Pretty impressive for a guy many said wouldn't make it.

Anyone heard how he's doing this year. I saw some film for his first game, iirc, and he looked good but not that explosive. He's a big dude, like a fire hydrant. I think he may have been injured last year, and had a long recovery which might have impacted his rankings on some sites. Will Rivals keep him at no. 1 RB?

Following practice today, Derrick Harmon talked about the big win over Ohio State and started to talk a little bit about Purdue.

Here is our recap:

I suggest there is no experience resulting from college football realignment more devastating than a Saturday night flight from Maryland to LA after a loss.

Perhaps The Greatest Coach in the History of the Universe will carefully survey the tarmac upon arrival at LAX.

Not that it matters in week 8 but, neither of the teams I'm watching tonight (UGa vs. Tex) look like #1.

Today on the Sunday Morning Sidewalk, musing on how we define whether a win is 'great' or not, plus thoughts on rankings

Here is our Fifth Quarter look back at the shutout win over Purdue

1. The B1G is massively superior to the Pac 12 in marketing. The B1G has already done more to promote Oregon than the Pac 12 ever did.

2. B1G fans accept Oregon as an elite program in a way many Pac 12 fans never did. B1G fans know Oregon only as a top program. They are not burdened by the days when sentences included “Ore-a-gone and Ore-a-gone State” as an expression of futility. Also, unlike many UW and SC fans, few B1G fans believe their self worth depends on the illusion that their football team is better than Oregon.

3. I didn’t expect the competition to be better than in the Pac 12. This year, with the improvement at Indiana and Illinois, Rutgers not being totally incompetent, Penn State maintaining its level, Michigan in decline, and tOSU elite, the conference is a little better than I expected. Oregon is an upgrade, Washington is above average in a league with Purdue, Northwestern, and Maryland, UCLA is at the top of the bottom, and SC is above average. The four additions were an upgrade now, and for the future.

4. Travel to away games will be cool this year and even more so next year. In 2025, the Ducks play at Chicago, New York (kind of), Penn State, Iowa, and the Mistake by the Lake. I hope the travel is more fun for fans than it is debilitating for student athletes.

5. I am convinced that, as a show of solidarity, B1G referees have conspired to make Pac 12 referees look good. B1G officiating is far worse than Pac 12 officiating ever was. Immeasurably worse, and that’s saying a lot. Glasses Ref would be a star in the B1G, and the anonymous Pac 12 referees would never blow ineligible down field calls in consecutive games.

Our men went to Purdue, for business. Lanning has these guys tuned in, and believing. They got an impressive win, got playing time for depth, and rested their #1 run threat.

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Oregon has one commitment in the form of Lincoln High School 4-star pro-style Akili Smith, a program which is highly recruited by the Ducks. But in the NIL era, where scholarships per team will rise from 85 to 105, a rule which starts next season, taking multiple quarterbacks per class will likely be something most big-name, Power Four programs pursue. Jaron Sagapolutele, who is the No. 1 in the state and No. 12 at the position, was offered by Oregon two weeks ago. But he said that he is firmly committed to Cal.

"My commitment to Cal is a solid one, I'd say. They are a great program with great coaches, and I know I can develop and grow over there," he said.

The 6-foot-3, 207-pounder holds two offer from Houston and Virginia Tech, but this could be a name to circle for Oregon fans in the future.

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“As you may know this school is without a doubt my top choice. I love what I see in the program,” Ayangbile said.

“I absolutely love it. From both the football and academic side of things I love the school. I will be honest the facilities and program Oregon has down there for football is what truly caught my eye at first. From, there it was like an avalanche,” he said.

Ayangbile is also drawing interest from Alabama, Ole Miss, Illinois, and Texas A&M.

Looks like it was quite a shootout. Also Martinez and our own Cam. Between the extra year(s) and the portal the player movement is insane.

Great quote from @bryce_boettcher about keeping the shutout: "Coach was like 'get your butt in the game, we can't give up any points"

Here is our full story on Boettcher's comments:

Just a quick note that I will do Fifth Quarter for Sunday and will take a little bit of a breather tomorrow. Lots of errands, chorse, and other stuff to try to get done and tomorrow is a great chance.

I will post articles on player interviews as they come up, but it has been hit or miss with road games so ar so we will see what we get.

Brandon already put up the schedule for the other B1G games tomorrow but the game I will try to watch is going to be Georgai at Texas. It will be a very itneresting game in my mind and one that could ahve a significant impact on the CFP this year.

Interestingly, there is a chance that wnen we wake up Sunday morning both Alabama AND Georgia could have two losses.

According to injury report

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I find my myself re-surprised and have decided that if any group could walk through a minefield practically unscathed, it would be us. The only guess hitting either team's score or the spread was by our guest from somewhere near (probably) Lafayette, Indiana who stumbled onto the spread. The boilermakers had enough leaks to indicate that any of the engineers the school would like to be known for, if there are any involved in the football program, haven't gotten through ENG101 yet. On the other hand, any of us guessers thinking about a job with a Las Vegas sports book outfit should probably alter are our aims. Among the regulars, relative newcomer CKC set the pace this week with a shark right behind him.

Across the Pond Purdue 105
CKC 92
Shark 91
Me 83
Brandon 82
Rockin 81
64 Oregon 81
Trent 79
Fish 78
Adam 77
Duckville 77
Quack 77
Ski 77
Scott 76
Gray 76
Grave 75
10Duck 75
Corky 72
Twell 71
Duckfan 70
Billy 69
Corey 69

Thanks aging for showing up. Next weeks ILL game score guessing free-for-all will get going after I have a chance to see what the ILL players do today.

Remember those spelling tests in elementary school and you had to
spell all 50 states right and you were worried about Tennessee and Mississippi? Apparently Oregon was a tough one for the Fox Sports gang too

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Or do those three touchdowns only count as one?

Just a reminder that my availability will plummet around noon. My sons are coming from DC and Montana to meet up with me in Oakland for a last chance to see the A's play at the Coliseum.

We don't often get a chance to be in the same place together so we are excited. Will be checking in and posting anything I hear before noon but no guarantees after that.

Saturday Primer will still be up today and will have a Fifth Quarter midterm article up tomorrow as well as my normal Sunday Morning Sidewalk piece.

Just felt the need to yell that.

Here is our story on Oregon head coach Dan Lanning's comments following the Friday night matchup with Purdue: