Predictions are a hollow exercise on a fan sports blog. They get to sounding too much like that old Saturday Night Live skit with John Goodman, where the answer to every question was “Da Bears.” It wouldn’t be very often that we’d pick the Ducks to lose, and doing so would be a betrayal of our fundamental mission. This is a website about belief, which is more powerful than doubt or cynicism. Coming up to the climax of a season and lapsing into hand wringing would be a failure of courage, a lapse of integrity. Instead, we talk about what the challenge is, and try to frame it in a meaningful way. If you want objective journalism on game day, visit Rob Moseley or Ken Goe, who do a marvelous job and have the privilege of interviewing players and coaches every day. We’re a step removed and fervent; we told you so in the beginning.
Andrew Luck and the Stanford Cardinal on the road constitute a big challenge. They’re a top four team that’s cruised to victory in eight of their wins, and had an answer to every obstacle in the one game that was close. Luck is as intelligent, composed and resourceful as any great quarterback you will ever watch. He makes great decisions. He’s gifted, running, leading and throwing. The Stanford personel and system constantly put him in favorable situations, and he knows how to exploit them. On third and four or less, he’s the most dangerous weapon in college football not named LaMichael James.
To win tonight, the Ducks have to win their share of battles with the rest of the Stanford team. They have to maximize their advantages and strengths, which are considerable. Oregon’s secondary is more talented than Luck’s outside receivers. If they cover well, they can put him under unaccustomed pressure, like USC was able to do so. The Ducks’ return men and backs are faster than the Stanford defense. If the blocking is there, they can break big plays, regardless of the muddy track.
People are wondering about Darron Thomas this year. He has done a great job of establishing himself as the Oregon starter, but in his 19 wins, there hasn’t yet been a marquee performance in a marquee game. The whispers are that he’s too casual and fun-loving to seize a challenge like this, that his deficits are more significant than his strengths. I don’t believe it. Darron Thomas has the toughness and competitiveness to be a great leader, and this could be a night that it comes together for him. For Oregon to win, it has to be. They absolutely have to have a sharp, productive performance from their quarterback. The Ducks have to be efficient in their possessions and get 40 or more points, avoid the breakdowns and self-inflicted wounds, and get control of the flow of this game. A sluggish beginning would be death. They can’t rely on a second half surge, because The Cardinal have surged in the second half themselves, and with a power running game on a muddy track, and a quarterback who manages the clock and long drives almost perfectly, the visiting team can’t afford to be down possessions and points in the third and fourth quarter.
If Oregon builds on the performance they put together last week in Seattle, especially defensively, they can dominate The Cardinal. They’re faster. They’re deep and prepared. It’s the biggest test of the season for both teams. Like always, it will come down to which team has prepared better, and wants it more at the line of scrimmage. The Ducks need four quarters of solid execution. There’s only one Andrew Luck in all of college football. The Ducks have to beat his supporting cast, and they can.
Add The Sports Daily to your Google News Feed!
