I agree. Not a lawyer. But you signed the contract.
If they weren’t 13-0, this wouldn’t be an issue guessing.
They got the other 3 to get more money. Now this.
Article in Seattle Times today about the final hours of the Pac-12 with a load of text messages etc. - https://www.seattletimes.com/sports/college/inside-the-frantic-final-days-of-the-pac-12/
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Maybe this thread can be reinvigorated, now that some of the former Pac 12 teams have completed their first season in their new conferences.
During the Stanford volleyball playoff game tonite, they showed an analysis of the team’s travel miles to ACC opponents…over 19,000. Crazy. Sounded like the women thought all the travel was difficult. ACC conference games were during about a 10 week time frame.
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I mourn the loss of the Pac-12—not just as an Oregon fan or a Pac-12 fan, but as someone who values higher education. The demands of extensive travel are tough enough on football players, but they’re even more grueling for student-athletes in the many sports with more frequent competitions.
Former Oregon and UCLA coach Chip Kelly suggested separating football from other sports, allowing non-football programs to remain in regional conferences. I hope a solution like that becomes reality. It’s simply unsustainable to maintain the “student” in student-athlete with a coast-to-coast conference structure.
That said, I was thrilled to see Oregon dominate the Big Ten this season, finishing 13-0 and winning the championship. There’s a certain satisfaction in proving the doubters wrong—especially after years of hearing the Big Ten and SEC look down on the Pac-12. Preseason talk claimed Pac-12 teams couldn’t rely on speed and finesse against the “physical” play of the big boys. Turns out, those assumptions didn’t hold up.
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Personally, I wouldn’t start “beating my chest” just yet, it’s only 1 season. A very small sample size.
Washington, USC and UCLA all finished with losing B1G records.
Had Will Howard, the OSU QB, been smarter and had gotten down quicker at Oregon, then OSU probably would have beaten Oregon instead of losing 32-31 in Eugene.
Boise State also almost beat Oregon at Eugene as well. 34-37.
Michigan had a down year w/o an offense. They have the #1 recruit and QB coming next year.
Fortunately, for Oregon, they don’t have to play Michigan and OSU next season, so they have an easy schedule, but for a possible “white out” game in Happy Valley.
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I’m not beating my chest—Oregon’s 13-0 record speaks for itself, regardless of how “lucky” or “ugly” some wins may have been. Football is about finding ways to win, and Oregon did that against a challenging schedule.
Let’s not forget the obstacles they faced: tough travel across time zones (12,520 miles), injuries throughout the season, and no bye week until Week 8. Winning under those circumstances is a testament to the team’s resilience and depth.
As for other teams’ performances, I agree that one season is just a snapshot, but a losing record for Washington, USC, and UCLA in their debut B1G year shows how tough that conference can be. Michigan’s “down year” still resulted in a playoff berth, and they remain a powerhouse. And yes, Oregon was fortunate not to face Michigan or Ohio State next year, but every team gets breaks in scheduling—it’s part of the game. They didn’t get a break in the post-season schedule.
Ultimately, what matters is the record. Whether it’s a one-point win or a blowout, 13-0 is a remarkable accomplishment, and credit is due to the players and coaches for getting it done. Next season will bring new challenges, and no doubt the competition will keep pushing everyone to improve.
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Oregon left easy points on the table as well. People always talk about the last play but there are 4 quarters in a game. Oregon also went into Columbus a few years ago without a QB and ran the ball down Buck’s throat and beat a team with CJ Stroud and a cast of all world receivers. It’s not like they don’t know how to do it.
Oregon beat Ohio State, Michigan and Penn State in the same season. Every team has close games no matter the season. Oregon wasn’t settled on the O line early on and struggled against Idaho too. They aren’t perfect, but the point is that the narrative that the Big 10 would be over the heads of the new members was itself unwarranted chest beating.
As for Michigan being down, Washington lost 85% of its team and its coaching staff at the worst possible time and still managed to beat Michigan.
Oregon may or may not win the conference next year but they are not going anywhere and will win it again. Bank on it. Nobody on the west coast is in awe of those teams. I grew up on a steady diet of PAC 10 champs beating the Big 10 rep. Losing the Rose Bowl was Schembechler’s specialty.
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