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USA Today
2 hours ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Dan Lanning kicks off Oregon Ducks 2025 season at Big Ten Media Day
After a long offseason, Oregon Ducks head coach Dan Lanning has finally stepped out of the shadows and into the public eye once again. Big Ten Media Days kicked off earlier this week in Las Vegas, and the DUcks took the stage on Wednesday, led by Lanning and flanked by Bryce Boettcher, Matayo Uiagalelei, and Kenyon Sadiq. After a successful 2024 campaign where Oregon won the Big Ten Championship in their first season as league members, the Ducks have high expectations to uphold the standard in 2025. However, they've got a lot to prove with an almost entirely new starting lineup, and only a select few starters returning from last year. There will be a lot of questions about how his team can step up this season, and which guys will prove to be the biggest difference-makers that Lanning has to answer over the coming weeks and months. On Wednesday, though, Lanning took some preliminary questions and talked about the current state of the program. Here are some of the top quotes from that press conference on Wednesday: Opening Statement Lanning: "Good afternoon. It's a pleasure to be here with you guys today. We certainly wanted to let you know that we appreciate the job you do here. I know sitting around in this room all day can be a challenge, especially in Vegas. You guys seem to be handling it well, though I don't see too many closed eyes. Really thrilled to be representing the University of Oregon. It's a dream come true for me. You know, going into my fourth season, to get that opportunity and wake up forever grateful for that chance. Want to continue to thank the leadership that we have at the University of Oregon, and President Schultz, Rob Mullins, they do an unbelievable job in our program. Also thrilled with the leadership we have here in the Big 10. Tony Petitti and his staff do an unbelievable job representing us, getting to do this and the conference that we get to do it in against the caliber of teams that we get to play against, is a real thrill for our team, something that we really pride ourselves in, and are thrilled that we get that. That opportunity coming in a year ago, it was uncharted waters for us. It was, 'Okay, what's the Big Ten going to be like?' And it's been super fulfilling. You know, getting the opportunity to win the Big 10 in our first year, play some unbelievable teams has created a really special experience." Kenyon Sadiq Lanning: Along with me today, I have some unbelievable players. We could have brought several guys from our team, really proud of where our team's at right now, but want to take some time to acknowledge those guys that came along with me. Kenyon Sadiq, our tight end, has had an unbelievable offseason. He's been an integral part to our team. He's done a lot of special things. And I think many of you realize that he's a really special talent, you know, but beyond that, he got the opportunity this offseason to travel to Africa and help build courts for kids. He's taken a real interest in real estate, which I'm excited about for him. And on top of that, he runs 23 miles per hour, and can vertical jump 41 inches. So that's pretty good too, especially when it comes to football. Unbelievable player. Excited to see him jump into a leadership role on our team. I think several of you got to see what he can do in the Big 10 Championship this past year. Will be an integral part of our team. Matayo Uiagalelei Lanning: This year, we also got to bring Matayo Uiagalelei. One thing I'm really excited about for Matayo is that he's been a guy who's been himself since the day he stepped on campus. He's unique. You know, our guys were joking with him about how he dressed on the airplane yesterday. He looks super comfortable. Had his hair in this cool thing and a neat backpack. I think he's wearing a coat that he got at a thrift store today, and he looks fantastic. But he's been uniquely him, and beyond being uniquely him, he's been a terror for quarterbacks this past season as a sack leader in our conference; he's done an unbelievable job. He's worked really hard this offseason, gained 10 pounds of muscle, and his voice has grown this offseason as well. All the guys that you see that came with us today are not guys of many words; they like to show with action. And Matayo certainly is a guy who does that. Bryce Boettcher Lanning: "Also had the opportunity to bring Bryce Boettcher here, you know, returning after an all-conference year as a linebacker for us. You know, Bryce is one of those unique guys who also had the opportunity to win a Golden Glove in baseball at the University of Oregon. Was two sport athlete, has been a lifeblood of this program. He's a heartbeat in a lot of ways. He's the guy that's excited for practice. When he steps on the field, it means something to him. He's prideful to wear the Oregon O, it means a lot. He grew up wanting to be a part of this program, and we were thrilled to get him back. You know, this season, obviously, had the opportunity, after being drafted by the Astros, to go play baseball, but wanted to take advantage of the opportunity to play for us a little bit more. He's put on some great weight this offseason. He's done an unbelievable job. Double Down Lanning: "Since we're in Vegas, you know, it seems like the right time to say our theme for this team is 'double down.' We have done an unbelievable job of building this team over time. You look at our success season to season, and as this team has grown, the process works. You know, we're close, and we've been able to accomplish a lot, so that's really what's going to feed our program this off-season, and will feed us into fall camp is believing in the process that we have. We got great buy-in from our players. It is a cast of new characters. You're going to see new people on the field, which is exciting. I'm very excited about this team." Leadership Lanning: "You know, going to the off-season, we felt like we had to take an opportunity to really develop leadership. We did that through a leadership retreat. We've done that through focusing on our DNA traits that have always been a big piece of our program, and continue to see our team grow in that area. You know, whether it's connection, whether it's growth, when you see our team play, you're going to see a team that plays with toughness. You know, I know a year ago, we got asked the question, 'Are we tough enough to be in the Big 10?' I think that we were able to answer those questions on the field last year." Off-Season Gains Lanning: "I do want to take the time to recognize the efforts of some of our support staff. You know, back in Oregon, you know, our strength staff, Coach Love and his crew, our nutrition staff with Brenna, sports performance with Ben McKay, these guys have done an unbelievable job this summer of putting our team in position to be better. Our players have worked really hard. They put on over 1300 pounds this offseason. Our overall peak power numbers have gone up over 21%, our freshmen, you know, the average gain from our freshmen is over 17 pounds. So there are some exciting things that you can look for wins in the off-season. Those are some great wins for our team. Just as proud as I am of what we've done, you know, training in the off-season, I'm really proud of what we've been able to do off the field. You know, over 600 hours of community service in the last six months. Again, we partnered with Sleep in Heavenly Peace and built over 150 beds for kids in the community who don't have beds. We're able to support 300 Foster and at-risk youth this off season, as well as many other contributions to our community and outside, and for our player,s you know, to develop that education off the field, our player personnel staff has done an unbelievable job." Staff Retention Lanning: "Heading into year four, I feel like we've got a really strong foundation. Kind of said that about our team. Our guys have embraced the work, the experience on our staff, you know, I continue to be impressed with the staff that we have going into year three. Now with the same offensive and defensive coordinator, we've got several of our staff members back, even though they've been given opportunities to be in other places, they've chosen to be here. And that's a credit to the success of our team, but that's also a piece of the success of our team, which is the continuity that we've been able to have, and we're grateful to Rob and our support here to be able to make that happen. Also really excited about some of the future stars we have on our team. There's guys that are unbelievable players, but they're also going to be, you know, unbelievable humans, and that's something that we're excited about. You know, several of our coaches are going to make outstanding head coaches in the future. You know, I want to make sure that I always get the opportunity to say that, because these guys do a great job. They make it work. They make my job easier and certainly makes a lot of fun for us." New Challenges Lanning: "We do have a brand new team and brand new challenges, and what happened last year has nothing to do with the future. So building that, starting from scratch, getting the opportunity to head back to the kitchen, figure out what we're going to be able to throw in from a recipe and create a great meal, is something we're super excited about. I have confidence in this group more than anything, because I've seen the work, right? Not everybody always gets to see the work. We've been a little bit under the radar this offseason, but these guys have worked extremely hard. They put their best foot forward, and that's part of what makes this so much fun for me." Player Retention Lanning: I'm really excited about the retention that we've had with our team. Look at Oregon, the players that we've been able to recruit have done well. Have been able to use the portal to be a real success for us, but we've done an unbelievable job of keeping our players, and not losing them to somewhere else." Family Fun Lanning: "I really enjoyed the last couple of weeks getting to spend time with my family. As I said before, there is no balance in this profession. You are all in, and we've been all in, but these last couple of weeks, I've been all in on being a dad. It's been unbelievable. Caton's 15 now, Miles is 14. Titan is 12. We've had flag football this summer, a couple summer camps, a couple trips on the lake. They're getting harder to throw off the tube, but we've had an unbelievable experience. It's been fun hanging out with my wife and the boys this summer, but we were excited to get to run." Tampering Question: There have been more instances of schools getting sued for tampering in the transfer portal, do you think there needs to be more of a crackdown on this? Lanning: "Yeah." Question: Can you expand on that? Lanning: "I just like, play the game the way it's supposed to be played, right? But there have to be consequences for actions, and if there aren't consequences, then there's going to continue to be issues like that." Rose Bowl Motivation Question: You said last year has no weight on the future, but how much motivation do you find in the way the season ended in the Rose Bowl? Lanning: "Yeah, for me as a coach, I've always, I think every coach probably feels this way, but we always remember the losses over the wins. I think there's a lot you can learn from that, which doesn't take away from what we were able to accomplish, but we lost to a great team. You know, Coach Day did an unbelievable job last year of having his team in a position to have success there. And there's some things that I feel like I could have done better there. At the end, I don't think we played our best football. That being said, we, you know, we did go undefeated in conference. We won the Big 10 Championship in our first year. So like I said, double down, learn. You know, focus on our process. What do we have to continue to improve? There's always learning lessons, but it doesn't necessarily impact the future." Quarterbacks Learning Question: How have your QBs been able to learn from the likes of Dillon Gabriel and Bo Nix? Lanning: "Yeah. I mean, all of our quarterbacks have. Austin, Dante, Luke, we've been really fortunate the last few years. And I've said this to a few that we've had a great mentor in that room. We've had guys who have had unbelievable experiences, right? That were these guys were able to watch and see. And I think probably what impresses me most with Dante is not wanting to be in a microwave society, not wanting to just get it fast because there's an opportunity in front, but to have the slow-cooked meal, right? To have the opportunity to sit back and mature and learn, learn from experiences that you don't necessarily have to be on the field to feel and that's that same goes for Austin, that same as goes for Luke and the other guys in our program, like those guys have learned from great quarterbacks that have done it at a really, really high level. For him to have that opportunity, show maturity, and develop in his leadership, I think it's going to create great opportunities for our team." Kenyon Sadiq Shouldering Load Question: How have you seen Kenyon Sadiq step up and shoulder a bigger load this offseason? Lanning: "I actually told Kenyon on the way down that, you know, yesterday was the first time I played it. But I played with my youngest son, Titan. We played the NCAA College Football, and Sadiq went off, right? He balled out. So I need to make sure I bring that up to our quarterbacks. Throw it to Kenyon, you know, because he's been unbelievable this offseason. Like I said, if you just see him work, it's not a secret. I feel like he would tell you that those are some of the traits that he learned from the guy—learned from the guys that were ahead of him, whether that's Terrance Ferguson or Pat Herbert. But yeah, there is a chemistry being developed, and that's part of what fall camps about, right? Our quarterbacks getting on the same page is our tight ends, is our wideouts, as our backs, and just, you know, creating that rhythm. Our guys have worked really hard this summer, but Kenyon is going to be, it's going to be hard for people to deal with. You know, he's a special player. I think he can be the best tight end in the nation. And you know, when you have a great rhythm with your quarterbacks, being able to get the ball to him, that's going to be a special weapon for us. Contact/Follow @Ducks_Wire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oregon Ducks news, notes, and opinions.
USA Today
9 hours ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Checking in with the Oregon Ducks DL room ahead of the 2025 season
We are less than 50 days away from the start of the 2025 college football season, and fewer than two weeks stand between us and the beginning of the Oregon Ducks' fall camp getting off the ground in Eugene. While coaches and players wrap up their final couple of offseason weeks, we're ready to jump back into things and take a deep dive into what's set to take place at Autzen Stadium this year. The Ducks are coming off of an incredible season that saw a 12-0 regular season, a Big Ten Championship, and the No. 1 seed in the first-ever 12-team College Football Playoff. The offseason brought significant roster turnover as Oregon sent a program record 10 players into the 2025 NFL draft; however, those players have been replaced by a young yet incredibly talented group of players ready to uphold the standard in Eugene. Will they be able to complete the job? Expectations are high, but it won't be an easy task. Over the next few weeks, many questions will be asked, and a significant number of them will be answered. Once we get a look at things during fall camp, we will be able to predict more accurately how things shape up. However, we already have our depth chart projections for offense and defense from spring. As we continue our preview of the 2025 season, leading up to the kick-off vs. Montana State on August 30, let's take a deep dive, position by position. Previous Position Previews Now let's take a closer look at the defensive line as we prepare for fall camp. Overall Oregon Ducks Defensive Line Check-In The Ducks sent a lot of players to the NFL draft, but no position group was hit as hard as the defensive line. Derrick Harmon went in the first round to the Pittsburgh Steelers, and Jamaree Caldwell went to the Los Angeles Chargers in the third round. While there are a lot of talented players returning to Eugene in 2025, not many have the production that was lost. Like many other positions on the roster, though, there's a sense that the standard is going to be upheld; we just need to see the young guys on the field and get a sense for what they're capable of. Departing Oregon Ducks Defensive Linemen Oregon Career Stats: 14 games, 45 tackles, 11 TFLs, 5 sacks, 2 forced fumbles, 2 fumble recoveries Analysis: Oregon's most significant loss on the D-line is Derrick Harmon, who became a first-round pick for the Pittsburgh Steelers this past April. Harmon played just one season with the Ducks, but he wasted no time making an impact, and he was a significant factor in Oregon's 2024 success. Oregon Career Stats: 14 games, 29 tackles, 5 TFLs, 1 forced fumble Analysis: Harmon is the most significant loss, but Caldwell is a very close second. He may not have the stats Harmon does, but Caldwell clogs up the middle from the nose tackle spot as well as anyone, helping make plays for the rest of the defense. Caldwell landed with the Los Angeles Chargers in the third round of the NFL draft this past April. Oregon Career Stats: 60 games, 78 tackles, 11 TFLs, 4 sacks, 2 fumble recoveries Analysis: The Ducks' final graduation departure on the interior defensive line is Keyon-Ware Hudson, one of the last remaining recruits from the Mario Cristobal days. Hudson never was able to break into a starting role during his six-year Oregon career, but he made valuable impacts off of the bench. Oregon Career Stats: 3 games, 1 tackle Analysis: Last on the list is My'Keil Gardner, who announced his transfer to the Arizona State Sun Devils in January. Gardner played a bit in 2023 but was kept off the field for all of 2024 with an injury. Hopefully, he'll be back to full health in 2025 and hit the ground running in Tempe. Returning Oregon Ducks Defensive Linemen Oregon Career Stats: 22 games, 12 tackles, 2 TFLs Analysis: A'Mauri Washington is the returner Oregon Ducks fans should be most excited about on the D-line. A 4-star recruit two seasons ago, Washington hasn't seen many in-game reps, but the small sample he's earned has been exciting. I expect him to play a significant role for Oregon's defense this year and play it well. Oregon Career Stats: 2 QB pressures in 17 defensive snaps. Analysis: Even greener than Washington is Aydin Breland — the 5-star jewel of Oregon's 2024 recruiting class. Breland played just 17 defensive snaps as a freshman, but in year two, it's fair to assume that Breland will climb the ladder by a few rungs. Oregon Career Stats: 4 games, 1 tackle Analysis: Next up is Tionne Gray, another member of Oregon's 2024 recruiting class. Gray wasn't rated as highly in the recruiting process as Breland, but in four games this season he played a similar amount of snaps to Breland. Both will have big opportunities and chances to make major impacts in 2025. Oregon Career Stats: 10 games, 7 tackles, 2 TFLs, 1 sack Analysis: Terrance Green is another name that could rise this fall. Entering his third season as a redshirt sophomore, Green has the necessary experience to play D-line, and this could be the season where he breaks out. This will be a competitive position, but no one's role is guaranteed. Oregon Career Stats: N/A Analysis: Next up is Jericho Johnson, a former 4-star recruit who was a freshman in 2024. Johnson played just two games and six snaps last fall, but that's typical of a D-line freshman. With all the young talent in this room, it seems like at least one young D-lineman is primed for a breakout season in 2025. Maybe it will be Johnson. Oregon Career Stats: N/A Analysis: Another 4-star tackle from the 2024 class, Xadavien Sims played just three snaps in as a freshman last fall. Sims is a bit undersized for his position, but he doesn't lack the necessary strength to play D-line. Just like Johnson, Sims could be one of the players primed to break out this fall. Incoming Oregon Ducks Defensive Linemen Career Stats: (Georgia and USC): 28 games, 61 tackles, 10 TFLS, 3.5 sacks Analysis: Oregon's sole newcomer on the defensive line is Bear Alexander, a transfer from USC who Dan Lanning helped bring to Georgia out of high school when he was the Bulldogs defensive coordinator. Alexander has immense talent and potential, but he has yet to utilize either in college football. A transfer to Oregon could be precisely what Alexander needed, and if he can realize his potential, he'll be exactly what the Ducks need. Projection Oregon Ducks Defensive Lineman Starters Defensive Tackle: A'Mauri Washington Nose Tackle: Bear Alexander I see the starters shaking out with Washington at DT and Alexander NT. Those two feel like the most game-ready players on the line, though there are a lot of talented guys who will rotate in early and often. I expect guys like Breland, Gray, Johnson, and Green to get a lot of playing time. Overall Oregon Ducks Defensive Line Outlook Oregon has recruited very well at this position over the past few years under Dan Lanning, and there are some big bodies in the trenches, just waiting for an opportunity. With guys like Aydin Breland, A'mauri Washington, and Jericho Johnson primed and ready, the future is bright at this position. We will see how quickly they can click in 2025 and get down to business, but there should be a lot of optimism among the fans that the Ducks will be dominant in the trenches for years to come. Contact/Follow @Ducks_Wire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oregon Ducks news, notes, and opinions.
USA Today
a day ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Checking in with the Oregon Ducks OL room ahead of the 2025 season
We are less than 50 days away from the start of the 2025 college football season, and fewer than two weeks stand between us and the beginning of the Oregon Ducks' fall camp getting off the ground in Eugene. While coaches and players wrap up their final couple of offseason weeks, we're ready to jump back into things and take a deep dive into what's set to take place at Autzen Stadium this year. The Ducks are coming off of an incredible season that saw a 12-0 regular season, a Big Ten Championship, and the No. 1 seed in the first-ever 12-team College Football Playoff. The offseason brought significant roster turnover as Oregon sent a program record 10 players into the 2025 NFL draft; however, those players have been replaced by a young yet incredibly talented group of players ready to uphold the standard in Eugene. Will they be able to complete the job? Expectations are high, but it won't be an easy task. Over the next few weeks, many questions will be asked, and a significant number of them will be answered. Once we get a look at things during fall camp, we will be able to predict more accurately how things shape up. However, we already have our depth chart projections for offense and defense from spring. As we continue our preview of the 2025 season, leading up to the kick-off vs. Montana State on August 30, let's take a deep dive, position by position. Previous Position Previews Now let's take a closer look at the offensive line as we prepare for fall camp. Overall Oregon Ducks Offensive Line Check-In The standard has been set astronomically high for the offensive line in Eugene, thanks to back-to-back Joe Moore Award finalists under OL coach A'Lique Terry. Getting back to that level of play will be a tall task this year, as the Ducks have just one returning starter among the front five — center Iapani Laloulu. Around him, Oregon will use a mix of transfers and home-grown talent to fill out the starting five, and likely utilize the first couple of games of the year to figure out the best combination of players to do so. There is a ton of talent at the position with the likes of Isaiah World and Emmanuel Pregnon anchoring the left side, but how cohesive everything will be together is yet to be seen. Departing Oregon Ducks Offensive Linemen Analysis: Josh Conerly made good on his time at Oregon, coming in as a highly-touted 5-star recruit, and leaving as a first-round draft pick, selected by the Washington Commanders. He had a tremendous junior season at Oregon and capitalized on the opportunity to make the jump to the next level. Oregon will have some big shoes to fill in his stead. Analysis: Cornelius returned to Oregon for his final year in 2024 rather than going to the NFL, and after having a very solid season at RT protecting Dillon Gabriel's blindside, he landed with the Dallas Cowboys in the sixth round of the NFL draft. Analysis: After suffering an injury in his first year with the Ducks in 2023, Strother stepped up in a big way this past year, becoming a starter at LG and filling a big hole that was left by Matthew Bedford's preseason injury. Analysis: Marcus Harper was one of the longest-tenured Ducks on the roster, and he played very well last year, moving from his LG spot over to RG to fill in after injuries took place early in the season. Harper has acted as a staple on the line over the last several years, so replacing him on the starting line is not going to be easy. Analysis: George Silva hit the transfer portal this spring after having his one final year of eligibility approved by the NCAA. However, he has yet to commit to any school for the 2025 season. Returning Oregon Ducks Offensive Linemen Analysis: Iapani Laloulu played several roles as a true freshman in 2023, and he served as the starting center in 2024, doing a great job holding things down up front. While there is still room to improve, the Ducks can feel confident that they have their starting man in the middle going into a new season with no questions about what they will get from No. 72. Analysis: After dealing with a foot injury throughout the offseason and the start of the season, Dave Iuli was able to return to the field midway through 2024 and rotated in at the right guard spot with Nishad Strother. Iuli played very well and will be in a good position to compete for a starting spot in 2025. Analysis: This past year, Bedford suffered a knee injury in fall camp and missed his entire senior season. Granted another year, he will now compete for the starting right guard for the Ducks, bringing a veteran and versatile player with a lot of high-level experience. Analysis: Kawika Rogers worked in multiple spots on the offensive line last year while the unit dealt with some injuries, and he played well when given the opportunity. With a chance to compete for a starting spot this season, Rogers should be in the mix as an important piece going forward. Analysis: Gernorris Wilson has been a solid depth player for the Ducks in 2024, and he has a good chance to move into strong competition for the starting right tackle spot this year after serving as a six-man of the OL last season. Analysis: After redshirting as a freshman in 2024, Fox Crader will work to establish a spot on the depth chart and find a way into the rotation in 2025. Analysis: After redshirting as a freshman in 2024, Trent Ferguson will work to establish a spot on the depth chart and find a way into the rotation in 2025. Analysis: After redshirting as a freshman in 2024, Devin Brooks will work to establish a spot on the depth chart and find a way into the rotation in 2025. Incoming Oregon Ducks Offensive Linemen Analysis: The Ducks hit big in the transfer portal this year, landing Isaiah World, who was the No. 1 overall ranked player in the portal. At 6-foot-8, 310 pounds, World has an ideal body makeup for a left tackle at the next level, and he will use his one year at Oregon to boost his NFL draft stock and head off to the league after that. Analysis: With both Conerly and Cornelius gone, Oregon went to the portal for both of their tackle spots this year, and Harkey is expected to hold down the RT spot across from Isaiah World. Harkey spent time at both Colorado and Texas State in his career, and was the No. 6 OT in the portal this offseason. Analysis: Emmanuel Pregnon was one of the late additions to Oregon's roster out of the portal, but he should have a significant impact, likely taking over the starting left guard spot after transferring in from USC. Analysis: Ziyarre Addison is one of the 4-star linemen coming in for the Ducks in the 2025 class. More than likely, he will redshirt in 2025 and work to get into the rotation after that. Analysis: Zac Stacausky is one of the 4-star linemen coming in for the Ducks in the 2025 class. More than likely, he will redshirt in 2025 and work to get into the rotation after that. Analysis: Douglas Utu is one of the 4-star linemen coming in for the Ducks in the 2025 class. More than likely, he will redshirt in 2025 and work to get into the rotation after that. Analysis: Demetri Manning is a 3-star lineman coming in for the Ducks in the 2025 class. More than likely, he will redshirt in 2025 and work to get into the rotation after that. Predicting Oregon Ducks Offensive Line Left Tackle: Isaiah World Left Guard: Emmanuel Pregnon Center: Iapani Laloulu Right Guard: Matthew Bedford Right Tackle: Alex Harkey Analysis: The left side of the line feels pretty locked up, with Isaiah World and Emmanuel Pregnon stepping in as starters alongside Iapani Laloulu. Who fills out the right guard and right tackle spots will be interesting to see. Right now, my money is on Matthew Bedford and Alex Harkey, but don't be surprised if guys like Dave Iuli and Gernorris Wilson push for starting roles as well. Overall Oregon Ducks Offensive Line Outlook The A'Lique Terry era in Eugene has been a booming success, with back-to-back Joe Moore Award finalist lines, and some big wins both in the transfer portal and the recruiting front. While you don't want to have to go to the transfer portal to get three starting offensive linemen, the Ducks did what they had to do this past offseason to fill the holes. Going forward, there is a lot of young talent ready to develop and step up in Eugene. Oregon also got a commitment from 5-star OT Immanuel Iheanacho this past month, one of the top OTs in the nation this cycle. Going forward, there is no reason to believe that the Ducks' OL play is going to take a dip. Contact/Follow @Ducks_Wire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oregon Ducks news, notes, and opinions.
USA Today
a day ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Longshot Hawkeyes: Iowa receives odds to make College Football Playoff
Some may say that the Iowa Hawkeyes are long overdue to make the College Football Playoff. Iowa has been close multiple times, but has never been able to punch their ticket to the elusive postseason playoff. The Hawkeyes have been in the Big Ten Championship game three times since the inception of the College Football Playoff, but unfortunately, come up short each time. With the field entering its second year of 12 teams making the postseason, the chance for Iowa to punch their first ticket is greater than ever before. The Hawkeyes still have plenty of work to do if they want to make the College Football Playoff, but the newest odds courtesy of Circa Sports give the Hawkeyes at least a fighter's chance. Iowa is listed with the ninth-best odds in the Big Ten to make the College Football Playoff at+650. If Iowa wants to make a postseason appearance, the odds tell us that they will have to steal the fourth spot from another team, as three teams, Ohio State, Penn State, and Oregon, all are listed with odds indicating that a College Football Playoff appearance isn't just likely, but expected. Other programs in the Big Ten given better odds to punch their ticket than Iowa are Michigan, USC, Illinois, Nebraska, and Indiana. Washington and Minnesota are the only two teams with listed odds that trail Iowa with worse odds to make the College Football Playoff. Contact/Follow us @HawkeyesWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Iowa news, notes and opinions. Follow Riley on X: @rileydonald7
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Who could win the Big Ten title with a tight race?
Drew Dinsick and Vaughn Dalzell break down the favorites to win the Big Ten Championship this fall, picking Penn State to win it, saying "they could make some noise" in the College Football Playoffs.
