Big bad Big Ten? Not for the Oregon Ducks who managed to win eight conference titles in their first season amongst the “elite” of collegiate sport.

Surprised? I’m not. After all, you’d have to have had your head in the sand over the past three decades to not be familiar with what’s been happening in Eugene.

With the significant help from Nike co-founder and University of Oregon alumnus Phil Knight, the Ducks have spent this century climbing the ladder of NCAA success, and stepping on some of the historical greats’ heads while doing it.

So, putting them up against the Ohio States, Michigans, Penn States or former Pac-12 foes USC or UCLAs of the worlds in a “bigger and “badder” Big Ten Conference was going to be a hill to climb, but not one too steep for an athletic department that’s been steadily climbing since Oregon earned a trip to the Rose Bowl in 1994.

This isn’t your dad or granddad’s Oregon Ducks.

The school that previously dropped baseball, had a 25-game bowl-less streak from 1964 to 1989, and went 50 years without a Men’s NCAA Basketball Tournament appearance before earning a trip to the big dance in 1994.

But instead, the one that’s been to two college football national title games in the past 15 years; has been to both the men’s and women’s Final Four in the last eight years; has been to five college softball world series’ in the past 11 seasons; has twice been a game from the college baseball world series since resurrecting their baseball program in 2010; won a men’s golf national championship; and has 17 men’s and women’s combined national titles in indoor and outdoor track and field since 2009.

So, the fact that they ran roughshod through the Big Ten to the tune of eight conference titles, including championships in football; baseball; softball; men’s and women’s indoor track & field; men’s outdoor track & field; women’s cross country; and women’s golf, shouldn’t have been a surprise, but rather a predictable outcome for one of, if not the crown jewel of athletics of what was the “Conference of Champions.”

Think otherwise?

How has the University of Washington done in the Big Ten? Let me tell you.

Washington won one conference title — in rowing. And beyond that tied for ninth in football; were dead last in men’s basketball; 12th in women’s basketball; fifth in baseball; seventh in softball; ninth in volleyball; and were 17th and 16th in men’s and women’s golf.

How about USC? They did claim league titles or a share of one in women’s basketball, women’s soccer, and women’s outdoor track and field, so less than half of Oregon’s success in that regard.

And UCLA? Contrary to popular belief, they outdid their crosstown rival, claiming at least a share of six conference crowns, including women’s soccer; women’s basketball; women’s gymnastics; men’s tennis; men’s golf; and baseball.

But how did the Los Angeles schools do in football? You know, the sport that ultimately led to the demise of the Pac-12 Conference as we knew it, and largely as the result of the Southern California behemoths’ decision to bolt for greener pastures. The Trojans tied for ninth with a 4-5 conference record, while the Bruins tied for 12th with a 3-6 conference mark.

Far from impressive, and I’d argue borderline embarrassing for a couple of schools that thought they were primetime players in a conference full of otherwise fair-to-middling competition.

When Oregon made the decision to join the Big Ten in the summer of 2023, many — including myself — lamented the move due to what it meant for the Pac-12. But beyond what had been, what could be and ultimately was, was an exciting partnership with a group of historically great programs that — like it or not — were positioned to compete with the best of the best in an everchanging collegiate landscape that was leaving people behind.

Some said the Ducks didn’t belong, others hoped they didn’t. But what has played out since has proven they inarguably did.

So in the infamous words of Rocky Balboa in “Rocky 3,” you ain’t so bad, Big Ten.

Or is Oregon just that good?