OREGON FOOTBALL SET TO BE A BETTER EXAMPLE NEXT YEAR

Oregon football takes the national stage today as the PAC12 Champion against BIG12 runner-up Iowa State.

And rightfully so.

After all, it wasn’t Oregon’s fault Washington opted out of the title game against USC due to covid. Someone had to play the Trojans.

But, it was Oregon’s fault that USC didn’t go undefeated, and now face the mighty Cyclones in the Fiesta Bowl.

Oregon football on the national college stage is always a better show. Here’s why:

Auburn was out looking for a new coach; Oregon made sure their coach stuck around in case schools like Texas knocked on the door. And why wouldn’t they?

Score.

. . . under his current deal, Cristobal was the 11th highest-paid coach in the league. 

The program has momentum and keeping Cristobal at the forefront was crucial for a university that’s on its fourth head coach in the last 10 years. With his buyout increased to $9 million, this should keep Oregon from looking over its shoulder, at least for now.

Score For his assistants, too.

Offensive line coach Alex Mirabal, tight ends and special teams coach Bobby Williams, safeties and assistant head coach Keith Heyward and cornerbacks coach Donte Williams all signed extensions through 2021 over the past two weeks.

Keeping familiar faces around is the best way to build institutional culture, instead of shuffling the deck year after year.

Coach Cristobal likes Oregon, and Oregon likes him.

If it works for Nick Saban in Alabama, it works for Oregon.

Why Oregon Football Now?

I saw the Raiders v Chargers with Marcus Mariota and Justin Herbert.

I watched a college game where Marshfield/Southern Oregon/Duck/Bear Mark Helfrich was the color commentator.

Oregon here, Oregon there, Oregon everywhere.

They range from today’s greats to the Duck history of Mel Renfro on the Cowboys, Bobby Moore/Ahmad Rahsad on the Viking, Dan Fouts on the Chargers, to the really old guys like two time NFL champ and one time MVP Norm Van Brocklin on the Eagles.

Start a conversation with a non-football fan and learn what they know about college football.

What bubbles up just under the surface? The Penn State Nittany Lions coach scandal that should have ruined football there? The Southern Methodist University Mustang player pay problems that did ruin football there for thirty years?

If you’re looking for team to pay attention to, and the only teams that have drawn interest are scandal teams with multiple murderers like O.J. Simpson at USC, or Miami U star Aaron Hernandez, keep looking.

This year the Ducks could have folded, or just played out the schedule with a ready-made excuse of the pandemic.

A 4-2 record didn’t get them an invitation to the College Football Playoffs, but they get to play the loser of the Big12 title game.

BIG12 v PAC12?

The 2020 Championship game was contested by Iowa State and Oklahoma. The teams met 85 times previously, with Oklahoma leading the series 76–7–2. Iowa State defeated Oklahoma 37–30 in their regular season match-up.

Versus

The 2020 Pac–12 Football Championship Game featured the Oregon Ducks, North Division runners-up, and the USC Trojans, South Division champions. Oregon and USC have met 61 times previously before this game, with USC holding a 38–21–1 advantage in the series. The two teams did not meet during the 2020 regular season.

Scientifically speaking, there is no direct evidence that cheering for the Ducks will help you live longer, or that subscribing to boomerpdx will either.

But why take the chance?