Oregon

College Football Playoff projections: Oregon strengthens its hold as several teams tumble

Published

7 months ago

November 4, 2024

College Football Playoff projections: Oregon strengthens its hold as several teams tumble

The first College Football Playoff rankings come out on Tuesday, so it is probably appropriate that this weekend’s slate of games throws one last monkey wrench into the mix.

Clemson seemed like it was heading for a battle with Miami for ACC supremacy but faltered. Now, darkhorse SMU is emerging as the biggest threat.

Texas A&M was the last unbeaten in the SEC and it was throttled by South Carolina, so that one is up for grabs, too.

About the only thing that seems to be a sure thing is Boise State as the Group of Five representative.

BYU, Texas and Notre Dame all were off.

Our top four teams haven’t changed: Oregon, Georgia, Miami and BYU. But there is plenty of movement elsewhere. The top four conference champions earn first-round byes. There has to be a Group of 5 school. This is what our 12-team field would look like if the season ended today.

1. Oregon (9-0, 6-0)

The Ducks got an efficient performance from Dillon Gabriel and coasted to a 38-17 win over Michigan in Ann Arbor. Gabriel went 22-for-34 for 294 yards with a touchdown and sprinted home 23 yards for one that gave Oregon an 18-point halftime lead. Jordan James ran for 117 yards and the Ducks never looked back.

Last week: 1. Next: vs. Maryland on Saturday.

2. Georgia (7-1, 5-1)

The Bulldogs had a tougher-than-expected time with rival Florida but ended up with a 34-20 victory. The contest was even at 20 midway through the fourth quarter, but the Bulldogs went ahead for good on a 10-yard touchdown pass from Carson Beck to Dominic Lovett with 4:01 to go. Beck threw for 309 yards but was intercepted three times.

Last week: 2. Next: at Mississippi on Saturday.

3. Miami (9-0, 5-0)

The Hurricanes were challenged early but ended up with a 53-31 win over Duke. The Hurricanes trailed 28-17 but rallied. Miami scored the last 21 points of the contest, two of those coming on touchdown passes by Cam Ward who threw for 400 yards and five touchdowns on the day. Ward now has 29 touchdown passes, tying Steve Walsh’s Hurricanes single-season record set in 1988.

Last week: 3. Next: at Georgia Tech on Saturday.

4. BYU (8-0, 5-0)

The Cougars had a week off to brace for their in-state rival, Utah, which has had the better of the battle of late. This appears to be a season BYU can exact some revenge and keep its conference title hopes alive, not to mention further its cause for a playoff berth.

Last week: 4. Next: at Utah on Saturday.

5. Ohio State (7-1, 4-1)

The Buckeyes held Penn State to 270 total yards and got some timely field goals in hanging on for a 20-13 win in a Big Ten battle of title contenders. Ohio State led 14-10 at the half and neither team was able to score a touchdown in the second. The Buckeyes got field goals of 46 and 39 yards from Jayden Fielding to give them some breathing room.

Last week: 8. Next: vs. Purdue on Saturday.

6. Texas (7-1, 3-1)

The Longhorns had a bye and, with Texas A&M losing, remained in the hunt for a berth in the SEC championship game. Texas A&M was the last unbeaten in the conference.,

Last week: 6. Next: vs. Florida on Saturday

7. Tennessee (7-1, 4-1)

The Volunteers chalked up a 28-18 win over Kentucky with Nico Iamaleava throwing for 292 yards. Kentucky led 10-7 at the half, but Tennessee scored two touchdowns in the third quarter to take the lead for good. Tennessee had 478 yards total offense and benefited from three Kentucky turnovers.

Last week: 11 Next: vs. Mississippi State on Saturday.

8. Notre Dame (7-1)

The Fighting Irish had a bye and will be looking to extend their win streak to seven games next weekend. They had that early loss to Northern Illinois but have slowly crept back into the picture, but as an independent are not eligible for a first-round bye.

Last week: 12. Next: vs. Florida State on Saturday.

9. Boise State (7-1, 4-0)

Sophomore quarterback Maddux Madison threw for a career-high 307 yards and four touchdowns and Ashton Jeanty ran for 149 and two touchdowns as the Broncos cruised to a 56-24 win over San Diego State in Mountain West Conference play Friday. It was Jeanty’s eighth straight game of 100 yards or more, breaking the school record set by Jay Ajayi in 2014. Boise State’s lone loss was a 37-34 setback at now-No. 1 Oregon on Sept. 7.

Last week: 9. Next: vs. Nevada on Saturday.

10. Penn State (7-1, 4-1)

The Nittany Lions were upended by Ohio State 20-13, with their hopes of reaching the Big Ten championship dealt a serious blow. A berth in the the 12-team College Football Playoff still looks to be on solid ground. Penn State’s last win over Ohio State came in 2016. Penn State converted only three of 11 third-down tries and managed only 270 yards total offense.

Last week: 5. Next: vs. Washington on Saturday.

11. Clemson (6-2, 5-1)

The Tigers were soundly beaten by Louisville 33-21 and, with Miami and SMU still unbeaten, that is a significant setback for their ACC championship aspirations. It marked the first win over Clemson by Louisville in nine tries. Clemson saw its six-game win streak snapped, with its other loss being in the season opener against Georgia.

Last week: 8. Next: at Virginia Tech on Saturday

12. Indiana (9-0, 6-0)

Are the Hoosiers for real? It remains to be seen. There is no Penn State on the schedule. No Oregon or USC, either, so they have benefited from a light schedule. Indiana beat Michigan State 47-10 but that’s another mediocre foe at best. We’re pumping the brakes on boosting them too high, and the only reason they’re in is the number of losses by teams previously ahead of them in the pecking order.

Last week: Not ranked: Next: vs. Michigan

Dropped out: Texas A&M (7-2, 5-1, lost to South Carolina 44-20)

Bubble watch: Iowa State (7-1, 4-1, lost to Texas Tech 23-22), Kansas State (7-2, 4-2, lost to Houston 24-19), Pittsburgh (7-1, 3-1, lost to SMU 48-25), Alabama (6-2, 3-2, had a bye).

What the bracket would look like:

No. 12 Indiana vs. No. 5 Ohio State

No. 9 Boise State vs. No. 8 Notre Dame

No. 11 Clemson vs. No. 6 Texas

No. 10 Penn State vs. No. 7 Tennessee

That would give us quarterfinals

No. 12 Indiana-No. 5 Ohio State winner vs. No. 4 BYU

No. 9 Boise State-No. 8 Notre Dame winner vs. No. 1 Oregon

No. 11 Clemson-No. 6 Texas winner vs. No. 3 Miami

No. 10 Penn State-No. 7 Tennessee winner vs. No. 2 Georgia

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Oregon

Wasco County wildfire continues to grow, burning 3,000 acres

Published

2 hours ago

May 28, 2025

Press Room

Wasco County wildfire continues to grow, burning 3,000 acres

In this photo provided by Wheeler County Fire & Rescue, a firefighter looks on as the Butte Creek Fire burns on a hillside near Clarno, Ore.

Wheeler County Fire & Rescue

A wildfire that started in unincorporated Wasco County over the weekend grew to nearly 1,800 acres, fire officials said Monday morning. The fire continued to grow to 3,000 acres as of that evening.

The Butte Creek Fire was first reported just before 3 p.m. on Sunday on the east side of the John Day River, just north of Clarno, Oregon.

The fire is burning on private and U.S. Bureau of Land Management lands. Investigators haven’t said yet what caused the fire. No closures or evacuations were in place as of Tuesday morning.

Officials urged boaters in the general area to use caution, as helicopters could be pulling water out of the John Day River to help fight the fire.

The Butte Creek Fire is the first large wildfire of 2025 in Oregon.

Earlier this month, Gov. Tina Kotek announced that Oregon is expected to have a hot and dry summer, setting up a potentially devastating wildfire season ahead.

Parts of the state benefited from decent snowpack and rainfall this winter, Kotek said. But early precipitation in the season could mean that grasses, brush and other vegetation dry out early and become wildfire fuel.

In this photo provided by Wheeler County Fire & Rescue, the Butte Creek Fire burns on a hillside near Clarno, Ore. The fire was first reported on May 25, 2025.
*Wheeler County Fire & Rescue*

Oregon’s in store for a bad wildfire season. But state officials aren’t worried about federal staffing

The wildfire season in the Pacific Northwest can last from May through October, but it’s typically at its most intense from July to September. During that time, firefighting resources may be stretched thin as crews fight several big fires at once.

Last year, Oregon saw its most destructive fire season since record keeping began in 1992, with nearly 2 million acres burned.

By late July 2024, the state had become the nation’s top firefighting priority. At one point that August, there were more than 13,000 firefighters battling Oregon blazes.

More than 1,000 wildfires burned across the state that year, including six “megafires” that at their peaks had fire perimeters larger than 100,000 acres each.

Record 2024 Oregon wildfire season keeps NWS meteorologists extremely busy

For news coverage and essential resources to help you stay informed and safe during wildfire events in the Pacific Northwest, visit opb.org/wildfires/.

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Oregon

Oregon’s first large wildfire of season, the Butte Creek Fire, mapped at 1,776 acres

Published

20 hours ago

May 27, 2025

Press Room

Oregon’s first large wildfire of season, the Butte Creek Fire, mapped at 1,776 acres

Oregon’s first major wildfire of the season, the Butte Creek Fire, has been mapped at 1,776 acres burning on the John Day River 9 miles north of Clarno in eastern Oregon as of May 27.

Firefighters were suppressing the blaze with multiple crews, engines, dozers and aircraft.

No evacuations or closures were in place. However, boaters on the popular stretch of the John Day River “are being asked to use caution as helicopters will continue dipping water out of the John Day River today,” according to Central Oregon Fire Information.

The fire was burning mostly in grass and rangeland forest.

Oregon is forecast to see the hottest temperatures of the season so far over the coming week, with temperatures reaching 90 degrees in eastern Oregon.

Zach Urness has been an outdoors reporter in Oregon for 18 years and is host of the Explore Oregon Podcast. He can be reached at zurness@StatesmanJournal.com or (503) 399-6801. Find him on X at @ZachsORoutdoors and BlueSky at oregonoutdoors.bsky.social.

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Oregon

Ohio State Buckeyes, Ryan Day Have Chance to Flip 5-Star Oregon Commit

Published

2 days ago

May 26, 2025

Press Room

Ohio State Buckeyes, Ryan Day Have Chance to Flip 5-Star Oregon Commit

The Ohio State Buckeyes are always on the look to add 5-star talent, and they may get another chance at one that has already committed to Oregon.

It appears that while Richard Wesley has committed to Oregon, which he did earlier this month, things may not be all sunshine in paradise as he’s still looking to take visits elsewhere. Wesley has an offer from 24 programs, so he really will have the picking of his choice when it comes to where he’ll play his collegiate ball.

Wesley plays for Sierra Canyon High School and is from Chatsworth, CA. He is a four-star recruit in 247Sports player rating system but then jumps to a five-star recruit in their composite scoring, sitting at the No. 2 EDGE rusher in the Class of 2026.

Ohio State is apparently going to get a shot at Wesley as he is going to take an official visit to Columbus. Texas, Texas A&M and Oregon are the other programs that he will have an official visit to as well per On3’s Hayes Fawcett.

The Buckeyes visit is set to be on August 30, and if you keep up with the Ohio State football schedule, that’s going to come just in time for Columbus to host the Buckeyes versus the Longhorns for Week 1 college football action.

Ohio State had an opportunity to recruit Zion Elee, the top defensive end in the class, but he committed to Maryland. The Buckeyes do appear to be the favorite for Cincere Johnson but don’t have a top-five defensive end in the Class of 2026 set to come to Columbus. Adding a player like Wesley, especially from a Big Ten rival like Oregon, would be a huge get for Matt Patricia and the Buckeyes defense.

That’s just another reason why Ohio Stadium is going to have to be rocking on August 30!

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