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Entering their second season with the Big Ten Conference, the Oregon Ducks have quite the act to follow from their 2024 debut season. With their first Big Ten Conference Championship title under their belt and a program record 13-0 regular season, coach Dan Lanning and crew have expectations set high.
However, according to a new CBS Sports article ranking Big Ten schedule strength from reporter Brad Crawford, the Ducks might have an easier path than most to their second title.
Crawford ranked the Ducks at No. 2 in his most favorable schedule breakdown and No. 1 Maryland has the easiest According to Crawford, the Ducks' matchup against the Penn State Nittany Lions at Beaver Stadium on September 27th may be the matchup that determines who fights for the league title. The regular season rematch of last years' Big Ten Championship will air on CBS.
"The reigning Big Ten champions have a yellow brick road back to Indianapolis and a playoff appearance if all goes according to plan," Crawford said in his breakdown. "The planned whiteout at Penn State the final weekend of September is the only game where Dan Lanning's team will likely be an underdog. Oregon will not deal with Ohio State or Michigan and the open weeks come before Iowa and USC."
Crawford makes two compelling points most Duck fans are aware of, the first being Oregon's dodging of Ohio State and Michigan during their regular season. Though the Ducks faced both teams in the previous season and won both games, the Buckeyes have proven to be a contentious rivalry for the Ducks. Oregon's 32-31 victory last year over Ohio State at Autzen Stadium could've easily tipped the other way. For Duck fans praying for an easier skip to the postseason, avoiding these two powerhouses helps.
Another point Crawford highlights is Oregon's bye weeks. Though their first bye week on October 3-5 isn't totally needed to prepare for a gutted Indiana Hoosiers , an October 31 - November 2 weekend before facing the Iowa Hawkeyes on the road and the Friday November 14 game against Minnesota at home before facing USC on Saturday, November 22 gives extra time to prepare for both challenging games.
According to the College Football Power Index (CFPI) of 2025 made by ESPN, the Ducks are at No. 25 overall for strength of schedule. Big Ten programs ahead of Oregon per ESPN include the Purdue Boilermakers (No. 23), Northwestern Wildcats (No. 22), Rutgers Scarlet Knights (No. 21), UCLA Bruins (No. 19), Ohio State Buckeyes (No. 18), and the Wisconsin Badgers (No. 12).
Crawford's ranking of toughest schedules also somewhat mirrors ESPN's CFPI. Wisconsin hits his No. 1 toughest schedule mark, with Rutgers, Purdue, with USC capping off the category.
"In November, USC goes to Nebraska and battles Oregon on the road. Lincoln Riley's season will turn immediately sour if the Trojans fail to win their first two Big Ten matchups with Purdue and Michigan State, respectively," Crawford said.
More must-reads:
- Week 1 mid-major games to watch: Boise State, Tulane look to build CFP foundation
- Texas HC shares crucial advice with Arch Manning before matchup vs. No. 3 Ohio State
- The 'Season TD pass leaders by NFL team' quiz
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Texas HC shares crucial advice with Arch Manning before matchup vs. No. 3 Ohio State
Matt Rhule has 'old school' plan for Nebraska's trip to Arrowhead Stadium
Matt Rhule is looking to build a tough and gritty football program at Nebraska, and heading into the team's Week 1 clash with Cincinnati on Thursday, he is taking that idea to another level. The game will be played in Kansas City's Arrowhead Stadium, and Rhule is planning on taking his team to the game via bus. For him, that's to help mold the personality he wants to see in his team. “What we believe here is we don’t want things to be easy,” Rhule explained on his new "House Rhules" podcast (h/t On3). “We want to play against great competition and strive and become a better team when we walk out of there. So, it’s gonna be cool. We’re going to bus down.” Nebraska could, of course, fly, but Rhule is trying to instill toughness into his team. His players previously played high school ball, where taking a school bus to the away games was common, so perhaps he's trying to take them back to their roots and remind them that, despite the gravity of this moment and the environment, they're playing the same game they know and love. “No private jet down there,” Rhule said. “We’re gonna get on a bus. We’re gonna drive down there, the old school way. I just think it’s an excellent start to the season.” It's just over a three-hour drive from Lincoln, Neb., to Kansas City, Mo., and you can bet the Cornhuskers are going to be locked in the whole time.
Zachary Yager, Veteran NASCAR Pit Crew Member, Dies Aged 35
Zachary Yager, who had served as an over-the-wall pit crew member in the NASCAR National Series ranks since the 2014 season, has died at the age of 35. TobyChristie.com had the initial report of Yager's death. Yager, a New York native, had pit crew stints with Richard Childress Racing, Team Penske, RFK Racing, and JTG Daugherty Racing (now known as HYAK Motorsports), where he won the 2023 Daytona 500, from 2014 to 2024. Ahead of the 2025 season, Yager moved to Elite Race Services, a Mooresville, NC-based company that specializes in assembling teams of pit crews for NASCAR National Series race teams. This season, Yager had been serving as the Jack Man for the No. 39 RSS Racing team in the NASCAR Xfinity Series as well as the No. 88 ThorSport Racing team in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. The loss of Yager was absolutely unexpected for Elite Race Services, which is grieving the loss of one of its own, while issuing its deepest sympathy to Yager's family. “Obviously, nobody saw this coming and we’re in total disbelief,” Cory DeMarco, owner of Elite Race Services said in a statement given to TobyChristie.com. “All of the guys send our thoughts and prayers out to his dad and family, right now.” ThorSport Racing, likewise, expressed grief over the sudden and unexpected loss of Yager. “We are deeply saddened by the unexpected passing of our friend and teammate, Zachary Yager,” said ThorSport Racing in a statement. “He was an important part of our family, and our hearts are with his loved ones and community as we grieve this loss together.” While he was serving as a Jack Man this season, Yager was well-known as a well-rounded pit crew member, who could perform at nearly every position on an over-the-wall pit crew. Yager previously served as a Tire Carrier and Fueler in addition to the Jack Man role. No details surrounding Yager's death have been released, but the veteran pit crew member had been missing since Monday, August 18, according to various social media posts from members of Yager's family.
Browns Release Former Steelers Starting WR
Ahead of today's 53-man roster deadline, the Cleveland Browns parted ways with a former Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver who has been on quite the journey over the past year. Per NFL Network's Mike Garafolo, Cleveland released Diontae Johnson after signing him to a one-year contract worth $1.170 million in late April. The 29-year-old appeared in all three of the Browns' preseason games this year, finishing with two receptions for 19 yards on six targets. Cleveland's decision to cut ties with Johnson comes after they opted to trade former Steelers quarterback Kenny Pickett to the Las Vegas Raiders for a 2026 fifth-round pick on Monday night amidst a logjam at the position. Pittsburgh selected Johnson out of Toledo in the third round of the 2019 NFL Draft at No. 66 overall, which was a pick they acquired upon sending Antonio Brown to the Raiders. He immediately became a key piece of the Steelers' offense, logging 59 receptions for 680 yards and five touchdowns over 16 games (12 starts) as a rookie while also returning 20 punts for 248 yards and a score, earning him second-team All-Pro honors. During the 2020 campaign, Johnson finished with 88 catches for 923 yards and seven touchdowns across 15 contests (13 starts). He garnered the first and only Pro Bowl nod of his career in 2021 with 1,161 yards and eight scores on 107 receptions before posting a combined 1,599 yards and five touchdowns between the 2022 and 2023 campaigns. Pittsburgh later dealt him and a 2024 seventh-round pick to the Carolina Panthers in March 2024 for cornerback Donte Jackson and a 2024 sixth-rounder, which was used on defensive lineman Logan Lee. Johnson logged 30 catches, 357 yards and three scores in seven games for Carolina before returning to the AFC North in a trade at last year's deadline that sent him to the Baltimore Ravens. His tenure with the team was rocky to say the least, as he was suspended after refusing to enter their Week 13 game against the Philadelphia Eagles and was released on Dec. 20. The Houston Texans claimed Johnson off waivers from Baltimore, though they too would cut ties with him after defeating the Los Angeles Chargers in the Wild Card round of the playoffs.
Update From Steelers' AFC North Rival Has To Have Fans In Baltimore Extremely Concerned
The Pittsburgh Steelers have high hopes for the 2025 NFL season after a plethora of roster moves occurred following a 2024 Wild Card loss to the Baltimore Ravens. One of the main challenges ahead will be the difficulty of playing in the AFC North. All games are hard-fought, no matter what record each respective team has, so all four organizations, including the Cincinnati Bengals and Cleveland Browns, believe that a division title is within reach. Time will tell which franchise will come out on top, but fans around the NFL always love to tune in when the AFC North has in-division games on the schedule. Both Mike Tomlin and John Harbaugh have been around for a quite a while, which is why the two have so much respect for one another. Games between the Steelers and Ravens are often highly-anticipated and then highly-viewed. The contests always feature plenty of hard hits, and players for both organizations come out of them a little bit more bruised than they normally would have after a playing against a different opponent. This is exactly why health is so critical when these games come around twice per regular season. As all 32 franchises get ready to kick off the important football in just over a week's time, the Ravens set foot on the practice field on Monday. Unfortunately for fans in Baltimore, there were a plethora of impactful individuals that were watching from the sidelines, according to ESPN beat writer, Jamison Hensley. As roster cutdowns on Tuesday loom large, it's not ideal for a team practicing the day before to have this many questions marks when it comes to health. Even if many of the listed players are ready to go for the season opener, the Ravens are having important guys miss practice as the final ramp-up for the season begins. That's never a good sign, especially because starting out slow could completely derail any organization's campaign. Having certain personnel such as Patrick Ricard, Mark Andrews and newly-acquired Jaire Alexander on the shelf for a practice in late August could be precautionary, but it also could point to a much bigger issue that is developing. The Ravens haven't been known to be one of the league's healthiest teams in recent seasons, so this report from Hensley signals that there are still some things to work out before the meaningful contests begin. The injury bug is specifically affecting Baltimore on the defensive side of the ball. While Ricard and Andrews are two playmakers on the offensive end, there are several members of the secondary that remain watching in street clothes. If some of these carry into the regular season, it's possible that the Ravens will be a step behind the Steelers, Bengals and Browns. Steelers Hoping To Overachieve In Difficult AFC North Division Pittsburgh is not the favorite to win the AFC North, and is not even the second team listed when it comes to the odds. The Ravens and Bengals are the pair of squads to watch, but the Steelers are hoping to flip that narrative early on. As long as Tomlin's group can stay healthy in the final couple weeks of practice and not have any injury updates that look like Baltimore's most recent one, it's certainly possible for the Steelers to start off the regular season the right way. Would you be concerned about the Ravens' latest injury update if you were a fan down in Baltimore?
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