Tag: Oregon

Nebraska softball takes down No. 23 Oregon

The Huskers took down the Ducks with a commanding 6-0 victory.

The Huskers entered the second day of the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic. Nebraska lost both games on its first day and faced off against No. 23 Oregon on the second day. The Huskers took down the Ducks with a commanding 6-0 victory.

Nebraska took the lead in the first inning, with Ava Bredwell and Bella Bacon delivering sacrificial hits to bring in two runs. Billie Andrews followed it up with a two-run home run in the third. Bredwell delivered an RBI double in the fifth to push Nebraska’s lead to 5-0. Samantha Bland concluded the Huskers’ scoring in the sixth, delivering a home run.

Sarah Harness started in the circle for Nebraska and faced 18 batters through 3.2 innings. Harness threw two strikeouts and surrendered just three hits. Kaylin Kinney pitched the rest of the game, facing 13 batters and surrendering only two hits.

Nebraska improves to 7-5 on the season and will conclude the tournament Sunday with a doubleheader against No. 20 Utah and Cal State Fullerton. The first game is set for 11 a.m. and the second is set for 1:30 p.m., with both games airing on FloSoftball.

Which Big Ten football team has the toughest conference schedule in 2024?

Wisconsin has one of the conference’s toughest schedules in 2024

The Big Ten football season is going to look different in 2024.

New additions USC, UCLA, Oregon and Washington bring more formidable opponents to the table. But more importantly, gone is the East-West Division model, replaced by a format of conference standings similar to that in basketball.

There are some blockbuster out-of-conference games to monitor before the conference slate begins this fall. Wisconsin hosts Alabama, USC faces LSU and Michigan meets Texas. Then begins the conference schedule, which is filled with big-time matchups every weekend.

So far this offseason we’ve already ranked all 18 programs in the Big Ten, ranked the 18 head coaches, predicted each Big Ten team’s 2024 record and checked in on the Las Vegas win totals for each team in the conference.

Now it’s time to take a look at each team’s 2024 conference schedule:

So, to rank each program’s 2024 Big Ten schedule as we preview the 2024 season we’ve taken each team’s ESPN SP+ rating and found numerical values for every game, and therefore every schedule.

The equation is simple. Every opponent’s SP+ rating is added together to find a Total Opponent Score. That large number is then divided by the nine conference games to find the Average Opponent Score — a number that can then be compared to the SP+ leaderboard to find the average quality of team each schedule contains.

Here is how each program’s 2024 Big Ten Conference schedule ranks, from easiest to most challenging:

Contact/Follow @TheBadgersWire on X (formerly Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes, and opinion. Follow Ben Kenney on X.

Must-see video: Bandon Dunes’ new par-3 course, Shorty’s, opens in May

Already home to one of the best par-3 courses, Bandon Dunes will open a new layout on wild dunes.

Bandon Dunes Golf Resort, to a large degree, reinvigorated par-3 courses at resorts around the U.S. – and the world. The Oregon resort’s Preserve – opened in 2012 with a design by Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw on cliffs above the Pacific Ocean – has proved to be a massive hit with guests looking for a non-traditional layout that promises plenty of fun. All five of the 18-hole courses on the property are among our top 11 resort courses on the Golfweek’s Best 2024 list.

[anyclip-media thumbnail=”https://cdn5.anyclip.com/0hfpm40BDdpiwYpCZ8HV/1707718071700_248x140_thumbnail.jpg” playlistId=”undefined” content=”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”][/anyclip-media]

In May, the Preserve will have a sibling. Bandon Dunes’ new 19-hole par-3 course, named Shorty’s, will open in wild dunes not far from Bandon Trails. Built by the WAC Golf team of Rod Whitman, Dave Axland and Keith Cutten, the layout will play down a large hill, around and through the dunes and back up to a new clubhouse. Holes will range from 60 to 160 yards.

Check out the accompanying video to learn more:

Feds offer $50,000 reward after 3 wolves are found dead in Oregon

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is hoping the large sum will help authorities catch those responsible for poaching three endangered wolves from the same pack.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is hoping that a $50,000 reward will help authorities catch and prosecute the person or persons responsible for killing three endangered wolves in Oregon.

An investigation was launched after Oregon State Police Fish and Wildlife troopers found the carcasses of two collared research wolves and an un-collared wolf last Dec. 29 in Klamath County.

All three wolves – a breeding adult female (OR115) and two subadults – belonged to the Gearhart Mountain Pack.

Troopers responded after Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife  biologists received mortality signals from the two collars.

The ODFW stated Friday in a news release: “ODFW and OSP are assisting USFWS in the investigation of three Gearhart Mountain Pack wolves found dead in late December.

“ODFW is aware of seven wolves remaining in the Gearhart Mountain Pack including the breeding male. ODFW continues to monitor these wolves.”

Neither agency revealed how the wolves were killed but the case is reminiscent of a 2021 case – also involving a $50,000 reward – centered around the poisoning deaths of all five members of the Catherine wolf pack.

Gray wolves are federally endangered in the western two-thirds of Oregon.

Anyone with potentially helpful information is asked to call the USFWS at (503) 682-6131, or the Oregon State Police Dispatch at (800) 452-7888. Tipsters can also text *OSP (*677), or email TIP@osp.oregon.gov.

Callers can remain anonymous.

–Generic gray wolf image courtesy of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Where Wisconsin Badgers stand in first expanded Big Ten 2024 recruiting rankings

Impressed with Luke Fickell’s first full class?

The class of 2024 recruiting cycle came to an official end this week with national signing day.

If you noticed a lack of ‘juice’ on that day, you’d be correct. Not only was  Wisconsin’s class fully constructed long before the day took place, but that was also the case with nearly every program across the country.

The early signing period in mid-December is now the one that sees much of the recruiting movement, with just a few top recruits waiting the extra two months to make their commitments.

Related: Where each Wisconsin Badgers signee finished in final class of 2024 recruiting rankings

The 2024 cycle that just concluded was a pivotal one for Luke Fickell and his Wisconsin program. Not only must the team improve upon its 7-6 2023 campaign, but the Big Ten has now expanded to 18 schools — and has welcomed in several powerhouses. The Badgers need talent more than ever if they want to grab a spot at the top of the conference.

Related: National Signing Day: Wisconsin football’s class of 2024 by position

With the 2024 recruiting cycle now concluded, here is where Fickell’s first full recruiting class stands compared to the rest of the new Big Ten:

Seahawks interviewed Chip Kelly for offensive coordinator job

According to Ben Solak, the team interviewed UCLA head coach Chip Kelly for the open offensive coordinator job.

New Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald is currently working on putting together his first staff in Seattle. So far we have received word of the team hiring Leslie Frazier as assistant head coach, Jay Harbaugh as special teams coordinator and Kirk Olivadotti as linebackers coach.

The most-important hire that Macdonald will be making in the coming days though is his offensive coordinator. So far we have only received reports of a couple of potential candidates, but last night a new contender stepped into the ring. According to Ben Solak, the team interviewed UCLA head coach Chip Kelly for the open offensive coordinator job.

Finding someone who has experience calling plays at this level is probably the right way to go for Macdonald, who intends to call defensive plays for now.

Kelly fits that bill just right. In addition to building up programs at Oregon and UCLA, he’s also been the head coach of the Eagles and the 49ers. His fast-paced offenses in Philadelphia had the league flummoxed for at least one season – when he and a loaded skill group made a star out of Nick Foles back in 2013. The competition eventually caught up though and Kelly didn’t stick around much longer. Still, Kelly is renowned for being one of the top offensive minds in the business.

Other candidates who the Seahawks are reported to be interested in include Alabama OC Ryan Grubb, Lions assistant Tanner Engstrand and Giants OC Mike Kafka, but he was blocked from interviewing with Seattle.

With the Saints reportedly hiring Klint Kubiak, the Seahawks are now the only team left without an OC.

More Seahawks Wire stories

Mock draft: Seahawks land Georgia TE Brock Bowers at 16

Ranking all 32 NFL teams by strength of schedule for 2024

Geno Smith takes heat on Twitter for his 3 Pro Bowl picks

Dolphins select Oregon OL in 1st round of NFL.com mock draft

Miami projected to grab Senior Bowl standout.

With the Pro Bowl now in the rearview there’s only the Super Bowl left on the calendar of the 2023 season before everyone moves on to 2024.

The 30 teams who aren’t going to be competing for a Lombardi Trophy have already flipped the page and have begun their preparations for the upcoming season, which starts with free agency and the draft.

This time of year, NFL mock drafts are coming out every day, and NFL.com’s Eric Edholm recently released his first of the year, which had the Miami Dolphins selecting Oregon offensive lineman Jackson Powers-Johnson with pick No. 21.

Here’s what Edholm had to say about the potential selection:

“Mike McDaniel’s offense could use an upgrade on the interior offensive line, and I believe Powers-Johnson has the movement skills and acumen to be effective inside at either guard or center. There’s not a ton of worry about the hamstring strain that caused JPJ to drop out of the Senior Bowl being a long-term issue.”

All three of Miami’s starters on the interior (Isaiah Wynn, Connor Williams and Robert Hunt) are set to hit free agency, and with their current cap situation, the Dolphins would be best suited to find some young, affordable talent in the draft to help bridge the gap for years to come.

Powers-Johnson was a standout at Senior Bowl practices before suffering that injury that Edholm mentioned, and he had a strong final season at Oregon last year.

According to Pro Football Focus, Powers-Johnson was the top center in college football last year, posting an 84.3 grade. In his three seasons with the Ducks, playing four different positions (left guard, center, right guard and right tackle), he allowed just four pressures and zero sacks in 758 pass-blocking opportunities.

That sounds like a guy who would fit well in Miami.

Way-too-early record predictions for every Big Ten football team in 2024

Way-too-early record predictions for every Big Ten football team in 2024 … things look a lot different:

A new era of Big Ten football begins this fall with four powerful brands joining the conference. No more Big Ten East and West divisions and no more Midwest-centric geography. Now the Big Ten reaches coast-to-coast and contains some of the biggest brands in the sport.

What this means for business has been discussed at length. What it means for competition within the conference is clear: The inventory of great games is expanding significantly, which also means tougher paths for nearly every member team.

Related: Power ranking all 18 Big Ten football programs after the 2023 season

A good sample: Oregon joins the Big Ten as one of the top three teams from the start — especially given its recruiting pedigree and recent performance under head coach Dan Lanning. The Ducks’ first year in the conference includes contests against UCLA, Michigan State, Ohio State, Michigan, Wisconsin and Washington. That is a tough path regardless of the program’s strength.

Related: Looking ahead to Wisconsin’s 2024 football schedule

So as we prepare for the new era of Big Ten football — and especially where the Wisconsin, Iowa and Nebraska-type programs fall — here are our way-too-early record predictions for every team in the conference:

Power ranking all 18 Big Ten football programs after the 2023 season

Agree with Wisconsin’s ranking?

The 2023 football season concluded this month and with it, so did the conference structure we’ve known for the last decade. Gone are the East and West divisions, and in come UCLA, USC, Washington and Oregon.

The structure of the conference is advancing like the landscape of college football — into an environment nobody can accurately predict.

What we do know is the Big Ten is now an 18-school conference with several football powerhouses on the way in. If it was already tough for Wisconsin, Iowa, Nebraska and Maryland to win conference titles, it just got nearly impossible.

Related: Looking ahead to Wisconsin’s 2024 football schedule

So as we look forward to 2024 and the next 10 years of Big Ten football, it’s time to properly rank every program:

Steelers HC Mike Tomlin gets close look at top center at Senior Bowl

Mike Tomlin seems really interested in Oregon’s Jackson Powers-Johnson.

One of the Pittsburgh Steelers biggest offseason needs is to upgrade the center position. The play of Mason Cole hasn’t been up to par and we fully expect the Steelers to look to replace him either via free agency or the 2024 NFL draft.

Head coach Mike Tomlin and general manager Omar Khan are at the Reese’s Senior Bowl this week and keeping a close eye on the trenches. One guy in particular Tomlin keeps to be watching very closely is Oregon center Jackson Powers-Johnson. As you can see in the video below, Tomlin went up to Powers-Johnson to introduce himself.

Powers-Johnson is the top true center in this draft. He is a dominant run blocker who plays with a real nasty streak. He’s a massive interior player with leadership and surprising athleticism.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]