What joining the Big Ten means from an Oregon fan and media perspective
The Big Ten expanded again to make a pod of four teams on the West Coast. Oregon, UCLA, USC and Washington will begin play in 2024, so developments are moving fast and we are left to figure out what it all means.
For Ohio State and Big Ten fans, there’s plenty of reasons to get excited about these additions. Of course, there are also reservations because of tradition being shucked aside and all that comes with such a change at breakneck speed.
We have colleagues who used to call the now defunct Pac-12 home, and we thought it would be good to check in with them to see how this news is being ingested.
We’re starting with our friends at Ducks Wire to see what the temperature is up in the Pacific Northwest. What’s the excitement level over joining the Big Ten? What do Ducks’ fans think of Ohio State? And what are some things OSU fans should know about Oregon?
Ducks Wire publisher/editor Zachary Neel sat down with us to answer some questions that may interest you on those topics and more and we are sharing his comments with you.
And, if you missed it, we did the same for Oregon fans to let them know a little bit more about life in the Big Ten, some things about Ohio State and what Buckeye fans think of Nike U.
On how Oregon fans are taking the news of joining the Big Ten
(Buckeyes Wire): What is the overall feeling of Ducks fans when it comes to joining the Big Ten? Is it more excitement, reservations, or both?
(Zachary Neel, Ducks Wire): I think for the most part, Oregon fans are pretty thrilled about the move from the Pac-12 to the Big Ten. There is always going to be a subset of fans who are not too happy about it, relishing the history and tradition of the Pac-12.
But even those fans would agree that when you look at the options Oregon had placed in front of them, this was really the only logical move that was available to them. There are a lot of pros and cons to the move, but I think the initial excitement about joining the Big Ten is winning out at the moment.
On the Ducks fans having a little rivalry with Ohio State
BW: OK, the schedule has yet to be hammered out, but either way, Oregon will be playing Ohio State far more often than it did before. You have told me in the past that Ducks fans believe they have a bit of a rivalry with OSU. What do you think led to that?
Zachary Neel: In order to understand Oregon’s perceived rivalry with Ohio State, I think you have to dig into psyche of Duck fans. Oregon has been close to winning that elusive national championship a number of times; twice they’ve lost the national championship game, and several other times they’ve tripped up just a game or two away from a championship berth.
The Buckeyes are a team that’s gotten in the way before, notably in the 2015 College Football Playoff final. Until 2021, Oregon was never able to get past their Ohio State problem, which fed into the narrative that the Ducks couldn’t play with the big boys. Oregon’s 2021 victory over tOSU was among the biggest wins in program history, because it put the Ducks over the hump at long last. Now it’s about regularly competing with the Buckeyes, which is a whole other beast to grapple with.
On whether Oregon fans have any dislike for Michigan
BW: Michigan. Can we all agree to hate the Wolverines or do Oregon fans have more of a dislike for Ohio State than TTUN? And I guess kind of on that same subject, what do Ducks fans think of the OSU program right now?
Zachary Neel: To be honest, I don’t think Oregon fans hold any hatred towards Michigan at the moment, but a lot of that is based on the fact that the last two times the Ducks have faced the Wolverines — in 2003 and 2007 — they won in thrilling fashion.
It’s kind of like a “been there, done that, but we’re completely fine holding onto these decades-old bragging rights and not having to do that again” mentality, in my opinion. Should Michigan beat Oregon in their next meeting, I’m sure a hatred will be sparked with ease.
Ohio State, on the other hand, is a different story for Duck fans. I think that because of Oregon and Ohio State’s recent history, and the losses in both the 2010 Rose Bowl and 2015 national championship, there are much stronger feelings. However, I wouldn’t call it a hatred after the 2021 win in Columbus. I think, as you’ve said to me before about OSU fans, there is a lot of respect there. Duck fans want to be on the same level with Ohio State — that sort of yearly relevance is the mountaintop for Oregon.
On Oregon's rivalries with Oregon State and Washington
BW: Ohio State fans know a big rivalry obviously, but tell Buckeye fans a little about Washington and Oregon and how that differs from the “Civil War” with Oregon State which is sadly in limbo now. And yes, we know both schools prefer to no longer have it called that, but still.
Zachary Neel: There’s an age-old debate in Oregon about who the Ducks’ biggest rival is: Washington or Oregon State. The more competitive rivalry is against the Huskies, where both Oregon and Washington have been nationally prominent, but largely at different times. From 2004-2015, Oregon beat Washington 12-straight times, which is a stat that Duck fans still dine on regularly. Since then, though, the rivalry has been extremely competitive, with both teams knocking the other off in upset fashion multiple times.
The rivalry against Oregon State is different. The Beavers (also frequently known as “Little Brother” for Oregon fans) have less-frequently punched in the same weight class as the Ducks. That doesn’t mean that they haven’t gotten their shots in — we don’t need to talk about what happened in 2022 — but a game against Oregon State causes less stress for Oregon fans than a game against Washington, simply because the Beavers typically haven’t been as good. With all of that said, though, I think a loss against the Beavers hurts more than a loss to the Huskies.
And a quick note on the “Civil War” name: I think that a majority of Oregon and Oregon State fans would love for that rivalry name to be reinstated. While there are respectable reasons for the name being removed a few years ago following the riots across the nation, some fans feel that removing the “Civil War” name might have been overkill. In the past year or so, I’ve heard a growing group of the population return to calling it the Civil War, and I think in the future it could return to that full-time.
On the excitement of traveling and visiting new Big Ten locations
BW: One of the things I think a lot of people are excited about with expansion is the chance to travel and experience new venues. What stadium/town do you think Oregon fans might be the most excited to visit in the new and improved Big Ten?
Zachary Neel: A few years ago the answer would have undoubtedly been going to Columbus and playing in the Horseshoe, but we’ve been able to cross that off the list. I was at that game up in the press box (and down on the field for the fourth quarter) and it is an experience that I will never forget. I think the next one on the list has to be a game in Happy Valley against Penn State. Experiencing a white-out atmosphere is something I think every Duck fan is looking forward to.
On Oregon football traditions
BW: For Ohio State fans, tell us about some of the main traditions Oregon has. The one most are probably familiar with is “Shout” at the end of the 3rd quarter, but what else?
Zachary Neel: ‘Shout!’ is definitely the No. 1 tradition for Oregon, but I don’t know that a lot of people outside of Eugene are familiar with why. The famous movie “Animal House” was filmed on the Eugene campus back in 1977, so there are close ties with Otis Day and the Knights at Oregon. After the 2014 Rose Bowl victory over Florida State, a group of the most notable Oregon alumni — Ahmad Rashad, Dan Fouts, Joey Harrington, Ashton Eaton, Neil Everrett, etc. — got together and filmed a remake of the video with Otis Day and the Knights for a Nike ad.
It was meant to be aired after the Ducks won the national championship against Ohio State with the words “Just Did It.” Of course, that never aired, unfortunately for some members of this conversation. Still, it is played after every third quarter on the big screen in Autzen Stadium, and is one of the highlights for fans.
There are other traditions in Eugene, such as the Harley Davidson carrying The Duck onto the field in front of the team every game, or stadium announcer Don Essig proclaiming that “It Never Rains in Autzen Stadium” before every game (I will tell you that despite this sentiment, Buckeye fans should definitely bring rain gear to Eugene). But none of those are as notable as ‘Shout!’
On the atmosphere in Autzen Stadium
BW: You always hear about the great environment surrounding game days in Autzen Stadium. What makes it so unique/special?
Zachary Neel: I think the coolest thing about Autzen Stadium and the surrounding environment is that it really isn’t that big, but it feels big and sounds big. While the Big House and the Horseshoe hold over 100,000 fans, Autzen has a capacity of just 54,000. Despite that, it is widely regarded as one of the loudest and most hostile environments in the nation by coaches and players. That smaller venue allows a more intimate feel, and the college-town atmosphere in Eugene make it so the city is buzzing on Saturdays in the fall, especially when the Ducks are good.
On hotspots to hit up for good food in Eugene
BW: Give us your best places to eat if an OSU fan were coming to Eugene to watch the Bucks and Ducks play.
Zachary Neel: If you want to experience the history of Eugene, you’ve got to stop in at Tracktown Pizza. Oregon has been nicknamed ‘Tracktown, USA’ for decades now because of the prominence of Hayward Field, the birth of Nike, and the legend of Steve Prefontaine.
Tracktown Pizza is located across the street from Matthew Knight Arena, and just a block away from Hayward Field. It is also not a far walk from Autzen. It is decked out in Oregon lore and a must-visit for traveling fans. For more nightlife, you’ll want to head over to Rennie’s Landing, Webfoot Bar and Grill, and Max’s Tavern on campus. Those places are fun to be at after a game.
On the favorite uniform combinations for Oregon
BW: I don’t know that we can talk about Oregon without touching on all the different uniform combinations that are available. What is the preferred ensemble from the helmet down Ducks fans seem to like the most (I realize this may be hard and a matter of opinion).
Zachary Neel: I thought you’d never ask. Obviously, opinions are going to differ a ton based on who you talk to, but personally I am a huge fan of any combination that includes apple green jerseys and white pants (yes, when you are a fan of the Ducks, you have to be specific about shades of green, because they use several) or yellow jerseys and white pants.
There have been “Breast Cancer Awareness” uniforms over the past few years that deploy pink, which are always a fan favorite, but the population is usually split.
Overwhelmingly, though, I think the GOAT of all Oregon uniforms ever worn came on Oct. 18, 2014 against the Washington Huskies — a throwback uniform that has only ever been worn once. Look it up (see below) and you’ll understand why it is widely regarded as the best uniform in Oregon history.
Getting to know some of Oregon's best players and coach
BW: Who would be on the Mount Rushmore of Oregon football players, and what coach would climb up and sit there to sit in the picture with them?
Zachary Neel: Building an Oregon Mount Rushmore is difficult, because you have two really distinct eras of Duck football: Pre-Mike Bellotti and Post Mike Bellotti. For a long time in the 20th century, the Ducks were not good. They had some great players come through, like Dan Fouts, Norm Van Brocklin, Dave Wilcox, Gary Zimmerman, etc.
However, they never won much. Since the turn of the century, it’s been a different story. Guys like Joey Harrington, Dennis Dixon, LaMichael James, Marcus Mariota and Justin Herbert now stand as the most notable names.
If I had to pick four names, I’d say it’s Marcus Mariota, Joey Harrington, Dan Fouts, and LaMichael James. Coaching them would be Chip Kelly, who was undoubtedly the best coach Oregon has ever had, despite his only being in Eugene for a handful of years.
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