Talking Points: Pac-12 looking for help?

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We thought it amusing that the news of Oklahoma, Oklahoma State and perhaps Texas joining the Pac-12 appeared on the scroll at the bottom of the TV screen on Saturday. The same scroll was reporting a stream of dismal results for the new-look Pac-12.

Oregon State losing to Sacramento State.

Washington holding off Eastern Washington.

USC holding off Minnesota.

UCLA losing to Houston.

Colorado clubbed by Hawaiî.

Oregon pushed around by LSU.

Watching those scores, we wondered if Larry Scott looked at the results and panicked.

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Oregon coach Chip Kelly on Monday issued an invitation to any national football power to visit Autzen Stadium.

At last report, Tennessee is sticking with its visit to Eugene in 2013. Good for the Vols.

Just expect most teams to be like Georgia, which backed out of a visit Eugene.

The culprit — again — is the BCS and the good-ol’-boy bowls system. Simply put, it isn’t worth the risk for big-conference teams to visit Eugene and risk a loss when winning conference games is so difficult, and when rabid fans will pay to watch their team crush Culinary College.

A playoff system that encourages meaningful inter-conference games would benefit fans and TV networks, and give coaches incentive to play against top-flight opponents. Without it, Oregon fans get to watch their team play something called Missouri State.