The transfer portal is about to open, early signing day is over, and the summer is well underway for many college football programs.
However, for at least a few days, the attraction of the sport’s never-ending off-field may be overshadowed by the reason we enjoy and watch it:
The games.
The college football class will compete to strengthen and, in some cases, solidify its bids for the College Football Playoffs during this conference championship weekend.
The CFP participation of the Oregon Ducks and Penn State Nittany Lions, who will face each other in the Big Ten Championship Game in Indianapolis, is not a concern. Both teams are guaranteed to win. However, in the new, enlarged playoff structure, the victor will receive the No. 1 overall seed, a first-round bye, and the title of favorite.
Since July, when the school sent a 65-foot inflatable Duck mascot floating down the White River in downtown Indianapolis at Big Ten media days, the Ducks have been preparing for this moment. It set the stage for an incredible season in which Oregon finished with a 12-0 regular-season record for just the second time in program history. It was a brazen, if amusing, “We’re ready for the Big Ten” moment. Coach Dan Lanning has the Ducks poised to win their first national championship in just his third season in Eugene.
Only after Ohio State’s shocking upset loss to rival Michigan ended expectations of a repeat between Oregon and Ohio State did Penn State secure a spot in Saturday night’s championship game. A victory on Saturday would mean a lot to longtime Penn State coach James Franklin, whose teams consistently seem to falter in high-profile games.
Let the mayhem wait until Sunday.
Let’s rotate around the Big Ten now:
Are you trying to find previews of every conference championship game? There is no lack of reading material, such as this from Athlon, this from the Forde-Yard Dash, a list of predictions from The Athletic, a look at games and players to watch from ESPN, and this from Bill Connelly.
What if the conference championship games were ranked from best to worst? The Big Ten is ranked as the fourth-best team on the slate by The Athletic.
According to CBS Sports, private requests for change are being fueled by the Big Ten and SEC’s worries about the present composition of the 13-member CFP committee.
Is there a more effective method for selecting a CFP field? According to Yahoo Sports, authorities in the sport are already considering modifications as the committee encounters criticism.
The Athletic examines the steps Michigan took to get highly sought-after quarterback prospect Bryce Underwood, including a billionaire and a brand strategy.
According to On3, the Ducks dominated signing day and acquired the Big Ten’s top recruiting class. According to 247 Sports, the conference will be flooded with quarterback talent.
According to CBS Sports, the Trojans were a signing day loser and the Ducks were a signing day winner.
The Buckeyes and Trojans are still having problems, the Ducks and Wolverines were victorious, and there are still a lot of unanswered concerns following the early signing day.
The Athletic claims that although Michigan signed the top prospect in the country on signing day, coach Sherrone Moore’s class was a success for other reasons as well.
How did the dullest, most unimpressive football team in history end up on the verge of the CFP?ESPN looks into it.
The Athletic claims that the detractors are right: The strength of schedule is not rewarded by the College Football Playoff committee.
According to USA Today, Ohio State supporters should be encouraged since, at the very least, Ryan Day, the coach of the Buckeyes, is not Lincoln Riley, the coach of USC.
USA Today offers this advice to anyone suffering from conference championship game blues: Quit whining, a title is on the line.
The Cleveland Plain Dealer claims that Day accepted responsibility for Ohio State’s offensive shortcomings in the unexpected defeat to rival Michigan.
According to the Daily Collegian, Penn State coach John Franklin’s legacy is at stake against Oregon.
USA Today claims that Indiana’s inclusion in the CFP is a sham.
The Bruins have fired UCLA offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy, who was once a hot commodity in NFL head coaching circles. The Los Angeles Times claims that Indiana offensive coordinator Tino Sunseri has already been hired by UCLA as a substitute.
The Times also reported that Matt Entzto, the coach of the USC linebackers, was hired as the next head coach of Fresno State.
Will Riley search the portal for the new quarterback for the Trojans?
According to The Athletic, Kirk Ferentz of Iowa claims that the Hawkeyes would be foolish not to consider transfer portal quarterbacks.
–The Oregon Ducks are covered by Joe Freeman. You can reach him at @BlazerFreeman or 503-294-5183. Get the Ducks Roundup email or listen to the Ducks Confidential podcast.
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