Oregon

Big Ten power rankings after Week 3: Tons of shuffling behind top-tier

Published

2 years ago

September 15, 2024

Big Ten power rankings after Week 3: Tons of shuffling behind top-tier

It wasn’t the most exciting week of college football, but the highlights came with the two former Pac-12 teams taking on their historical rivals who remain in the conference.

Oregon took awhile but it finally looked like Oregon as it upended Oregon State in stunning fashion. Washington, however, fell to Wazzu, unable to convert on the goal line with a minute to go, down one score. Wisconsin had its big showdown with Alabama and learned just how far away they are from being a championship contender in Luke Fickell’s second year. Michigan looked better against an overmatched opponent — for a half. But it still looks completely unready for the schedule that lies ahead. Indiana under Curt Cignetti continues to impress, MSU looked competent and functional against an FCS opponent, and Purdue got blown out by an angry Notre Dame team.

Ohio State, Penn State, USC, and Rutgers all had early bye weeks.

With all of that said, here is how we’d rank the Big Ten now that Week 3 is in the books.

Photo: Isaiah Hole

Record: 1-1

Hi/Lo: 16/18

Change: -1

Last game: Loss vs. Notre Dame, 7-66

Biggest win: vs. Indiana State, 49-0

The Boilermakers didn’t even come close to doing what NIU was able to do a week ago, showing just how overmatched they are against a team with a pulse. The whole of the run and pass game were bad, and the whole of the defense was bad. Perhaps they’ll fare better next week against a rebuilding Oregon State team that was just as overmatched on Saturday..

Marco Garcia-USA TODAY Sports

Record: 1-1

Hi/Lo: 17/18

Change: +1

Last game: Loss vs. Indiana, BLANK

Biggest win: at Hawaii, 16-13

It’s amazing how quickly UCLA fell off the map. Last year, there were stretches where the Bruins were ranked under the tutelage of Chip Kelly. But this team is not that. Indiana looked dominant against this Bruins team and it looks like what Indiana used to.

Photo: Isaiah Hole

Record: 2-1

Hi/Lo: 12/16

Change: –

Last game: Win vs. Eastern Illinois, 31-7

Biggest win: vs. Miami (Ohio), 13-6

It was exactly what Northwestern needed after the first two weeks, a ho-hum victory over an FCS team. Jack Lausch was excellent at QB and he found former Michigan WR A.J. Henning early and often for 117 yards. The run game was very good as was the defense.

Photo: Isaiah Hole

Record: 2-1

Hi/Lo: 9/15

Change: -2

Last game: Win at Virginia, 27-13

Biggest win: vs. UConn, 50-7

Virginia is no joke of a team, but Maryland envisions a future when it can take down a middling ACC team with ease. However, it wasn’t easy. Still, the Terps got it done in a back-and-forth game. It. wasa good bounce-back after the inexplicable loss to MSU.

Photo: Isaiah Hole

Record: 2-1

Hi/Lo: 14/15

Change: +1

Last game: Win vs. Nevada, 27-0

Biggest win: vs. Rhode Island, 48-0

Nevada is a bad Mountain West team but Minnesota looked functional moving back up from the FCS win last week. The run game and the defense reigned supreme which is the formula for PJ Fleck’s team. Not sure what the ceiling is here, but the Gophers are a tough team that could get some momentum in Big Ten play.

Robert Goddin-USA TODAY Sports

Record: 3-0

Hi/Lo: 13/16

Change: +1

Last game: Win vs. UCLA, 42-13

Biggest win: vs. Western Illinois, 77-3

The Curt Cignetti effect is real. This is a fun team that is still figuring things out, but winning the first in-conference game is a sign of real improvement. Not to mention, when was the last time Indiana won a conference game by 29 points? The defense played very well and it will be interesting to see what the Hoosiers do against better Big Ten teams. That will wait another week as Charlotte is on deck next.

Nick King-Lansing State Journal

Record: 3-0

Hi/Lo: 13/16

Change: –

Last game: Win vs. Prairie View A&M, 40-0

Biggest win: vs. Maryland, 27-24

MSU was impressive, albeit against a bad FCS team. Though it was very good in all phases of the game, it’s difficult to really ascertain what this team is given the past three games. The only team with a pulse it’s faced has been Maryland, and that’s a team that appears to be on a downswing. But the Spartans did what they were supposed to and we’ll know more when they face a resurgent Boston College team next week.

Photo: Isaiah Hole

Record: 2-1

Hi/Lo: 10/11

Change: -1

Last game: Loss vs. Alabama, 10-42

Biggest win: vs. Western Michigan, 28-14

Wisconsin tried to beat Alabama, and it failed miserably! So the lesson here is never try. Joking aside, it’s difficult to take on a historically dominant team when your quarterback gets knocked out early in the game. The offense was OK considering, but couldn’t find the end zone. But the defense was overmatched by Jalen Milroe and what ended up being a stellar rushing attack by the Crimson Tide. Next week is the bye before hosting USC.

Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports

Record: 2-1

Hi/Lo: 9/10

Change: -1

Last game: Loss vs. Washington State, 19-24

Biggest win: vs. Weber State, 35-3

What a heartbreaker. Jedd Fisch literally had his team on the precipice only to call an ill-advised fourth down play on the goal line which could have given the Huskies the lead and likely the win. This was going to be a rebuilding year, but now we just know it for certain.

Photo: Isaiah Hole

Record: 3-0

Hi/Lo: 9/13

Change: +2

Last game: Win vs. Central Michigan, 30-9

Biggest win: vs. Kansas, 23-17

Illinois was impressive yet again, with the most important thing being that quarterback Luke Altmeyer still took care of the football. The run game needs some work and so might the run defense, but this is starting to more and more resemble that of Bret Bielema’s 2022 team rather than last year’s disappointing outfit.

Matthew Holst/Getty Images

Record: 2-1

Hi/Lo: 4/7

Change: -3

Last game: Win vs. Troy, 38-21

Biggest win: vs. Illinois State, 40-0

The good news is that the offense is functional. The bad news is the defense and special teams showed some uncharacteristic lapses. And that was all it took to make it a game. Iowa eventually ran away with it, but Troy kept the game interesting much longer than you’d expect. A road trip to Minnesota will be next.

Photo: Isaiah Hole

Record: 2-1

Hi/Lo: 3/7

Change: -1

Last game: Win vs. Arkansas State, 28-18

Biggest win: vs. Fresno State, 30-10

It was a tale of two halves, with Michigan looking like it was going to run away with this one, but with three interceptions by Davis Warren, Arkansas State disallowed the expected bludgeoning. The score is a bit of a paper tiger as Michigan was never in any danger and 15 points were scored on the third and fourth-string defense, but some of the same issues from the last two weeks continued to pop up. This team is undisciplined and we won’t really know what this team is capable of until it hosts USC next week. If Alex Orji starts, that could set the team on a different trajectory.

Photo: Isaiah Hole

Record: 2-0

Hi/Lo: 7/8

Change: +2

Last game: Win vs. Akron, 49-17

Biggest win: vs. Howard, 44-7

Rutgers was on bye this week but we moved them ahead of Michigan and Iowa due to both teams struggling with lesser teams. The Scarlet Knights at least look like they have a strong identity and ability within that.

Dylan Widger-USA TODAY Sports

Record: 3-0

Hi/Lo: 3/7

Change: -2

Last game: Win vs. Northern Iowa, 34-3

Biggest win: vs. Colorado, 28-10

Nebraska moves down, not because it deserves to, but because another team ahead of it deserved to move up. Beating up on Northern Iowa is expected, and the Huskers did what they were supposed to. But we don’t see them beating any of the teams ahead of it — and it’s not even clear if it would beat some of the ones below it.

Photo: Isaiah Hole

Record: 2-0

Hi/Lo: 2/4

Change: –

Last game: Win vs. Bowling Green, 34-27

Biggest win: at West Virginia, 34-12

Despite being on bye, we moved Nebraska beneath the Nittany Lions, because we think that Penn State had a bit of an aberration week last week. Kent State is up next.

Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

Record: 3-0

Hi/Lo: 1/6

Change: +2

Last game: Win vs. Oregon State, 49-14

Biggest win: vs. Oregon State, 49-14

Now that’s what we were expecting from Oregon all along! The offense was humming in both the run and the pass and the defense was stellar against the rival Beavers. If Oregon continues to play like it did against Oregon State and not how it did against the Idaho teams, it may live up to the lofty preseason expectations

Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports

Record: 2-0

Hi/Lo: 2/8

Change: –

Last game: Win vs. Utah State, 48-0

Biggest win: vs. LSU, 27-20

USC was on bye but has a big showdown with Michigan football in Ann Arbor next week.

Photo: Isaiah Hole

Record: 2-0

Hi/Lo: 1/2

Change: –

Last game: Win vs. Western Michigan, 56-0

Biggest win: vs. Western Michigan, 56-0

Ohio State was on bye this week but faces off against Marshall in Week 4.

Source link

Click to comment

Oregon

5-star QB Will Mencl reveals what led to Oregon commitment

Published

6 hours ago

April 23, 2026

Press Room

5-star QB Will Mencl reveals what led to Oregon commitment

The good times keep on rolling for the Oregon Ducks in the recruiting world. Dan Lanning and the Ducks scored a massive commitment from five-star quarterback Will Mencl out of Chandler, Arizona.

Oregon had been rumored to be leading the race for Mencl’s services for months, but the No. 1 quarterback in the country, per Rivals, cleared the air and committed to the Ducks on Wednesday evening. Mencl chose the Ducks over Auburn and Penn State, both of which battled hard for him down the stretch.

However, Mencl has been connected to Oregon for a long time. While he was offered last fall before breaking out in his junior season, Mencl has been a fan of the program long before he popped up on the Ducks’ recruiting radar. In a post shared by Rivals recruiting expert Steve Wiltfong, Mencl was announced as a quarterback for the Ducks when he was a kid at the 2019 NFL Draft fan experience in 2019.

Now, Mencl is ready to don the green and yellow for real and make his childhood dreams come true. The Ducks have made a point to get Mencl on campus as often as possible and as recently as last week. The continued connection between both sides is ultimately what made the decision easy for the nation’s top passer. Mencl said he told Lanning and the Oregon staff about his decision on Sunday.

“The biggest thing was the relationship with the staff,” Mencl said after committing. “I feel like that continued to grow over time, especially when I first got there last spring. Being able to sit down with Coach Koa, really being an underlooked guy at that time, and kind of blowing up my junior season. And then, the path to the NFL. You can’t deny what they do with quarterbacks and the type of scheme they run. I felt like that was the best fit for me and my family to get to the next level.”

Koa Ka’ai, Oregon’s new quarterback coach, made waves earlier in the offseason after his recruiting test about ice cream flavors went viral, but that doesn’t appear to have scared Mencl off. In fact, the two have a close connection that Oregon hopes will translate to success on the field in the near future.

“My relationship with Coach Koa, I feel like that is super, super strong,” Mencl told Rivals. “I’ve had a lot of discussions with Coach Lanning about the culture there and how they’re going to continue to sustain greatness throughout the program.”

Mencl exploded onto the national recruiting scene with a massive junior season for Chandler. He completed more than 70% of his passes for 3,815 yards and 33 touchdowns against five interceptions in his junior season, leading Chandler to a state title berth. He also rushed for 741 yards and an additional 17 touchdowns.

The Ducks expect to have some competition for Mencl to compete with when he joins the team for the 2027 season, with Dylan Raiola and Akili Smith Jr. already on the roster and competing for a role as the backup. Oregon has gone to the transfer portal as well in recent seasons, finding success with Bo Nix, Dillon Gabriel, and now Dante Moore.

Oregon has recruited well at quarterback in the past, establishing an NFL pedigree that attracted Mencl. Maybe he will be the one to buck the trend and give the Ducks a true, homegrown product under center.

Contact/Follow @Ducks_Wire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oregon Ducks news, notes, and opinions.

Source link

Oregon

Wine Enthusiast names 2 Oregon sparkling wines among best

Published

18 hours ago

April 22, 2026

Press Room

Wine Enthusiast names 2 Oregon sparkling wines among best

‘Pour in the largest glass you can find while slow dancing in your socks,’ a Wine Enthusiast contributor said of an Oregon wine

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – Wine Enthusiast released a list of the top 40 sparkling wines around the world in 2026 – highlighting two bottles of bubbly from Oregon.

“While it can seem like you need a fortune to enjoy high quality sparkling wine, you honestly don’t. Excellent affordable bubbles are being produced around the world, often in places you might not expect. Each of the selections on our inaugural Top 40 Sparkling Wines list delivers personality, freshness, and celebration for under $75,” Wine Enthusiast wrote.

Wine Enthusiast divided its list into separate sparkling categories including, Champagne, Italian Bollicine, American sparkling and bottles $25 and under.

Snagging a spot on the American sparkling list: Corollary Wines in McMinnville.

Corollary Wines’ 2021 Momtazi Carbonic Rose Pinot Noir scored a spot on Wine Enthusiast’s list of the top 40 sparkling wines of 2026 (Courtesy Corollary Wines).

Corollarly’s 2021 Momtazi Carbonic Rosé Pinot Noir scored 96 points from Wine Enthusiast.

“This is a Peter Max print of a wine, with vivid aromas and flavors to match the wine’s electric Kool-Aid color. It is filled to the brim with aromas and flavors of macerated strawberries, candied rose petals, apricots, and a bitter note similar to watermelon rind. Pour in the largest glass you can find while slow dancing in your socks,” wrote Wine Enthusiast contributor Michael Alberty.

The second Oregon winery to earn a spot on the list: Lytle-Barnett in Dundee.

Wine Enthusiast also gave Lytle-Barnett’s 2018 Brut Rosé Pinot Noir Chardonnay 96 points.

*Lytle-Barnett’s 2018 Brit Rose Pinot Noir Chardonnay was named among the top 40 sparkling wines of 2026 by Wine Enthusiast (Courtesy Lytle-Barnett, Lester Tsai).*

“Bubbles as persistent as an eight-year-old with a question deliver aromas of dried rose petals, macerated strawberries, and a touch of fresh hay and talc. This 70/30 Pinot Noir and Chardonnay blend is packed with flavors of lemon zest, Honeycrisp apple slices drizzled in caramel, and a dollop of raspberry,” Alberty wrote.

The nods to Corollary and Lytle-Barnett come as the wineries recently helped launch Method Oregon, a nonprofit made up of 50 Oregon wineries aiming to turn Oregon into a global sparkling wine destination.

Source link

Oregon

Man sentenced to 20 years for Oregon killing of girlfriend four decades ago

Published

1 day ago

April 22, 2026

Press Room

Man sentenced to 20 years for Oregon killing of girlfriend four decades ago

A 73-year-old man was sentenced on Tuesday to 20 years in prison for the 1983 killing of his then-girlfriend. It was a case that went unsolved for more than 40 years.

The sentence was announced by Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield.

In July 1983, Teresa Peroni, 27, was reported missing after attending a party in the Selma area of Josephine County southwest of Grants Pass. She was last seen walking in the woods with her boyfriend Marcus Sanfratello.

Authorities deemed Peroni’s disappearance suspicious, but they lacked evidence to bring charges against anyone.

In 1997, a human skull was found on private property near where Peroni disappeared. In 2024, authorities in Josephine County reopened the case. In addition to re-interviewing witnesses, they collected new DNA evidence to build a case against Sanfratello.

With the DNA, experts at the University of North Texas confirmed the skull was Peroni’s.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Man arraigned on murder charge in Oregon for death of then-girlfriend in 1980s cold case

A grand jury indicted Sanfratello of second-degree murder, on June 27, 2025.

Police arrested Sanfratello in Chico, California the next day. He was then extradited to Oregon to face the charge of murder.

Under a plea agreement, Sanfratello pleaded guilty to first-degree manslaughter.

He will serve at least 10 years in prison, Oregon’s attorney general’s office said.

“For Teresa Peroni’s family, this has been a 43-year wait for an answer they never should have had to wait for,” Rayfield said in a news release. “Cases like this remind us of why we don’t give up. It doesn’t matter how many years have passed — if someone took a life, we’re going to keep working until we can hold them accountable.”

Source link