This week we bring back the DSA Round Table. As I mentioned earlier this week, we want to do special guest commentators throughout the season and I thought it would be really fun to have someone plugged into the Big 10 to be our first guest. I reached out to Big Ten Ted and was excited that he wanted to be a part of this.
For those of you who do not know Ted, let me give a brief introduction. With a deep understanding of college football's landscape, particularly in the Big Ten, Ted brings a wealth of knowledge and a unique viewpoint that I think will enrich our discussion as Oregon embarks on its journey into this new conference.
Big Ten Ted has built a reputation for his in-depth analysis, keen football insights, and ability to break down complex strategies into engaging content for fans. Whether it's dissecting matchups, evaluating team dynamics, or offering predictions, Ted's work resonates with football enthusiasts who crave a deeper understanding of the game.
WHAT IS ONE THING BIG 10 FANS SHOULD KNOW ABOUT OREGON THAT THEY MAY NOT KNOW
WARREN WILLIAMSON
In its most recent college football history, the Ducks football program has been widely recognized for their flashy uniforms and wide-open offense. For as long as I can remember, the primary question around Oregon football has always been,...can they compete with an SEC or Big 10 program? In both of their recent National Championship match-ups, they lost. ( Auburn & Ohio State ) The perception of those two conferences has always been they are bigger and stronger and therefore are more positioned to win a National Championship because as we all know games are won and lost in the trenches.
Oregon has always had speed. They've had good talent and they've had solid schemes to win. They thrived in both of those areas during the Chip Kelly era. With Dan Lanning's arrival, the Duck's sole priority is to get bigger, faster, and stronger in the trenches and they've done that. They've recruited bigger and better talent and Lanning has placed significant emphasis on gaining advantages on both lines of scrimmage. They also have a deep bench on both the offensive and defensive lines. What fans should know coming into the 2024 season, the Ducks will not be a pushover in the trenches. They will compete at a very high level on both sides of the football.
BRANDON GIBSON
Oregon may suffer some trash talking due to their historic record against Big Ten teams, most of which are on the negative side, but if you look at the last 30 years of college football you can see that the Ducks have flipped the script. I’m using a 30-year window to show that this isn’t simply cherry picking a short time period, but rather to highlight when the Ducks started to “get serious” about football. In the last 30 years, Oregon is 17-9 against Big Ten teams with five of those matchups in premier bowls, including the national championship. In bowl games, Oregon has gone 4-4 head-to-head.
If you add in the records of the three incoming teams (UCLA, USC, and UW), Oregon jumps to 66-32 over the 30 year period. In Oregon’s overall history, they are 125-177-7 against the Big Ten, which means prior to 1994, Oregon was historically abysmal, going 59-145-7. I understand that the Big Ten is big on tradition, but Oregon of the last 30 years doesn’t relate to Oregon of the past. Of all the Big Ten teams, over this time period, only one has more wins, Ohio State. The Ducks have won at the Big House, the Horseshoe, and taken home multiple Rose Bowls.
BIG TEN TED (SPEAKING OF WHAT OREGON FANS SHOULD KNOW ABOUT THE BIG-10)
The Big Ten schedule on a year by year basis is a grind not only for the physical play that wears you down physically and mentally, but the environments that you play in.
Every stadium is packed and the gameday atmosphere is fantastic. If you travel for a road game to a Big Ten stadium, you will never be disappointed and will always go home with great stories to tell.”
SCOTT REED
A couple of little known facts that are always intriguing: Oregon played the last 0-0 tie in college football history during a game that is known as the ‘Toilet Bowl’ against in-state rival Oregon State in a rain plagued game at the end of 1983. The Ducks were also part of the first regular season overtime game in 1996 with Oregon beating Fresno State 30-27.
While the Ducks have been known for speed and flashy uniforms, the Ducks have completely reinvented what their depth chart looks like entering Dan Lanning’s third season as head coach.
If we move to the here and now of Oregon football – the Ducks are as big as they have ever been in the trenches with 29 players tipping the scales over 300 pounds. There has been a focus on physicality in the trenches since 2018, but Dan Lanning has really changed the structure of the depth chart and created a team that matches up with physicality.
There was some evidence of this in Lanning’s first two seasons with Oregon giving up a combined 10 sacks for 55 yards over the course of two seasons. But the change on the defensive line has been dramatic.
WHAT DO YOU THINK WILL BE OREGON'S BIGGEST CHALLENGE IN THEIR FIRST SEASON IN THE BIG 10 AND HOW DO YOU EXPECT THEM TO OVERCOME IT?
WILLAMSON:
I think the biggest challenge, ( and it's not a huge challenge ) is the travel and the time constraints placed on the Ducks when they travel east. Oregon has three challenging road games as they venture into Big 10 country. They must travel to Purdue, Michigan, and Wisconsin. They also have a road game at UCLA, but that's just a two-hour flight to Los Angeles and they're used to traveling south. That said, the very first long road trip isn't until October 18th when the Ducks play the Boilermakers of Purdue on a Friday night. They should have their sea legs under them by that point in the season, but the game becomes interesting because it'll be a shorter week of practice because of the Friday night matchup. Oregon has played and won in the Big House so I don't see that as a significant hurdle. The real challenge ( hurdle ) is in Madison when the Ducks take on the Badgers in Camp Randle Stadium in early November. Travel to Madison is long and the weather could make it difficult. This is a very manageable season in the way of travel for Oregon and I think they'll do well.
BIG TEN TED
Oregon’s advantage in joining the Big Ten is their roster. They have a roster that can not only stack up physically with the rest of the conference, but they also have the depth to withstand a Big Ten season. That being said, Oregon’s biggest challenge will likely be adjusting stylistically to what Big Ten teams offer.
Game planning against 9 Big Ten games is a lot different than 9 Pac 12 games, it may be easier, it may be harder, but it’s certainly different, which can be a challenge when adjust to a new conference with National Championship expectations. Oregon will be able to overcome these challenges by offering other Big Ten teams a challenge with 4 legit wide receivers across the formation that can torch you at any time. The Ducks are sitting in an advantageous situation to overcome challenges in the Big Ten because their roster is just better.”
REED:
I am going to agree with our national analyst Greg Smith on this one: the biggest challenge is going to be maintaining depth into the late part of the season. As Warren mentions Oregon has two challenging road trips in November to Michigan and Wisconsin.
The Ducks have exceptional depth, but I am not sure that they have faced the onslaught of physicality week-in and week-out that they will face in their first season of the Big-10 Conference. While Oregon probably has the second best overall talent level in the conference heading into their first season as a member, the grind of every team being physical is something that the Ducks have not really faced before.
Sure, the old Pac-12 tended to ‘beat each other up’ down the stretch in most seasons, but a lot of that was based on explosive offenses that tended to wear down physical teams with speed and relentless offense. I think Oregon is as deep as anyone in the conference, but the teams at the lower end of the spectrum in Big 10 play will be considerably more physical than their old Pac-12 counterparts.
WITH THE DUCKS MAKING THE JUMP TO THE BIG 10, EXCLUDING THE OCTOBER 12TH MATCHUP WITH OHIO STATE, WHICH GAME ON THEIR NEW SCHEDULE ARE YOU MOST EXCITED TO WATCH, AND HOW DO YOU THINK THEY'LL FARE?
GIBSON:
This is a tough one, there are really three games (other than tOSU) that I’m really looking forward to this season. (In chronological order) First, the home game against Michigan State, this will be entertaining, more from the crowd watching standpoint, as I expect many Beavers fans to purchase tickets and give Jonathan Smith a bit of their minds. I can just imagine the inner torment now as they can’t watch both teams lose.
Second, Oregon travels to Ann Arbor once again, the scene of the 2007 dismantling by Dennis Dixon, Jonathan Stewart, and company. Michigan fans weren’t terribly welcoming prior to the 2007 game, not allowing a group of my friends to even enter a bar with Duck gear on. I imagine a large number of those who will watch the game were there (or at home) to see the matchup live. This will bring another level of excitement, as Michigan will be rebuilding a bit this year, but will be out for blood.
Finally, the Ducks travel to Madison. Despite the Badgers going 7-6 last season, the memories of two Rose Bowls recently dropped against the Ducks might just bring the best out of this team, especially at home. The Ducks have torn the hearts out of the chests of Wisconsin fans twice in the last twelve years, with down to the wire victories over greats like Russel Wilson, Monte Ball, Chris Borland, Jared Abbrederis, and Jonathan Taylor.
If Wisconsin was looking a bit more dangerous this season, I’d go with that one due to the recency, but I’m going to have to give the nod to the game at Michigan. Although they lost a chunk of talent and their head coach, Michigan is still loaded as a team. It will be interesting to see if the same level of program can be sustained by Sherrone Moore. Oregon fans can attest that coordinators don’t always make the best head coaches. Both of these teams will likely come in to this game with no more than a loss on the record, for a top 10 matchup that will be in consideration for Fox Kickoff or College Game Day. I think that Oregon will have what it takes to tough out a close win on the road 28-24.
REED:
I am really looking forward to the trip to Madison. First, I love Wisconsin fans. They are a blast to tailgate with and have so little pretension about their program and the conference that they are one of my favorite fanbases.
I am also a huge Luke Fickell fan and think that the Badgers have a very good formula with Fickell and Phil Longo that reminds me a little of how Lanning has approached building a team that is balanced on both sides of the ball and not heavily leaning on one aspect or the other.
The stadium is ALWAYS rocking and is just one of the most fun environments in college football. I just hope it doesn’t snow!
WILLIAMSON:
I've always thought the matchup with Wisconsin in Madison will be the most challenging game for the Ducks in 2024. In my many years of traveling and broadcasting a National College Football ( Radio ) Game of the Week, I've always thought Camp Randall Stadium was one of the most challenging stadiums in the country. If all goes well for the Ducks, and they get some good breaks along the way, they could meet the Badgers in Madison with a 9-1 record and a Big 10 Championship on the line. That would be a massive matchup, especially considering what the weather could be on Saturday, November 16th. This is a toss-up game to me and could go either way. But, it'll be fun to watch.
BIG TEN TED:
I’m really excited for Oregon’s 2 November 16 road games. The Ducks travel to Ann Arbor and Madison in what should be 2 separate and very different challenges.
Michigan provides a tough, physical, SMASH philosophy that is completely different to Oregon’s efficient offense that puts multiple players in space to make plays. These are the types of matchups that I love having, the wide open former Pac 12 team, against the 3 yards and a cloud of dust type of old school Big Ten team.
Wisconsin interests me because of what could be on the weather front. If its windy and cold, both offenses will have to adjust on the fly and could make for a very fun chess match. Michigan provides more of a challenge with the nation’s best defense taking on the nation’s best offense.”
WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO VISITING FANBASES WHEN THEY COME TO EUGENE ON WHERE TO GO THE NIGHT BEFORE THE GAME AND OTHER THINGS TO SEE IN EUGENE?
GIBSON:
I’m well past my college drinking days, but there are a ton of better drinking options in Eugene for those that are looking for something more than slamming down PBR. If you want to combine some solid food and a very wide selection of brews (including ciders and wines), it is tough to beat Bier Stein, Beer Garden, or the Public House over in Springfield. The later of the two offer a wide variety of food carts that deliver everything from Poke and Hawaiian to Burgers, Pizza, and BBQ. Beyond the beers on tap, they each have bottle/can selections from all over, but the best selection for the hard to find brews is at Bier Stein. Bier Stein also boast some excellent sandwiches and soups (get the beer cheese soup).
There are a number of solid Eugene based restaurants if you aren’t focused on drink over food, including Beppe and GIanni’s (Italian), Black Wolf Supper Club (Southern), Rye (French), Bar Purlieu (French Course Meal), Sabai (Thai), Akira (Japanese), or Chacha’s (Hawaiian). Within town there are a number of great breweries (e.g., Oakshire, Ninkasi, Claim52, ColdFire, and Hop Valley) to visit, and it is only a short drive to see the magnificent view from King Estate or Sweet Cheeks Winery. An added bonus of going to King Estate is Alesong’s tasting room which lives next door. Alesong does some of the finest barrel aged brews in the state, combining different styles with different barrel types (i.e., not just stouts in bourbon, even though there isn’t anything wrong with that).
Just staying within the confines of the Eugene area, it is still worth checking the world class facilities at Hayward field and Matthew Knight Arena, and if the weather is cooperating, make sure to do the walk from the Oregon campus to Autzen Stadium. You’ll pass over the Willamette River on a massive footbridge and wind through Alton Baker park until the treeline opens up and displays the front, south side of Autzen, in all its glory. Before the footbridge to Autzen, you’ll pass by the Alton Baker dog park, a favorite of my pups.
REED:
If over 21, I always recommend checking out one of the local brewpubs. My favorite is Hop Valley, but there are a lot of really great brew pubs to visit.
If you want to get an incredible scene and don’t mind a hike – take a trip up to Spencer’s Butte. The view is awe inspiring and worth the effort.
If you have time for a day drive – head to the beach. Specifically try to check out Heceta Head. The waves crashing on the rocks is breathtaking. I have lived here since 1972 and there is never a time I do not enjoy a trip to the coast.
If you like to feel a part of the tradition, walk over the Dave and Lynn Frohnmayer Pedestrian and Bicycle Bridge — more commonly known as the Autzen footbridge — is the quickest way across the Willamette River from the UO campus. It was something a lot of us did - especially those coming from the university side.
Pregame, I personally prefer a place called the "O Bar" which is within walking distance of the stadium. You might also want to check out the Moshofsky Center near the stadium.
Finally – my tailgate!
WILLIAMSON:
This is an easy one for me. First, I would highly suggest the 5th Street Market in the downtown area. There are so many great restaurants and boutique shops to visit including the Nike Store. Fans can spend hours walking around the 5th Street Market and not really see everything. Not only are there charming restaurants, but there are also incredible pastry shops to enjoy.
Also, because Eugene is considered Track Town USA, I would highly recommend making a short drive over to Hayward Field which is not only home to the Oregon Track & Field teams, but also home to the recent Olympic Trials. It's a beautiful 'state-of-the-art' stadium that deserves a peek. There is also the walking trail from the university to Autzen Stadium. Fans can walk through beautiful trees on the scenic walking trail and also cross the Willamette River.
BIG TEN TED: (ON BEST BIG 10 FANBASE TO TAILGATE WITH)
I have very strong ties to Madison, WI. My parents have been selling fresh produce at the Dane County Farmer’s Market, less than 1 mile from Camp Randall Stadium on Saturday Mornings for over 30 years.
The gameday atmosphere around Madison is peak Midwest, and peak Big Ten. It is the ultimate College Football experience. I have been fortunate to be able to experience this environment many times throughout my life and it never gets old. I know a lot of Oregon fans will circle the Big House as their road trip, but you won’t be disappointed with Madison, a true taste of the Big Ten Conference.
RECORD PREDICTION, AND WHY?
WILLIAMSON:
It's my prediction that Oregon will most likely be favored in every game except possibly the Ohio State game in mid-October. I say the Ducks have a great shot of going 11-1 with them either losing to Ohio State or Wisconsin. I don't see them beating both, but I don't see them losing to both either.
Although a game can swing either way on any given Saturday, It's my opinion it would be an upset to lose to anyone else other than those two. It should be enough to get into the Big Ten title game. Although it's doubtful the Ducks will win the conference title game, it'll be enough to be in the 12-game playoff where the Ducks should host a playoff game at Autzen Stadium. NOTE: The Michigan game at Michigan Stadium could be a sneaky one for the Ducks, but I do think they'll fare well in Ann Arbor because the Wolverines are in a semi-rebuilding status after winning the National Championship last season.
GIBSON:
Going undefeated in a conference like the Big is really difficult, and Oregon has a couple of major tests on the schedule. I can’t see the Ducks going undefeated in the regular season, but I also don’t see them doing worse than 10-2. I think they will end up 11-1, with a close loss at home against Ohio State, but will come back to defeat the Buckeyes in the conference championship game, finishing 12-1. Oregon has been preparing for the move to the Big Ten prior to being invited to the Big Ten. This isn’t a finesse team, and they have depth of talent from both development and the portal that has never been seen before. Oregon is ready for the physical brand of Big Ten football, more so than the other three newcomers.
Oregon was excellent on offense and defense last year, and while it would be difficult to outperform Bo Nix and company, I think the growth of Will Stein, along with the talent and fit of the system for Dillon Gabriel will put up better numbers than 2023. On defense, there was a major improvement from Lanning’s first year to the second, and while the 2023 defense did perform on a great level, I am of the opinion that this year will be even better. The only position of depth on defense that truly concerns me is linebacker, and that is only because the backups are unproven.
BIG TEN TED:
I feel Oregon loses 1 game this season and only one game. As good as they are, moving to a new conference is never easy, and going undefeated in conference in their first season would be truly unprecedented.
Ohio State and Michigan make for tough challenges for the Ducks and getting through both of them with W’s seems like a stretch right now.
That being said, Oregon is my pick to avenge a loss and win the Big Ten Championship. I believe Dan Lanning is really starting to turn the corner as a coach, and he will not have a repeat of Washington in 2023, losing to a conference opponent twice during the same season.
REED:
Oregon should be able to contend for the conference title with Ohio State. The Ducks have the better QB, but the Buckeyes have a lot of edges elsewhere and if the regular season game was in Columbus, I might have the Ducks with two losses in the regular season. I think they finish 11-1 in regular season games, but that loss will be on the road to Michigan.
The Ducks will face Ohio State in the Conference title game and lose, but will get a number 5 seed in the expanded College Football playoffs.
I think Oregon has the best defensive personnel it has ever had and has addressed nearly every weakness possible in the offseason. Dillon Gabriel is a proven commodity, and the Ducks should have a solid running game this season. Overall, if the Ducks get someone other than a rematch with Ohio State in Indianapolis, I like their odds of getting the title, but I think indoors on a not so neutral field, the Buckeyes will avenge what will be their only loss.
The biggest weakness for the Ducks will be at linebacker as that is the position group with the least experienced depth – and in the Big 10 that is one of those positions that needs to be strong.
It is always difficult to go undefeated in regular season play and I just am not sure Oregon can go unscathed, but I still think their odds to get deep into the playoffs are really high and think their depth will do great things in the playoffs.
