Not Another Conference Realignment Blog

Texas and Oklahoma have made quite a stir in the college football world this week. But it's all pretty easy to explain.

Texas and Oklahoma both told the Big XII that they’ve been unhappy for a while, that they will not renew their conference media rights in 2025, and all signs now point towards them both joining the SEC. 

And just like that, everyone’s favorite topic—conference realignment—has given us a great lead up to the melodrama that makes a college football season so wonderful.

I won’t go through all the speculation, and all the many millions of conference realignment scenarios that could come in the fallout of a massive move like this. The lesser bloggers can keep themselves busy with that. And the better one’s, too.

Instead, let’s ask a bigger question:

Why would Texas and Oklahoma leave a conference that only they can win, just to move to a super conference where they probably won’t even make the title game for the first six-to-ten years?

The answer? Money.

Okay. Sweet. That’s it. Good job, James. I’d say that about covers it.

And I’d compel you all to ignore any explanation other than that. TV rights, conference leadership, recruiting, et al. are just other ways of using more words when you could just use less words and say: money.

College football is on the verge of another true realignment period, and this UT/OU move is just the first domino to fall. And much like everything else in life, the richest among the group will get richer, and the less financially stable institutions will find themselves scrambling for whatever is left.

It’s a fucked system, it always has been. But don’t let anyone tell you it’s complicated. It’s simple. And it’s just about your bank account.

And as Duck fans, we have the great fortune of not having to wonder about where we fall on that spectrum.

Oregon’s firm financial foundation makes it safe to assume that the Ducks will ultimately profit from any big shift in the landscape of the sport—regardless of where all the chips fall at the end.

Am I saying that we should take pride in the fact that Oregon is going to get richer while schools like Wazzu and Oregon State will have much more to worry about? 

For sure not.

In fact, “The University of Oregon” getting richer really does nothing for us as individuals. ESPN might pay more attention to us, and more recruits might come to town, but in the end, it’s not like we get any of that new money.

I’m really just saying that the only thing us Duck fans have to worry about in terms of realignment is how it will affect the cost of that season ticket. Because the prospect of adding Oklahoma State, Texas Tech, TCU, and Baylor to the Pac-16 is only going to make those prices go up.

Now, onto more complex and interesting issues.

Kayvon Thibodeaux and Johnny Johnson III are going to be in LA for Pac-12 Media Day, and both of those picks make total sense to represent this 2021 team.

KT is the no-brainer. The NFL darling, the leader of a highly anticipated Oregon defense, and the creator of a new NFT along with Phil Knight and Tinker Hatfield.

And just like that—five sentences later—I’m back to talking about money.

An NFT from Kayvon Thibodeaux is just the tip of the iceberg, too. I’m personally loving all the wonderful things that have come out of the Name, Image, and Likeness Revolution already.

On literally the first day of NIL legalization, Sydney Parrish, Jas Sievers, and basically the entire Oregon o-line became “Barstool Athletes”—whatever the hell that means.

Kylee Watson came out with some highly questionable merch, but I respect the hustle.

And I paid Tyler Shough $42 to wish my cousin Andy a happy birthday on Cameo.

The Shough video was honestly kind of sad because I told him to wish Andy a happy birthday, but I also told him he had to forgive Andy for being critical of him while he was at Oregon. The resulting clip is a tough watch, but I deserved to be punished for paying $42 for a pseudo-hostage selfie greeting from Tyler Shough.

I don’t want to ruin everyone’s day by putting the #ShoughCut here, but rest assured, it was worth every penny in the end.

I equally do and don’t understand NFTs. But the thing I definitely know is that KT’s resulting income from the sale of the artwork is going to be a blip on his bank account when next April rolls around.

JJ3’s presence at Media Day is another no-brainer, in my opinion.

He’s the senior captain, he’s on the Biletnikoff watch list, and he made the huge decision to return to his team for one more go ‘round after a difficult, embattled, and wild covid year. He deserves all the glory we can give him.

Let’s keep selling his jersey (and start giving him a cut while we’re at it), let’s use Oregon’s massive social media platform to catapult every JJ3 highlight into the mainstream, and let’s absolutely give him the chance to represent his team at Pac-12 Media Day.

I promise, Cristobal’s picking Johnny isn’t an anti-Anthony Brown move, it’s simply a pro-JJ3 move.

So there you have it. Start pulling money out of your kids’ college plans so you can afford to pay for your tickets to the 2027 Pac-16 Title Game in Los Angeles AND for an exclusive $42 Cameo from Tyler Shough.

You can’t take it with you, after all.

Go Ducks.