All eyes are on the new Big Ten Conference this season. The Ohio State Buckeyes have received much attention this offseason as a “Title or Bust” mantra booms through Columbus. However, one of the conference’s newcomers has a chance to rock the boat.
The Oregon Ducks will join the Big Ten and three other West Coast programs—Washington, UCLA, and USC—in the newly formed conference. Oregon boasts a lot of talent this year, so it’s no surprise that fans and pundits alike have high aspirations.
On Wednesday, long-time ESPN commentator Kirk Herbsterit joined The Pat McAfee Show and discussed the new Big Ten. Herbstreit focused on Oregon, who he considered a team to “watch out for” this season. Not just because of the damage they could do in the Big Ten but nationally as well. Herbstreit boldly claimed that he “might” consider picking the Ducks to win the National Championship.
“Look out for old Oregon. Look out for the Oregon Ducks,” Herbstreit said. “I may have Oregon winning it all,” he added. “If you may quote my ass, I said I may have Oregon winning it all.”
“Look out for the Oregon Ducks..
I may have them winning it all” ~ @KirkHerbstreit
WOW #PMSLive pic.twitter.com/2cHWVO6msy
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) July 24, 2024
While Oregon still seeks the program’s first football national championship, it has done almost everything else. Oregon has racked up 14 10-win seasons in the 2000s, which fittingly enough is when all of its 10-plus-win seasons occurred. The Ducks have made three Rose Bowl trips, winning two and eight conference championships.
In other words, if Oregon wins, they’ll have finally checked off the only box left.
About Chris Novak
Chris Novak has been talking and writing about sports ever since he can remember. Previously, Novak wrote for and managed sites in the SB Nation network for nearly a decade from 2013-2022