The college football offseason is almost over as we are halfway through July. The season will get going in about a month and a half, and college football fans everywhere are eager for the new beginning. College football fever is rampant across the country as we get closer to the season, but also because of the new EA Sports NCAA 25 video game that just came out last Monday. All in all, it’s an exciting time to be a college football fan, and one fan base that is excited for the season is Oregon football fans. The Ducks have a big season ahead of them.
This college football season is going to be a big one for a number of reasons. The sport is going through big changes, and some of those changes are going to be seen for the first time this season. Let’s take a look at what some of them are.
First off, there are going to be some new rules seen this year in college football, and some fans aren’t really in favor of them. Perhaps the biggest change is the addition of the two-minute warning. Fans have already started getting sick at all of the commercials that are happening in today’s era of college football, and the two-minute warning is another way for tv networks to get more commercial times in.
The bigger changes, however, come with conference realignment and the expanded College Football Playoff. College football is going to look completely different next year because of those two things. California schools playing in the Atlantic Coast Conference? Yeah, things are changing.
Conference realignment has shaken things up big time in college football. The power five is no longer a thing as the Pac-12 is essentially dead. Every team left for a new conference except for Oregon State and Washington State. Those two teams have scheduling alliances with the Mountain West.
Every other Pac-12 school found a new home. Utah, Colorado, Arizona and Arizona State are now in the Big 12. Oregon, Oregon State, USC and UCLA joined the Big Ten. Lastly, Cal and Stanford joined the ACC (makes a ton of sense, right?).
The other big change with conferences comes in the SEC. Oklahoma and Texas are both leaving the Big 12 and they will join the SEC. The Big Ten and the SEC are loaded with good teams and seem on the verge of forming two super conferences.
This season, we will also see 12 teams make the College Football Playoff. For about a month, the College Football Playoff will be happening. Some people aren’t in favor of the big expansion, but there will be more marquee college football games, and it’s hard to be too upset about that.
All in all, this is going to be one of the biggest college football seasons of all time. The game is changing, and this is the start of a new era.
Oregon football is coming for the Big Ten crown in year one
Oregon football is making the move to the Big Ten this season, and there are a lot of people that think the Ducks will end up winning the conference in year one. Oregon was close to winning the Pac-12 and making the College Football Playoff last season, but they couldn't get past Washington in the regular season or the conference title game. The Ducks were big favorites in their second game against their rival, but they couldn't get the job done.
With the College Football Playoff expanding to 12 teams, it would be a big disappointment for Oregon football if they don't make the playoff this season. They are viewed as a lock to qualify, but they want to do more than just that. The Ducks want to win the Big Ten and to get a bye in the playoff.
The four highest-ranked conference champions get a bye in the first round of the College Football Playoff, so winning your conference is huge. Winning three straight games isn't nearly as daunting as four, and it gives your team extra time to rest. You can still get into the playoff without winning your conference, but the conference championship is still crucial.
Oregon football is going to be one of the best teams in the Big Ten in year one, and they are fully expecting to win the conference. The Ducks have the second best odds to win the conference only behind Ohio State. Here are three reasons why they can get it done this year.
Dillon Gabriel
Having Dillon Gabriel is going to be huge this season for Oregon as this is a down year for quarterbacks in college football. There are some other returning QBs in the Big Ten, but there's no doubt about it, the Ducks have the best QB in the conference going into the season. The QB is often times the most important player of the field, so having a guy like Gabriel will go a long way. He is the preseason favorite to win the Heisman, so people are expecting him to be the best player in college football this season.
Transfer portal additions
Dillon Gabriel was around last year, but he didn't play for Oregon. Gabriel was with Oklahoma, but he transferred over to the Ducks in the offseason. The transfer portal is one of the most important aspects of college football now, and the teams that do well with it are going to have success. Oregon head coach Dan Lanning knocked it out of the park with the portal this offseason, and the additions that he has brought in are going to make the Ducks very successful. Gabriel is certainly the highlight of the transfer portal class, but Oregon brought in a lot of good talent.
Ohio State at home
One thing that is huge for Oregon this season is that they got the Big Ten favorite at home. If they had to go to Columbus, people probably wouldn't give them nearly as good of a chance to win the game. With this one being in Eugene, a win would set the Ducks up nicely to make a run to the Big Ten title game with the way the rest of the schedule works out. Winning that Ohio State game isn't a necessity, but if they do get it done, they should at least be able to make a trip to the Big Ten title game.
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