is starting …
Las Vegas, Bowl Me Over!
If you build it … Well, bowl me over! At long last, we have some good news on the Pac-12 college football front. It has been a tumultuous offseason for the conference, which has been ridiculed and picked apart by publications across the land. Luckily, every now and then even a blind squirrel finds a nut! The New and Improved Las …
The Pac-12 is in TROUBLE
The Pac-12 conference has been left out of the playoff again. That is news to no one. The conference’s best bowl game will be the Rose Bowl, featuring 9-3 champion Washington. The Pac-12 is the only conference without either multiple “New Years Six” bowl teams or a team in the College Football Playoff. The case could be made that since Marcus Mariota left Oregon, there hasn’t been …
Ducks in the Draft, Hoops, and more Ducks vs Dogs
The NFL Draft is April 26-28 and the Ducks have three players expecting to hear their name called. Painfully, that is three more than last year. Here’s a look (per NFL.com): 1) Tyrell Crosby: The fifth-ranked OT is expected to go in rounds 2-3, and is rated has having a chance to become an NFL starter. 2) Royce Freeman: The …
Who’s Chicken? Top-10 Teams are Ducking the Pac-12
Every conference touts their league as great: SEC, Big Ten, Big 12, ACC. We will examine why the Pac-12 is far and away the most difficult, challenging league of them all. Coaching. Pac-12 coaches have impressive resumes. First-time California head coach Justin Wilcox (defensive coordinator at Boise St., Tennessee, Washington, USC, and Wisconsin), second-year USC head coach Clay Helton (Duke, Houston, and Memphis), UCLA’s Jim Mora (San Diego, New Orleans, …
Ducks’ Struggles Could Cost Huskies a Playoff Spot
For more than a decade, the Washington Huskies watched their hated rivals to the south rise to the upper echelon of college football. This rise was accompanied by the annual beating the Ducks put on the Huskies each fall for 12 straight years. As Ducks fans are painfully aware, the decade of domination over the Huskies has ended. The Ducks are 2-4 and licking …