Tag: oregon

Nov 2, 2024; Seattle, Washington, USA; Washington Huskies cheerleaders lead the team out of the locker room during before a game against the USC Trojans at Alaska Airlines Field at Husky Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images

Washington flips 5-star OT Kodi Greene from rival

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Kodi Greene, a 5-star offensive tackle in the 2026 class, flipped his commitment from Oregon to his home-state school, Washington, on Thursday.

The 6-foot-6, 285-pound Greene is ranked as the No. 4 offensive tackle and the No. 22 overall player in the class by the 247Sports composite.

He had been committed to the Ducks since Aug. 12, 2024, but several programs — including Washington — continued their pursuit.

Greene started his high school career at Eastside Catholic in Sammamish, Wash., before moving on to powerhouse Mater Dei in Santa Ana, Calif. He is the fourth player from Mater Dei to commit to Washington since Jedd Fisch became the head coach of the Huskies on Jan. 14, 2024.

–Field Level Media

Jan 1, 2025; Pasadena, CA, USA; Oregon Ducks head coach Dan Lanning during a timeout in the first quarter against the Ohio State Buckeyes at Rose Bowl Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images

Report: Oregon’s Dan Lanning to get big raise

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Oregon and football coach Dan Lanning have agreed on an amended contract that will put him among the five highest-paid coaches in the nation, Yahoo Sports reported Thursday.

The six-year deal that spans through 2030, which must be approved by Oregon’s board when it meets Friday, includes a $2 million annual raise to an average of nearly $11 million per season.

His buyout will remain $20 million, per the report.

Before the 2024 season, Lanning was 14th in the nation in salary, according to USA Today’s database of coaches salaries. He joins an elite class of coaches with his new salary; the five highest-paid coaches on the list were Kirby Smart (Georgia), Dabo Swinney (Clemson), Steve Sarkisian (Texas), Lincoln Riley (Southern California) and Ryan Day (Ohio State).

Three of those coaches have won national championships, and Ducks leaders are counting on Lanning to join that group.

Lanning, 38, was the offensive coordinator at Georgia when Oregon gave him his first head-coaching job ahead of the 2022 season. The Ducks are 35-6 under Lanning and won the Big Ten championship last season in their first year in the Big Ten.

Oregon was 13-0 and the No. 1 seed in the expanded College Football Playoff but lost to eventual national champion Ohio State 41-21 in the quarterfinal at the Rose Bowl.

Day received a new contract worth $12.5 million a year after the Buckeyes won the title, moving him to No. 2 on the salary list behind Smart.

–Field Level Media

Jan 30, 2025; Mobile, AL, USA; National team quarterback Dillon Gabriel of Oregon (8) works through drills during Senior Bowl practice for the National team at Hancock Whitney Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vasha Hunt-Imagn Images

Short on height, QB Dillon Gabriel invites NFL to measure results

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INDIANAPOLIS — Oregon quarterback Dillon Gabriel stands on his experience, results and reputation as a winner as NFL doubters point to a glaring shortcoming compared to other pro prospects: height.

Measured at 5-foot-11, Gabriel said he watches a lot of Baker Mayfield film and compares his play to 49ers starter Brock Purdy and Dolphins starter Tua Tagovailoa.

“I’m not for everyone,” Gabriel said. “I challenge everyone just to watch the tape, you see the evolution 2019 until now, the growth I’ve made physically and mentally. Even my throwing motion — you see how polished and how detailed it has been. I’m confident in my tape, whether it’s good or bad, I think you can learn from that and most importantly how I’ve responded.”

Gabriel has been a starting quarterback since he was a freshman at Mililani (Hawaii) High School and in successful college stops at UCF, Oklahoma and Oregon with five seasons of 25-plus TD passes and 3,000-plus passing yards. He had 105 TD passes in four seasons as the varsity starter in high school and was Gatorade National Player of the Year with 38 TD passes as a senior.

“I’m a leader. I’m a winner. I’ve won at all three spots, and I’ve done it in big games,” said Gabriel, a Heisman Trophy finalist in 2024 who had 60 touchdown passes and 12 interceptions in his final two college seasons.

“I want teams to believe I can go out there and win games,” he said. “If a team wants a winner, a franchise leader, they know who to call.”

A Pro Bowl selection coming off of a career year with the Buccaneers in 2024, Mayfield measured 6-0 5/8 at the combine and was the No. 1 pick in the 2018 draft. Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray went No. 1 in 2019 despite measuring 5-10 1/8 at the combine.

Gabriel, 24, said he had interviews this week with the Dolphins, Cowboys and Raiders in Indianapolis and has been encouraged with the NFL feedback he has received.

–Field Level Media

Nov 23, 2024; Berkeley, California, USA; The helmet of California Golden Bears long snapper Ewan Arechaederra (48) sits on the field with a ball before the game against the Stanford Cardinal at California Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

QB Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele leaves Oregon, heads to Cal

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Quarterback Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele decommitted from Cal and signed with Oregon’s Class of 2025 during the early national signing period in December. Now, he’s changed his mind again.

Sagapolutele took part in Ducks’ practices prior to their New Year’s Day loss to Ohio State in the Rose Bowl. On Sunday, his name showed up in the NCAA transfer portal and he immediately committed to Cal again, with the school reporting his signing on social media.

According to On3, Sagapolutele said he decided to head to Cal after spending time in the Oregon program and seeing that he wouldn’t start as a freshman. Dante Moore is in line to replace Dillon Gabriel, who is out of eligibility, and Cal has an immediate open following the transfer of starter Fernando Mendoza to Indiana.

Moore, who was a five-star quarterback in the Class of 2023, transferred to Oregon after spending one season at UCLA. Sagapolutele was a four-star prospect in the 2024 class, ranked as the No. 8 quarterback and the No. 1 player from Hawaii by 247Sports.

–Field Level Media

Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Emeka Egbuka (2) celebrates a touchdown catch with quarterback Will Howard (18) during the first half of the College Football Playoff quarterfinal against the Oregon Ducks at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif. on Jan. 1, 2025.

No. 8 Ohio State knocks out No. 1 Oregon in Rose Bowl

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Will Howard passed for 319 yards and three touchdowns and fast-starting No. 8 seed Ohio State delivered a convincing 41-21 victory over No. 1 Oregon on Wednesday in a College Football Playoff quarterfinal at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif.

Freshman Jeremiah Smith had two long touchdowns while catching seven passes for a career-high 187 yards, and TreVeyon Henderson rushed for 94 yards and two scores on eight carries as the Buckeyes (12-2) scored the first 34 points while outclassing their fellow Big Ten mates.

Ohio State will play No. 5 seed Texas (13-2) in the CFP semifinals on Jan. 10 at the Cotton Bowl at Arlington, Texas.

Dillon Gabriel completed 29 of 41 passes for 299 yards and two touchdowns for Oregon (13-1). Gabriel finished his career with 155 touchdown passes, tying Houston’s Case Keenum (2007-11) for the all-time FBS record. Miami’s Cam Ward set the Division I mark (FBS and FCS) of 158 last week.

Traeshon Holden caught seven passes for 116 yards and two touchdowns for the Ducks. Oregon star Jordan James was injured in the first half and sat out the second. He had 14 yards on seven rushes.

The Buckeyes avenged the 32-31 regular-season loss on Oct. 12 to host Oregon in which Howard made a mental mistake by sliding to the turf after time ran out, preventing a possible game-winning field-goal attempt.

Howard completed 17 of 26 passes in the rematch as the Buckeyes outgained the Ducks 500-276.

Ohio State harassed Gabriel throughout the contest and recorded eight sacks. Cody Simon, Jack Sawyer and JT Tuimoloau had two apiece.

The Buckeyes scored their four first-half touchdowns on drives totaling nine plays.

The opening drive took three plays to go 75 yards, with Smith catching a short pass from Howard and turning it into a 45-yard touchdown just one minute into the game.

Later in the quarter, a three-play drive was completed by Howard’s 42-yard touchdown pass to Emeka Egbuka.

Jayden Fielding kicked a 46-yard field goal to give Ohio State a 17-0 lead just 10 seconds into the second quarter. Four-plus minutes later, the Buckeyes needed just two plays with Howard connecting with Smith on a 43-yard touchdown.

Henderson then ripped off a 66-yard scoring run down the right sideline on the first play of a possession to make it 31-0 with 8:47 left in the half.

Fielding tacked on a 36-yard field goal with 2:59 left in the half to make it a 34-point margin.

Oregon finally got on the board as time expired in the half. Gabriel threw a 5-yard touchdown pass to Holden, which was followed by a two-point conversion pass to Justius Lowe.

The Ducks also scored on Noah Whittington’s 2-yard run to start the third quarter to move within 34-15, but Henderson’s 8-yard TD run with 2:19 left in the period restored order.

–Field Level Media

Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback Will Howard (18) rushes during the second half of the College Football Playoff first round game against the Tennessee Volunteers at Ohio Stadium in Columbus on Dec. 22, 2024. Ohio State won 42-17.

No. 8 Ohio State seeks redemption vs. No. 1 Oregon in Rose Bowl

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If not for Will Howard’s final-play blunder against Oregon on Oct. 12, Ohio State might be the higher-seeded team entering a much-anticipated rematch in the Rose Bowl on Wednesday.

Howard certainly is focused on redemption when the No. 8 seed Buckeyes get another chance against the No. 1 seed Ducks in the College Football Playoff quarterfinals at Pasadena, Calif.

Ohio State trailed 32-31 and was driving toward a possible game-winning field-goal attempt in Eugene, Ore., in October as a scrambling Howard was on the run and intentionally slid at the Oregon 26-yard line.

One big problem — time had expired. There would not be a field-goal try.

“The way that last one ended doesn’t sit right with me. It still doesn’t,” Howard said after Ohio State’s 42-17 home thumping of No. 9 seed Tennessee in a first-round CFP matchup on Dec. 21. “Still bugs me.”

Howard will look for a different result when the Buckeyes (11-2) try to end the perfect season of Oregon (13-0).

Howard, who transferred from Kansas State after last season, has delivered a solid season by passing for 3,171 yards and 29 touchdowns against nine interceptions. But the mental gaffe against Oregon seems to overshadow everything else.

“I’m excited. It’s going to be a heck of an opportunity for all of us,” Howard said. “I think we’ve all been looking forward to this one, and for another crack at these guys.”

The heavyweight matchup will feature two prolific offenses, with Ohio State averaging 36 points per game and the Ducks at 35.9. Former Oregon coach Chip Kelly is the Buckeyes’ offensive coordinator.

Ducks quarterback Dillon Gabriel has completed 73.2 percent of his passes while throwing for 3,558 yards and 28 touchdowns against just six interceptions this season. The third-place finisher in Heisman Trophy balloting will make his 63rd career start.

Gabriel transferred from Oklahoma after last season. He has thrown 153 career touchdown passes, two off the FBS record held by Houston’s Case Keenum (2007-11).

“I’ve been really impressed with Dillon’s poise,” Oregon coach Dan Lanning said. “It doesn’t matter if there’s just a couple seconds left in the clock or if it’s fourth-and-9, I feel like he treats those plays the same as first-and-10 at the beginning of the game.”

The quarterback matchup was even in the mid-October game between Oregon and Ohio State. Gabriel passed for 341 yards and two touchdowns and rushed for one TD, while Howard threw for 326 yards and two touchdowns and also had one score on the ground.

Both teams will dissect the first matchup and see how the opponent has evolved since then while formulating their game plans.

“You look at what worked, you look at what didn’t work, you look at how your teams change, and you try to play again through your strengths,” Lanning said. “You look at how your opponent’s teams change. So there’s going to be some differences in this game from the last game, for sure.”

The Ducks are the lone unbeaten team in the nation and have scored more than 30 points on 11 occasions. Running back Jordan James complements Gabriel, having rushed for 1,253 yards and 15 touchdowns this season. He has six 100-yard outings.

Ohio State lost to Michigan 13-10 in the regular-season finale. The Buckeyes have topped 30 points on 10 occasions.

Howard has two big-time targets in Emeka Egbuka — 65 receptions for 824 yards and nine touchdowns — and Jeremiah Smith (63 for 1,037, 12 scores).

The Buckeyes allow an average of 11.4 points per game compared with Oregon’s 17.8.

Who knows — another close game with a quarterback called on to execute during a final drive could be in play again.

“Will, I know, is excited to have an opportunity to play Oregon again,” Buckeyes coach Ryan Day said.

Ohio State leads the series 9-2, but the Ducks have won the past two games.

–Field Level Media

Nov 23, 2024; Gainesville, Florida, USA; A Florida Gators helmet sits on the field before a game against the Mississippi Rebels at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images

5-star WR Dallas Wilson flips from Oregon to Florida

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Wide receiver Dallas Wilson, a five-star Class of 2025 prospect, signed with Florida.

The move came just days after he asked Oregon to release him from his commitment. He signed with the Ducks on Dec. 4, the first day of the early signing period.

The 247Sports composite ranks Wilson, a Florida product from Tampa Bay Tech, as the No. 4 wide receiver and No. 20 overall player in the class.

Florida announced his signing with a video posted to social media Sunday night.

Wilson had been committed to the Ducks since Jan. 17, 2023, taking an official visit there in June 2024 and one to Florida on Nov. 22.

But The Athletic reported last week that Wilson’s agent, Vernell Brown of EL1TE Sports Management Group, said Wilson changed his mind to remain closer to an ill family member, adding NIL money was not a factor.

A 6-foot-3 speedster, Wilson also runs track and was part of his school’s 4×400 relay team that qualified for the state competition in his junior year.

–Field Level Media

Oct 12, 2024; Eugene, Oregon, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback Will Howard (18) celebrates scoring a touchdown during the first half of the NCAA football game against the Oregon Ducks at Autzen Stadium

Ohio State favored to beat No. 1 Oregon in CFP quarters

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One of Ohio State’s two losses this season came against No. 1 Oregon, but that didn’t dissuade oddsmakers from installing the eighth-seeded Buckeyes as favorites to beat the Ducks in the College Football Playoff quarterfinals.

Shortly after Ohio State finished off it’s 42-17 rout of No. 9 Tennessee on Saturday night, the Buckeyes opened as 1.0-point favorites at DraftKings and 1.5-point favorites at BetRivers to beat Oregon on New Year’s Day.

The teams met earlier this season in one of the most memorable games of the 2024 regular season. The Buckeyes visited Autzen Stadium on Oct. 12 and walked away with a dramatic 32-31 defeat. A rematch in the Big Ten title game appeared likely until Ohio State was upset at home by unranked Michigan to close the regular season.

Oddsmakers are clearly placing more weight on Saturday’s convincing win over Tennessee in the final game of the opening round of the CFP.

Oregon will enter the quarterfinal clash with a perfect 13-0 record, but it will be nearly a month since the Ducks beat Penn State in the Big Ten title game.

Many believe the CFP committee essentially rewarded the Nittany Lions despite that loss. While Oregon faces a potential CFP gauntlet of Ohio State, No. 5 Texas and No. 2 Georgia, Penn State opened with a 38-10 blowout win over No. 11 SMU on Saturday.

Up next is Boise State, which is seeded third but hails from the Mountain West Conference. Penn State opened as a 10.5-point favorite at both sportsbooks. Only Texas, which faces No. 4 Arizona State, is a bigger favorite among the quarterfinal matchups at 13.5 points.

Georgia and No. 7 Notre Dame will be the final CFP game on New Year’s Day. The Bulldogs opened as 1.5-point favorites at DraftKings, while BetRivers installed Georgia as a 3.0-point favorite.

The road to a national title will require one of the remaining teams to reel off three consecutive victories. For Texas, Penn State, Notre Dame and Ohio State, that will mean winning four playoff games — although each of them won their first-round matchups handily.

NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP ODDS*
Texas (+340)
Ohio State (+380)
Oregon (+400)
Penn State (+475)
Georgia (+550)
Notre Dame (+550)
Boise State (+7000)
Arizona State (+7000)
*DraftKings

–Field Level Media

An decal in recognition of former Oregon defensive back Khyree Jackson and tight end Spencer Webb adorns helmets during the Ducks’ fall camp Tuesday, Aug. 6, 2024, at the Hatfield-Dowlin Complex in Eugene, Ore.

5-star signee Dallas Wilson asks Oregon for release

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Florida could get another chance to sign in-state wide receiver Dallas Wilson, a five-star Class of 2025 prospect.

Wilson, from Tampa Bay Tech, signed with Oregon on Dec. 4, the first day of the early signing period. But 247Sports reported Thursday that Wilson has had second thoughts and is asking Oregon to release him from his commitment.

247Sports reported that, according to Wilson’s agency, the receiver will pick Florida if granted his release.

The 247Sports composite ranks him as the No. 4 wide receiver and No. 20 overall player in the class.

Several recruiting analysts had predicted Wilson would flip from Oregon to Florida earlier this month. He had been committed to the Ducks since Jan. 17, 2023, taking an official visit there in June 2024 and to Florida on Nov. 22.

The Ducks are on the clock. Wilson reportedly asked for his release Tuesday, and Oregon has 48 hours to respond.

A 6-foot-3 speedster, Wilson also runs track and was part of his school’s 4×400 relay team that qualified for the state competition in his junior year.

With Wilson on the commitment list, Oregon has the No. 2-ranked class in the nation, per 247Sports, narrowly ahead of Alabama.

–Field Level Media

Oregon Ducks quarterback Dillon Gabriel (8) throws a pass Saturday, Dec. 7, 2024, during the Big Ten Championship game between the Oregon Ducks and the Penn State Nittany Lions at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. The Ducks defeated the Nittany Lions, 45-37.

College Football Playoff betting guide: First-round odds, title favorites

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Sunday’s inaugural 12-team College Football Playoff bracket reveal officially set the stage for the most anticipated postseason the sport has ever seen.

Eight more spots in the playoff field have created two extra rounds to determine a national champion, which could come from the Big Ten, the Southeastern Conference or even the Mountain West!

Now that the initial matchups are set, it’s time to examine the FanDuel odds for the first-round games and, of course, the latest national championship odds.

CFP Bracket: Odds for First-Round Games

Oregon’s win over Penn State in the Big Ten championship locked the Ducks into the No. 1 seed, while Georgia’s overtime triumph over Texas for the SEC crown moved the Bulldogs up to No. 2.

Boise State slotted in at No. 9 in the final CFP rankings but is the No. 3 seed thanks to its win over UNLV in the Mountain West championship.

With SMU losing to Clemson in the Atlantic Coast Conference title game, No. 12-ranked Arizona State is the four seed after it throttled Iowa State to win the Big 12.

The top four teams get a bye, with the 5-12 seeds meeting in the first round.

12-seed Clemson (+330) vs. 5-seed Texas (-11.5)

Texas was favored to win the SEC and lock down a top-four seed, but Clemson was not expected to beat SMU for the ACC title. The Longhorns will therefore hunt redemption, while Dabo Swinney’s team is essentially playing with house money.

The winner will face Arizona State in the Peach Bowl.

9-seed Tennessee (+215) vs. 8-seed Ohio State (-7.5)

The third-highest-ranked team from the SEC (No. 7 Tennessee) will face off with the third-highest-ranked squad from the Big Ten (No. 6 Ohio State). This game brings the Buckeyes a chance at redemption for their embarrassing loss to Michigan to end the regular season.

The winner will travel to the Rose Bowl to play Oregon.

11-seed SMU (+240) vs. 6-seed Penn State (-7.5)

Concerns over strength of schedule dog both teams. Both have 11-2 records and were runners-up in their respective conferences. Penn State’s only win over a ranked opponent was against then-No. 19 Illinois in Week 4, while SMU has knocked off then-No. 22 Louisville and then-No. 18 Pittsburgh.

The winner will meet Boise State in the Fiesta Bowl.

10-seed Indiana (+230) vs. 7-seed Notre Dame (-7.5)

The Hoosiers may be the biggest surprise in college football this season, although their inclusion came with a few concerns over the strength of their schedule. After falling flat in a potential statement game against then-No. 2 Ohio State on Nov. 23, Indiana can prove its might against a Fighting Irish squad that won its last 10 games.

The winner will take on Georgia in the Sugar Bowl.

National Championship Odds and Picks

Oregon was the betting favorite (odds via FanDuel) prior to the final rankings reveal at +230. Post-reveal, Texas and Georgia are co-favorites at +360, followed by Oregon at +380, Ohio State at +500 and Penn State at +600.

Boise State is the biggest long shot at +7500 despite having a first-round bye. Like Boise State, Arizona State saw its odds go from +3500 to +6000 even though it doesn’t play until the quarterfinals.

The Picks are In…

First-Round Best Bet: Indiana-Notre Dame UNDER 51.5-both teams have solid offenses but will find it difficult to move the ball against the other’s defense.

Upset Special: Clemson (+340) over Texas-Cade Klubnik will have his hands full against the Texas secondary, but the Clemson defense could be up for the challenge against Quinn Ewers and the Longhorns offense.

National Championship Winner: Favorite-Oregon +380; Dark Horse-Notre Dame +1200; Long Shot-Arizona State +6000

–Field Level Media