After stubbing their webbed feet at the Farm the week before, the Oregon Ducks rebound with a resounding win over Arizona State at Autzen. Coming out quickly to score on the first drive, Oregon rolls to 14-0 until Jeremiah Masoli throws his first pick since September on a screen pass and gives ASU a short field at the Oregon 18 yard line. Taking it in from there, ASU narrows the gap to 14-7. But the Ducks have their way with things the rest of the half, heading into the break leading 31-7. Despite a few hiccups in the 3rd quarter, when Oregon lets ASU get back to a 31-21 deficit, the Ducks finish the game leading 44-21.
The most important stat of the game was the Ducks attitude. After losing at Stanford, a loss to the Sun Devils would have been a treacherous slip on the rocks leading to a precipitous fall in their post season bowl options.
But it wasn't to be. Oregon rolled up 268 yards on the #1 rush defense in the conference, nearly two hundred yards more than ASU's average of 87 yards allowed per game. The Ducks took it right to the Sun Devils, clearly not in any mood to compound the loss to Stanford.
After being steamrolled by Toby Gerhart in that previous outing, Oregon's defense allows up only 84 yards rushing to ASU. Obviously having taken good notes while watching the Stanford game film, the Sun Devils tried to pound away at Oregon early on. But the teams who can replicate Stanford's offensive strategy and talent are few and far between.
Although with the "W" Oregon became the Pac 10 front runner - the only team with one loss in conference play - another twist in the Pac-10 plot took place last Saturday.
Arizona, the only other team in control of their Rose Bowl fortunes went up to Berkeley and fell flat on their face, falling 24-16. With Jahvid Best on the sideline, Arizona could not contain Cal, despite Kevin Riley's continuing display of inconsistency at quarterback. The junior quarterback seemed to take exception to the fact he could lead his team to victory by stubbornly throwing two interceptions that kept Arizona in the game.
It's hard to determine how Arizona could come out so emotionless vs. Cal. Is it the pressure of gaining their first Rose Bowl ever? Are they getting worn down as the season progresses, the toll being a combination of injuries, which every team faces, or the intensity level needed to sustain a winning season?
On two consecutive weeks, both the Ducks and the Wildcats fall in Northern Cal, but with a difference. Arizona is flat and falls to a Cal team that was overrated early in the season as they usually are.
Another middle of the pack season for the Bears was on the brink of becoming worse when Cal loses the lead in the 4th quarter then comes back for the victory, overcoming the two picks mentioned above.
The Arizona defense played OK but the offense stumbles badly. Sophomore Nick Foles, the quarterback who has played well all year, looks unsure in his first real pressure situation. The Wildcats were not a threat on the ground, limiting the effectiveness of the short attack run by offensive coordinator Sonny Dykes. Although the home field will be a welcome sight for the ?Cats, their effort was lackluster and bodes ill for their final games, Oregon, @ASU and @ USC.
So now it's the "Duel in the Desert III". In 2005, the Ducks win despite Kellen Clemens broken leg. In 2007, the final tear in Dennis Dixon's ACL brought the Ducks back to earth from their #2 ranking that fateful Thursday night.
Arizona is praying that the home field is worth 17 points to them. If it's not, and I don't think it is, there are in for trouble when the Ducks fly in this Saturday. While the Cats are trying to figure out what to do and how to do it, namely "win the games in November since they are the ones you remember", the Ducks are well versed in this issue.
In 2007, after losing Dennis Dixon that night and three more quarterbacks in the next few weeks, the Ducks stumble down the stretch culminating with a loss in overtime to in the Civil War. With a month to get healthy they travel to Sun Bowl and pound South Florida, laying a cool 50 points at their feet.
In 2008, Jeremiah Masoli, a 5th string quarterback at the start of fall camp, puts the Ducks on his back for the final run to the Holiday Bowl. The last minute win against Stanford, the 55 points laid on Arizona, the 65 points knocking the Beavers out of the Rose Bowl and then 42 points on the Cowboys of Oklahoma State in the Holiday Bowl.
This year's Pac-10 rodeo has seen the Ducks offense emphatically continue that trend supported by a defense that has played exceptionally well every week - minus Stanford if you insist.
This Oregon team knows too well what the games in November mean to your legacy. Don't look for them to stub those webbed feet down in the desert.
