:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/68517553/1289976358.0.jpg)
Obviously the big news yesterday was that UW can’t play in the Pac-12 Championship Game so Oregon will go in their place. Plus, I had a dream last night that Mario Cristobal officially took the Auburn job.
Speaking of that first thing:
Last week there were conspiracy theories that Washington was ducking Oregon to guarantee a spot in the Championship. They're so committed to the bit that they're ducking the Championship, too, letting Oregon go in their place.
— RedditCFB (@RedditCFB) December 14, 2020
And Coach Lake’s answer:
Pure class by Jimmy Lake. I asked him about viability of Oregon as P12 champ. "I love it this way better than people voting. Let's settle it on the football field ... If they win ... through this crazy, challenging year, they should be viewed as P-12 champions."
— Dennis Dodd (@dennisdoddcbs) December 14, 2020
You just know that at least some part of Jimmy Lake just loves that by being so nice about it, he was absolutely infuriating some Oregonians.
To the dots!
- Christian Caple on how an intern who’d never played football — and who some of you might know from Twitter — discovered ZTF on accident.
- Stewart Mandel has his bowl projections, which includes UW playing a familiar foe who recently moved a bit south and east.
- In non-football news, Jaylen Nowell looked good in the NBA’s first preseason action.
- Dane Brugler has his top ten draft prospects at each position, including a couple Dawgs (but omitting a seemingly obvious one).
Furthermore, Mandel’s projection would give the Dawgs time to heal to the point where they’d be able to participate:
Jimmy Lake basically telling us that they will not be ready in time to participate in the Independence Bowl on 12/26. Better chance of being ready for the Alamo Bowl on the 29th or Armed Forces Bowl on the 31st
— Dave “Softy” Mahler (@Softykjr) December 15, 2020
Jimmy Lake said, from what he understands, UW's next game will be a bowl game. Doesn't sound like there are immediate plans for an impromptu Apple Cup.
— Mike Vorel (@mikevorel) December 14, 2020
Also for those wondering about how COVID’s affected specific groups, the disease plus contact tracing:
Lake said the zero offensive linemen includes walk-ons and scholarship players. There are none. At all.
— Lauren Kirschman (@laurenkirschman) December 14, 2020
Rob Scheidegger: "This thing is highly contagious. Even when you do everything the right way, it’s really hard to get a handle on."
— Lauren Kirschman (@laurenkirschman) December 14, 2020
Every sports fan should have to write these sentences over and over again until is sinks in.
Some PFF grades (which aren’t the end-all-be-all but...):
PFF’s Top Graded PAC-12 QB’s:
— WestCoastCFB (@WestCoastCFB) December 15, 2020
1. Mills (Stan)
2. Gebbia (OSU)
3. Morris (UW)
4. Slovis (USC)
5. Noyer (CU)
6. Daniels (ASU)
7. Shough (Ore)
PFF’s Top Graded PAC-12 Tackles:
— WestCoastCFB (@WestCoastCFB) December 15, 2020
1. AVT (USC)
2. Curne (UW)
3. Anderson (UCLA)
4. Rhyan (UCLA)
5. Kirkland (UW)
Which includes, despite the guard play being inconsistent, this:
PFF’s Top Graded PAC-12 Guards:
— WestCoastCFB (@WestCoastCFB) December 15, 2020
1. Bainivalu (UW)
2. Vorhees (USC)
3. Ale (UW)
4. Walk (Ore)
PFF’s Top Graded PAC-12 Tight Ends:
— WestCoastCFB (@WestCoastCFB) December 15, 2020
1. Greg Dulcich (UCLA)
2. Cade Otton (UW)
3. Tucker Fisk (Stan)
PFF’s Top Graded PAC-12 Corners:
— WestCoastCFB (@WestCoastCFB) December 15, 2020
1. Trent McDuffie (UW)
2. Nahshon Wright (OSU)
3. Mekhi Blackmon (CU)
4. Olaijah Griffin (USC)
5. Mykael Wright (Ore)
And apparently Elijah Molden is counted as a safety:
PFF’s Top Graded Pac-12 Safeties:
— WestCoastCFB (@WestCoastCFB) December 15, 2020
1. Elijah Molden (UW)
2. Talanoa Hufanga (USC)
3. Quentin Lake (UCLA)
4. Evan Fields (ASU)
5. Isaiah Lewis (CU)
6. Jaydon Grant (OSU)
7. Vonte Davis (Utah)
8. Antoine (Stan)
9. Pola-Mao (USC)
10. Asa Turner (UW)
PFF’s Top Graded PAC-12 Linebackers:
— WestCoastCFB (@WestCoastCFB) December 15, 2020
1. Ulofoshio (UW)
2. Devin Lloyd (Utah)
3. Avery Roberts (OSU)
4. Noah Sewell (Ore)
5. Nephi Sewell (Utah)
6. Nate Landman (CU)
7. Omar Speights (OSU)
8. Slade-Matautia (Ore)
9. Freeburg (UA)
10. Jackson Sirmon (UW)
PFF’s Top Graded PAC-12 Edge Defenders:
— WestCoastCFB (@WestCoastCFB) December 15, 2020
1. Mitchell Agude (UCLA)
2. ZTF (UW)
3. Carson Wells (CU)
4. Trevon Mason (UA)
5. Terrance Lang (CU)
6. Nick Figueroa (USC)
7. Kayvon Thibodeaux (Ore)
8. Mika Tafua (Utah)
9. Drake Jackson (USC)
10. Issaiah Johnson (UA)
Do good things, don’t do bad things, and bow down to Washington.