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Podcast: Cover 3 College Football Episode: If Vegas Is Right: What’s The Pressure On Big Ten Teams To Meet Expectations In 2026? Segment: Illinois podcast segment **Actionable Picks / Plays Mentioned** - Why do we even play I imagine Friday night doing the exact same thing that Sark did last year. - Um clearly, you would need to be winning 10 games at you know, you go under this and still be able to make the playoff and go and make a run to fulfill that prophecy. - I do wonder, like you mentioned it, what is Oregon's win total if Dante Moore doesn't return? - The defense returns most of it, but it's I I think if you're Oregon, like we're talking about what this win total says for expectations and going into the season, like even if you're 11 and 1 or you're 10 and 2, does that make a difference **Top Team-Specific Takeaways** - When when it's Ohio State fans turning the tables on the SEC screaming about strength of schedule. - Cuz you look at the schedule, like on the surface, Boise State and Portland State at home won't be problems. - I mean, it's it's not the easiest of schedules, so you do wonder, you mentioned they don't have a They've got 14 starters returning, only six on offense. - Um their portal class isn't great, it's 25th, but I think they've recruited phenomenally well and they're able to keep their players, their good players, cuz they can spend with anybody. **Transcript Context** - Also, incredibly fair. - the idea of a 9 and 3 uh Ohio State is something I'm I'm not quite ready to wrap my head around. - I'll give you like the scenario right here. Transcript excerpt: Also, incredibly fair. Yeah, the idea of a 9 and 3 uh Ohio State is something I'm I'm not quite ready to wrap my head around. I'll give you like the scenario right here. You've got a 9 and 3 Ohio State with a road loss to Texas, a road loss to Indiana, and a road loss to USC, but that means they've beaten Illinois, they've beaten Oregon, and they've beaten Michigan. It goes without saying. So, what do you do with that? There's your debate at the end of the year. When when it's Ohio State fans turning the tables on the SEC screaming about strength of schedule. Why do we even play I imagine Friday night doing the exact same thing that Sark did last year. Like, I'm we're never playing this game again. Need to go back to eight conference games. This is if if they're they're only going to look at win-loss records, what does it matter? Um what about on the Oregon side of things? Tom, I know Danny's already got the uh the Ducks penciled in for Vegas in the national title game. Um clearly, you would need to be winning 10 games at you know, you go under this and still be able to make the playoff and go and make a run to fulfill that prophecy. So, what does it say to you about the what we're looking at for the Ducks as uh as Dante Moore makes his return, but man, not not to step on your toes here, but there's a lot that is gone off of the team that uh last year made it to the semi-finals. Yeah, I do wonder, like you mentioned it, what is Oregon's win total if Dante Moore doesn't return? And like they're relying on a Dylan Raiola or something next year. Like are they still at 10 and 1/2 or do they move down to 9 and 1/2? Cuz you look at the schedule, like on the surface, Boise State and Portland State at home won't be problems. And you would think a road game against Oklahoma State shouldn't be a problem, especially considering what they did to Oklahoma State last year, but it's a very different Oklahoma State this year, at least we expect it to be. They're on the road at USC. They're on the road at Ohio State. They get Michigan the week after that. They've also got a road trip to Illinois. I mean, it's it's not the easiest of schedules, so you do wonder, you mentioned they don't have a They've got 14 starters returning, only six on offense. The defense returns most of it, but it's I I think if you're Oregon, like we're talking about what this win total says for expectations and going into the season, like even if you're 11 and 1 or you're 10 and 2, does that make a difference to the fan base right now? Cuz it's like you you're kind of used to Oregon winning 10 or 11 or 12 games during the regular season. It's the post season where Oregon really needs to start figuring out a way a way to break through. So, I think as long as they are near that 10-win total, it's not going to make any kind of difference to how anyone views them. It's going to be what they do in the post season. I think it's the consistency with which Dan Lanning has won. Um their portal class isn't great, it's 25th, but I think they've recruited phenomenally well and they're able to keep their players, their good players, cuz they can spend with anybody. You're not going to outbid Oregon.