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INDEPENDENT JOURNALISM PRODUCED BY STUDENTS, FOR STUDENTS
BIG TEN IMPACT
The Big Ten’s impact beyond athletics
SPORTS
BIG TEN ON THE WEST COAST How Oregon and UCLA landed in a new conference By Max Koebel Sports Reporter
Saturday’s matchup between Oregon and UCLA will be their first as members of the Big Ten. The two teams played each other 71 times over the years as conference opponents in the Pac12 before transitioning into the Big Ten just under two months ago. Despite its name, it has been a very long time since the Big Ten actually had 10 schools. Headquartered in Illinois, the conference primarily consisted of schools in the Great Lakes states. It expanded to the East Coast in 2014 with the addition of the University of Maryland and Rutgers University, bringing the conference up to 14 schools. This year, it officially added four West Coast universities. UCLA and University of Southern California were the first Pac-12 schools to make their move when they announced See pg 22 for full story
Ruth: Is NIL good for college football? A few years into the NIL experiment, can we call it a success? By Brady Ruth Sports Editor
(Molly McPherson/Emerald) First-year Ducks return from their class photo and pep rally at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Ore on Sept. 29, 2024.
As the University of Oregon enters its first year in the Big Ten Conference, changes are being made in not only athletics, also academics as it joins the Big Ten Academic Alliance
By Sophie Fowler Campus News Reporter
On Aug. 2, the University of Oregon officially joined the Big Ten Academic Alliance, which opened opportunities in research and education areas as the university hopes to be a leader in academia among other schools in the alliance. The Big Ten Academic Alliance is “the nation’s preeminent model for effective collaboration among re-
search universities,” its website reads. UO is one of 18 schools that are now part of the BTAA, along with the University of California, Los Angeles, University of Southern California and University of Washington. With the switch, there are now more opportunities to enhance student opportunities, according to the BTAA. “These are tremendously exciting and challenging times in higher education, and the Big Ten
In July 2021, name, image and likeness officially went into effect in collegiate sports, meaning athletes could now make money on their personal brand. Unsurprisingly, it took off and is a major aspect of today’s college sports world. But has it been a good or bad thing? Well, it depends who you’re a fan of. If you root for “rich teams,” you probably love that your university can now pay player after player to don your school’s colors. The University of Oregon football team has certainly benefited from an “unlimited” NIL fund courtesy of “Uncle Phil” Knight himself. If you grew up rooting for Akron or Kennesaw State, you might have strong feelings about rich schools ‘buying players’. If a school doesn’t have substantial NIL funds, it simply will not be able to recruit on the same level as other programs. It’s no secret. Everybody knows it. Some even
See pg 13 for full story
UPCOMING GAMES:
Will students travel to away games?
OREGON V. OHIO SAT., OCT. 12
On July 29, the University of Oregon officially joined the Big Ten Conference athletic division. The Big Ten consists of 18 teams that are located at schools all over the United States. This football season, the Ducks will travel across the country to play Purdue University in Indiana, University of Michigan and University of Wisconsin. See pg 11 for full story Students who want to attend away games this year will likely
OREGON V. MICHIGAN STATE FRI., OCT. 4 6PM
By Sophie Fowler Campus News Reporter
See pg 22 for full story