Year in reflection: Ducks, Beavers and conference realignment

The latest: To get a high-level view of how the change has affected both teams, we enlisted the services of Bill Oram, sports columnist for The Oregonian.

• This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

Do you think the success the Ducks have had this season would have been possible if they stayed in the Pac 12?

• "I think that the Ducks were on the path to have this level of success regardless."
• "Joining the Big Ten at a moment when they have a coach who's a superstar, it feels like this team was going to break out either way, and the Big Ten helped accelerate that."

Turning to Oregon State, how have the changes been felt in Corvallis?

• "For Oregon State, it's just kind of sad. Oregon State was a 10-win team two years ago. Last year, they were in contention for the Pac-12 championship right up until the end of the season."
• "It felt like there was a real runway to being one of the strongest football programs on the West Coast. Essentially, realignment has gutted that, and at minimum, they're starting over."