university of oregon football

There’s a lot of online discussions these days about the University of Oregon leaving the Pac-12 Conference for better exposure and bigger financial numbers in the Big 12 or even Big Ten, and it’s all wrong for the state.

It’s probably a good decision to the bottom line for Oregon’s athletic department, and especially its football program, but the school needs to remember it’s a public institution and there should be a lot more commitment to that than a few dollars and better positioning for the College Football Playoffs.

Yes, USC is apparently looking hard at that same move, which has social media abuzz with which other schools would bail from the Pac-12, and Oregon is either next, or right behind UCLA with Washington in there, too.

That would leave the Pac-12 with eight schools, including Oregon State, and a huge drop in revenue for each so that it would then need to add members or merge with another conference such as the Mountain West.

And, it’s all basically related to football and its four-team national championship playoffs.

The Pac-12 does just fine competitively in every sport, right up to the four-team CFP, which is an annual battle to play into ahead of a second team from the SEC. This past season, Oregon won the Pac-12 and was in the discussion for a spot until a late-season loss at Arizona State knocked it out. Even though the Ducks won the conference title game with a dominating performance, being a conference champion of one of the five Power Conferences - along with the ACC and All-American Conference - doesn’t mean anything to the CFP voting committee, which probably still would have put one-loss Alabama ahead of one-loss Oregon into the Final Four.

Is that one thing enough to leave behind the Pac-12 and sister school Oregon State?

Here’s a "no" vote on that.

A key thing to figure in is the athletes that make the school what it is. Sure, each school wants to give its athletes the best experience possible, and that revolves around money to a significant degree. But, is football the complete measure of an athletic department’s capabilities?

If the conference champion can’t compete for a spot in the CFP equally with the second-place team from the SEC or Big Ten without being unbeaten, should the entire world of college sports on the West Coast change?

College football is already crazy with how much money is delivered to head coaches - many of whom are more known in each state than, say, the governor (at least until recently).

The Athletic’s Andy Staples recently wrote this four-team move should happen into the Big 12, which would become the Big 16 (even though the Big 12 only has 10 schools and would thus become the Big 14) - what a crappy name to be part of.

The Pac-12 has tons of history that doesn’t seem to be much of a factor in these rumors, only money does. Plenty of athletes - student/athletes - love being part of the history of the conference. Winning a conference title has that flair attached to it. It’s not just a conference title, it’s a Pac-12 title with a list of former champions that goes back to 1916 for some sports - football and baseball. That would all be gone with a conference title needing wins over schools such as Texas, Oklahoma and Kansas State.

And, again, Oregon State gets absolutely lost in that, as would Washington State for that state.

Oregon State scrimps along to compete in the Pac-12, as does Washington State, but those schools compete relatively equally in many other sports - remember the national title the Beavers’ baseball team won in 2018? And 2006, and 2007?

Rumors are great for social media, especially these days where there’s no actual contests to bounce around. But, Oregon athletic director Rob Mullens would do the state a great favor by talking over this subject with media and putting the Ducks squarely in the conference it’s been a part of for more than 100 years.

Oregon's big foray into the college football signing day phenomenon actually happened five days late - or later - in terms of news the rest of the nation could focus on.

Monday, the Ducks extended the contract of head coach Mark Helfrich to the 2020 season, with the specifics being $17.5 million over five seasons. Oregon put a tattoo on its coach for the rest of the decade, unless he wants to bolt for the NFL - and the $3 million buyout. Doesn't seem likely, though.

Then, later in the day, the Ducks announced they had landed Vernon Adams, the three-year starting quarterback at FCS power Eastern Washington, as a potential replacement for Heisman Trophy winner Marcus Mariota.

Adams joins a crowded group - at least until someone transfers - of players awaiting their shot at becoming the next standout at Autzen Stadium.

Adams threw for more than 10,000 yards while guiding the Eagles on their red turf. He'll graduate from EWU in June, then be able to join the Oregon football team in time to get ready for another run at a national title.

At EWU, Adams led the Eagles to an upset of Oregon State at the start of the 2013 season, then nearly beat Washington last season.

Oregon has five other quarterbacks lined up in a virtual mosh pit of competition for a spot that has been held by one player for three seasons.

Mariota, in numerous mock drafts, is predicted to become a member of the New York Jets in fall.

PASADENA, Calif. - What was an entertaining game filled with drama turned into a rout over the course of five minutes and the Oregon Ducks routed defending national champion Florida State 59-20 Thursday in the Rose Bowl, the first of two semifinal games leading to the national championship game.

Heisman Trophy winner Marcus Mariota threw for 338 yards and two touchdowns, and ran for one as well to spark the Oregon offense.

But, it was the Oregon defense that carried the day for the Ducks, who will play Ohio State in the title game, Jan. 12, in Dallas.

Oregon's defense gave up 528 total yards to the Seminoles and 2013 Heisman Trophy winner Jamies Winston, but that turned into only a pair of touchdowns and a pair of field goals. The Ducks stopped FSU on fourth-and-goal from the 1 in the first half, then forced five turnovers in the second half, with all of them turning into touchdowns.

Defensive end Tony Washington recovered one fumble and ran it into the end zone to give Oregon a 45-20 lead.

The 59 points established a game record, was FSU's worst loss since 1983 and so thoroughly demoralized the Seminoles that half the team did not cross the field to shake hands with Oregon players after the game.

Oregon will play in the national title game for the second time in four years, having lost the 2011 championship game to Auburn, 22-19.

"A lot of fun," Oregon coach Mark Helfrich told reporters about the second-half scoring run, "but at the same time, these guys were able to retain a tremendous focus."

"It's incredible. I'm so proud of these guys right here," Mariota said. "We've got one more to take care of."

Oregon improved to 13-1, while Florida State fell to 13-1, suffering its first loss in more than two seasons.

Washington played a key role in the first half when he tackled Winston on the fourth-down play, on what was initially ruled a touchdown that would have given the Seminoles a 9-8 lead. But, replays showed Winston being tackled just shy of the goal line, and the play was reversed. Oregon drove 88 yards and settled for a field goal and 11-3 lead.

Washington's fumble return also occured on fourth down.

Mariota's passing game was complimented by Oregon's ground game, which finished with 301 yards and five scores. Sophomore Thomas Tyner, who missed the previous three games, ran for 124 yards and two touchdowns on 13 carries to lead the Ducks.

FSU finished with 180 yards rushing.