It's official: Oregon and Washington to join B1G in 2024
Done deal. From the commish:
Now, now, I'll be the judge of that.
The queen has spoken!
August 5th, 2023 at 10:21 AM ^
All my Blizzard Treats, Sundaes, and Dilly Bars, shall be un-taxable, and neither shall my inheritance be fiancially assessed when I pass down the Ice-Creamdom to my dairy-blooded successors.
The travel departments at UCLA and USC rejoice. Welcome to the Big 18!
Per my friend Siri, a flight from LA to Chicago takes 3 hours and 31 minutes. A flight from LA to Seattle takes 2 hours and 56 minutes.
But one crosses two time zones and the other, none. And half the league is a third time zone away.
My point is, the Big10 isn’t adding UW and UO out of some sense of generosity to the LA schools’ travel budgets. A) USC supposedly doesn’t want UW and UO to join, and B) Cal and Stanford would be better travel options (and they’re better academic options).
This was strictly done to get 2 traditional football powers at a discount. There doesn’t seem to be any long term plan that anyone is following. It’s so darn ad hoc. The lack of leadership at a national level is glaring.
I don't see any obvious choices to provide leadership at a national level.
August 4th, 2023 at 10:18 PM ^
If only there was some sort of national, collegiate, oh I don’t know, athletic association? But sadly, nothing like that exists.
August 4th, 2023 at 10:20 PM ^
Only if hamburgers are involved then they crawl out of their hole
WEST
USC
UCLA
Oregon
UWash
Neb
Minn
Iowa
Wisc
Ill
EAST
Michigan
MSU*
OSU
PSU
Purdue
IU
Maryland*
Rutgers
NW
8 game FULL Division schedule. 3 non-conf games. Last day of the year the 9 teams are seeded within their divisions and 1E v 1W (title game @ neutral site on 12/9) play all the way down to 9E v 9W (the rest are on campus sites on 12/2). Or, have one cross over game instead of the last week.
-OR-
East
PSU
Maryland
Rutgers
MSU
OSU
Michigan
Midwest
Purdue
IU
NW
Ill
Wisc
Iowa
West
Neb
Minn
USC
UCLA
UWash
Oregon
5 Games in your pod plus 2 games against teams in the other 2 pods. Not sure this is very balanced however: the MidW is weak - maybe swap MSU for purdue?
Two Divisions, Original Big Ten (ie pre-1989) and New Kids (post-1989). Play everybody in your Division once, plus three rotating crossover games in the other Division. I'm not a fan of Conf Champ Games, but if you must, play at alternating sites (Indy, Chicago, Rose, etc). The New Kids Division will eventually add more schools, until then schedule an OOC game or two.
Maybe we’re on a four divisions of five or even six per division?
How much you want to bet the Big Ten changes again before the 2024 season?
My money is on a lot.
It's a race against the SEC now for understanding the ACC's contracts and vulnerabilities and who you can poach before the other guy. And once one ACC domino falls the flood gates will be open a la USC leaving the Pac-12. The conference as we know it won't survive more than 24 months after the next school to leave.
My understanding is that the ACC's grant of rights is automatically voided in the event that a certain number of schools departs all at once. I'm not sure what that number is, but I'm willing to bet that there are some backroom conversations happening within the ACC that neither James Phillips nor the Wake Forests of the world are privy to.
This sucks.
Not of fan of watching a larger quantity of high quality games?
Awesome.
No shit, look down about 5 posts
N(orth)P(acific)C(conference)!
Looking forward to watching some classic Big Ten football at Husky Stadium.
Cowabunga dude!
Any idea what time the Oregon game is? I have a wedding to attend that day.
What time is the Washington game? I've looked everywhere!
August 5th, 2023 at 12:35 AM ^
Goodbye Apple Cup?
Just speculating here, but we're not going to be very far away from seeing Cal and Stanford join. They'll likely get less money at first and/or everyone else will be voluntold to take a little haircut and chip into the pot. As a concession, Cal/Stanford will also be voluntold to play 1 additional B1G away game until a new TV contract is signed.
So with 20 teams, we're looking at a 7 (East)/7 (Central) / 6 (West) divisional breakdown, with a 2-game B1G playoff (one wildcard coming from either the East or Central 7-team divisions).
I don't think anyone actually wants Cal and Stanford, but Stanford is palatable if it entices Notre Dame to join.
To hell with Notre Dame. Seriously, they’ve had more than enough chances to join. They think they are some pinnacle of the sport standing above everyone else. Let them stay on peacock playing the service academies. At some point, maybe they’ll realize that for sports to work, you need at least 2 teams. Let them be the Harlem Globetrotters of CFB for all I care.
The B1G university presidents are supposedly pushing hard for Cal and Stanford to be invited.
Serious question: When did Stanford become Notre Dame's extra-special partner? It almost seems aspirational on the part of the Domers.
I know this brings some intrigue and power to the B1G. Washington has made the CFP, and Oregon is a damn good program that brings eyeballs, as it’s demonstrated over the last 15 years.
But it’s hard not to feel like the soul of college football has lost something over the last several years. I can’t say what it is because frankly I don’t know what. I’m not gonna pretend that I’m going to stop watching, because I would be blatantly lying to all of your faces if I said I would. But it’s very soul, this doesn’t feel like the same game. I was watching 15 years ago or even 5 to 10 years ago.
At times, it does feel like we are heading towards a sterilized, corporate NFL version of college football.
As a college football fan and HUGE Meeeechigan fan for the last 55 years, I can answer your question.
GREED $$$$$$$$ has taken over the soul of college football. It's pretty frickin obvious what drives those who operate/control the games.
It's been on a downward spiral for a very long time.....
Eh the $$$ and greed was always there - its just more visible than ever now.
August 5th, 2023 at 12:42 AM ^
I'm not so sure that was the case during the Bump Elliot years.
Mike "A River Runs Through the Defense" Hart, Denard "Assistant Director of Player Personnel" Robinson, Ron Bellamy, et al. doubled down on Michigan football by coming back to coach it.
Blake Corum is out and about on Thanksgivings handing out turkeys, and partnered with Detroit PAL to provide Christmas gifts to the "PAL Little Hoopers".[4] JJ McCarthy donated to multiple charities[1] and "saved the largest sum for the families of the Oxford High School tragedy".[2] Jim Harbaugh himself redirected his 2021 bonuses ($1.5 million) to 210 employees [3]
Players now have access to money for their own images and likenesses (oh the horror). Aside from that, paying players under the table has existed for decades. We can't know entirely for sure if our program is/has throwing/thrown money at players covertly, but until we know for sure I'll continue wearing my maize-and-blue tinted eyeglasses.
Personally I'm more invested in Michigan than I ever have been. I'm not going to whine about having to watch commercials at home because of this thing called DVR, and the fact that the people at the stadium are really the ones paying the price because of the commercials.
We've got a football coach that holds everyone responsible (including himself), isn't into that post-game interview thing (preferring the light be on his players), and stands by his team on and off the field. I'm not saying that his boundless energy and his expressions of sheer disbelief at some of the insufferable refereeing qualify him for an appearance on Sesame Street (but I'm not not saying it either).
Cry me a scarlet and gray river. I appreciate yet another "things these days" type of comment. You'd think the billionth uttering of that phrase would qualify the utterer for the Publishers Clearing House Grand Prize.
1: https://247sports.com/college/michigan/article/michigan-qb-jj-mccarthy-details-charitable-donations-from-nil-funds-201307838/
"this fall McCarthy donated funds to hospitals in cities where the Wolverines played on the road.
Those include the University of Iowa Stead Family Children’s Hospital, the Riley Hospital for Children (Indiana), the Children’s Hospital at St. Peter’s University (Rutgers), the Nationwide Children’s Hospital (Ohio State), the Payton Manning Children’s Hospital (Big Ten Championship) and the Phoenix Children’s Hospital (Fiesta Bowl.)
Additional beneficiaries include the Oxford Strong Fund and the Chad Tough Foundation in Michigan, among several others."
2: https://www.si.com/college/michigan/football/michigan-wolverines-jj-mccarthy-jim-harbaugh-big-ten-college-playoff-oxford-high-school
"McCarthy saved the largest sum for the families of the Oxford High School tragedy - where Michigan high schoolers recently lost their lives as the result of a school shooting."
3: https://www.si.com/fannation/college/cfb-hq/ncaa-football/michigan-football-jim-harbaugh-promise-bonuses-wolverines-staff
4: https://www.wxyz.com/sports/michigan-rb-blake-corum-again-uses-nil-money-to-give-back-to-detroit
August 4th, 2023 at 10:11 PM ^
Thank you for this. I love the athletic endeavor-have from the earliest memories of my 70 years on this planet and then playing, coaching and/or officiating for at least 50 years. Those who play and coach the games are light years ahead of the fans when it comes to understanding and living out the goodness of the world of athletics. The athletes appreciate the support of fans but it sure would be nice if they had a better understanding of and appreciation for the intrinsic values imbedded within the playing of the games. Organize the games for the greatest benefit of the players-tradition be damned.
I'll remember for all my life something Dan Dierdorf said after the first of the two wins against Ohio State (during the Michigan radio broadcast): "I've never been more proud of a group of kids and a coaching staff in my entire life than I am of this 2021 version of the Michigan Wolverines."
I don't think I've ever been more excited to see a season of U of M football than this upcoming one (2023). I know there's an aversion to the "Michigan Man" label, but there's a lot of former U of M players on the staff who are hard-working, dedicated to helping players, and passionate about football. Doesn't that sound like a Michigan Man? We as fans expect a lot of the players and coaches because we believe in the "Michigan Man" ideals. True fans recognize that no one is perfect, but at the same time everyone should hold themselves responsible for our mistakes.
Watching "Under the Lights 1" from inside the stadium was probably the best experience I've had at the stadium or at home. But if I could swap for another game it would definitely be the 2021 game against Ohio State.
August 4th, 2023 at 10:24 PM ^
Love the album The Downward Spiral
Oregon has made the CFP too. In fact, they made the NCG (2014).
Husky Stadium and Autzen are far from sterile.
First game in seattle come on over to my place for pre-pre-party!
All of these teams coming in with a pulse. Schedules each year may start to trend to gauntlets year-in, year-out.
I'd prefer gauntlets over cupcakes. I'd rather Michigan lose to Oregon and USC and miss the playoff than play a schedule full of cupcakes, go to the playoff, and get their ass handed to them by Bama or Georgia.
I have to respectfully disagree with this sentiment. Losing in the playoffs is much better for a program, especially in recruiting, than not making the playoffs at all.
I’m sure this means more money, which I guess is the only thing that matters now. In every way that has to do with competition, it’s incredibly stupid.
I hate what this does to games like the old Civil War and the Apple Cup and how those games impacted conference races..
Conference rivalry spoilers end of season is always the most magical week of the year.
Civil War might be intact and Apple Cup can still happen and be meaningless as it tends to be.
This makes no sense to me. I was all for USC/UCLA as they added real value but bargin bin Ore/Wash don't.
This was bore out with their pathetic proposed TV deal from 🍎.
This will only make it that much harder to recruit the west coast too, I think.
UCLA is pretty consistently mediocre in football. Washington and Oregon are better football programs than the Bruins. UCLA has plenty of tradition in basketball but I don't think that they have been particularly good lately, have they? (I don't follow basketball all that closely so I could be mistaken on that point)
August 4th, 2023 at 10:18 PM ^
The schedule makers just exploded