Craig Strobeck
Now that we are closing in on the last third of the season, I thought I would take the chance to rank the top 5 match-ups I would like to see for Oregon. Most of these matchups are unlikely to happen, but a couple of them actually are a possibility. Having looked at the many teams and what they have done this season, I give you:
5. Oregon vs Arizona State
This game is a definite possibility. Oregon misses out on playing the Sun Devils in the regular season this year. ASU, however, is playing some very good football, and are in control their own destiny in the Pac-12 South. The Sun Devils’ only losses this year are to No. 25 Notre Dame and to No. 5 Stanford — “quality losses,” if you will. If ASU and Oregon both win out, they will meet in Autzen Stadium for the Pac-12 Championship.
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4. Oregon vs Texas A&M
The only way this game is possible is if the Aggies can climb their way back up the rankings to make a BCS Bowl game against Oregon. This game would feature former Oregon verbal commit Johnny Manziel against current Oregon QB Marcus Mariota. Up-tempo vs up-tempo, SEC vs Pac-12. There is no question this game would end zone-to-end zone excitement.
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3. Oregon vs Baylor
Another game of up-tempo offenses. If Baylor and Oregon both keep winning, they could potentially end up in a BCS game, even the National Championship Game. The Bears would need quite a few teams to stumble for that to happen, though. This would also be another match-up of similar styles, with former Oregon signee RB Lache Seastrunk as the star of the only team that has matched the Ducks’ offensive production. Would it be Seastrunk stealing the show, or DAT and Marshall burning the Bears?
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2. Oregon vs Florida State
Florida State is the only team that currently has a realistic chance of keeping Oregon out of the championship game. Obviously Alabama would have to lose, and Florida State and the Ducks would have to win out. Recall last year that Alabama lost, moving Kansas State and Oregon into the top two spots. Both teams ended up losing that week, but still faced each other in the Fiesta Bowl. I would love to see how Oregon’s D-line would fare in containing the Seminoles’ “Famous” Jameis Winston, the only player close to Mariota in the Heisman race.
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1. Oregon vs Alabama
I think this game is No. 1 on almost anyone’s list. This is the game people have been dreaming would happen for the last two years. — and if both teams win out, they will meet in the National Championship . . . period. Nick Saban and the Crimson Tide vs Mark Helfrich and the Oregon Ducks. Classic SEC muscle vs new-school Pac-12 flash. This game would be the ultimate send-off for the BCS system. A true National Championship that loyal fans of both teams, and football in general, deserve to see.
Those are my top five red carpet match-up nominees for the 2013 football season — list yours in the comment section.
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Sam was born and raised in Cottage Grove, Oregon and he has been a die hard Duck fan his entire life. Sam studied at the University of Oregon before moving to San Diego for 5 years. After moving back to Oregon, Sam decided to follow his passion for writing and started writing for various sports sites. To him, nothing is better than being in Autzen Stadium with 59,000 fans screaming their heads off!