High-Octane Offense Leads
Way For PAC-10 Favorites
One Great Season
Mark this down. Oregon will be ranked No. 2 in the country by midseason, possibly as soon as Oct. 3.
The Ducks are fast, athletic and pretty much unstoppable on offense. It doesn't matter that their defense could get exposed some when the Ducks face more capable offenses, and in that pinball league of theirs, it definitely will once October rolls around.
But UO's point-a-minute attack has put up 72 and 48 in its two games and it doesn't look like it will get shut down — or even slowed down — anytime soon.
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Oregon had a pair of 100-yard rushers in its season-opening annihilation of New Mexico, and neither was named LaMichael James. He returned to action in the Ducks' second game at Tennessee last week, racking up 134 yards on 8.4 per carry, including a nifty 72-yard touchdown sprint.
The Ducks also have returned three punts and an interception — none covering fewer than 60 yards — for lightning-quick touchdowns.
Stanford sure has a nice quarterback, but the Cardinal will need much more than Andrew Luck on their side to beat UO in Eugene on Oct. 2. A quality Oregon win over a then-4-0 Stanford team that probably will be ranked among the Top 12 would allow the Ducks to goose non-AQ cuties TCU and Boise State in any poll that matters.
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Current No. 2 Ohio State won't get tested until Oct. 16, so it's likely to see OSU at No. 1 should Alabama lose a game during its murderous three-game stretch that begins at No. 12 Arkansas on Sept. 25. The Tide return home to face No. 10 Florida the following week, then visit No. 13 South Carolina on Oct. 9. I'd be surprised if the Tide didn't lose one of those brawls.
After Stanford, Oregon's next challenge comes on Oct. 30 at USC. If the Trojans play like they have so far, though, expect the Ducks to conclude October at 8-0 overall and 5-0 in the PAC 10, and ranked No. 2 in the country.