It’s been a wild college football offseason, with a level of realignment that could alter the face of the sport forever. But it appears that Oregon is interested in being a part of those big changes.
According to Stadium college football insider Brett McMurphy, Oregon officials initiated “preliminary talks” with the Big Ten in Chicago in order to “determine if the Ducks are compatible” with the conference. Per the report, Big Ten commissioner Kevin Warren was not involved in any of those talks.
Given that USC and UCLA have bolted for the Big Ten already, Oregon have become basically the only big fish in the shrinking Pac-12 pond. Getting out and finding a more lucrative deal in a more competitive conference might be the best option for them.
College football fans are a bit mixed on this report though. Some believe that it’s being overblown and the Big Ten isn’t interested in adding Oregon to the fold, while others believe that it would be a good fit:
Last year the Oregon Ducks showed that they can hold their own against the best that the Big Ten has to offer, upsetting Ohio State in a thrilling non-conference regular season game. It was their first-ever win over the Buckeyes after nine previous losses.
Oregon has been one of the Pac-12’s biggest powerhouses since the Chip Kelly era. Since 2009, they have won the conference title six times, winning 10 or more games seven times.
The Ducks have been bowl eligible all but a handful of times since the 1990s, and their jersey designs are the envy of the wider sports world.
Do you think Oregon would be a good fit for the Big Ten?