Wisconsin new Big Ten rival makes headlines at media days with giant inflatable mascot

Wisconsin new Big Ten rival makes headlines at media days with giant inflatable mascot

The 2024 Big Ten football season will be highlighted by the conference’s change. That change includes the addition of former Pac-12 powers USC, UCLA, Oregon and Washington, who will all try to make strong first impressions when the season kicks off in late August.

Oregon is taking that idea of a first impression to the extreme. It began its first moments in the conference at Big Ten media days by sending a gigantic inflatable duck down the White River in downtown Indianapolis, Indiana.

Related: Where Wisconsin lands in USA TODAY Sports’ 2024 Big Ten football preseason poll

It was not a small rubber duck one would see at a playground or at the beach. Instead, it more resembled a large cargo ship — but in the form of Oregon’s famous mascot.

We have recently named the Oregon Duck the No. 1 mascot in the new expanded Big Ten Conference. A stunt like this one should only increase that prestige.

 

The Ducks football team are set to visit the Wisconsin Badgers on Nov. 16 in what will be one of the biggest games on Wisconsin’s schedule. The Badgers will be in search of a statement victory to establish the Luke Fickell era, while Oregon projects to be one of the sport’s true national title contenders.

This stunt is all fun and games. But Wisconsin fans should not accept a large inflated Oregon Duck on Lake Mendota or Monona leading up to the matchup between the two schools.

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