The Ducks peaked at just the right time in putting together their first (not perfect) complete game of the season against Ohio State. The scheduling gods were on Oregon’s side, as Duck fans were able to see improvement from week to week. Had this game been played a couple of weeks earlier, the outcome might have been much different.
One thing that had not been clicking so far for the Ducks was throwing the deep ball. It has been wildly inconsistent all season, which was a bit of a head-scratcher considering Oregon’s talent at wide receiver and experience and skill at quarterback. Last week, I mentioned how Dillon Gabriel had missed some deep throws against Michigan State that he would have to complete against Ohio State if the Ducks were going to have a shot at winning.
Thank goodness it finally clicked.
Field Goals and Extra Points Matter
Dan Lanning has still not learned his lesson about taking easy points, and it almost cost the Ducks the game again. Luckily, unlike with the Huskies last year, he got away with it.
Had the Ducks taken the easy three instead of failing miserably on their fourth-and-goal from the two-yard line earlier in the fourth quarter, the Buckeyes would have needed a touchdown on their final drive, making things much more difficult. Instead, they needed a field goal with almost two minutes on the clock. Had Buckeye quarterback Will Howard gotten down a few yards and seconds earlier they would have been looking at a very makable 50ish-yard field goal.
The Ducks out-muscled the Buckeyes. (Photo by Eric Becker)
In the first half, Lanning also opted to go for two when it was not needed. You never know how the game is going to play out, and the extra point and field goal that the Ducks – pardon my French – pissed away did add up. In this case, four points against the Buckeyes.
So, for example, had the Buckeyes scored a quick touchdown on their final drive, it would have made the score 38-32. Now, if the Ducks had taken the easy four points, it would have made it 38-36, with Oregon needing only a field goal to win.
Moving Forward
The Ducks need to make sure they do not pull an Alabama, which followed up their win over Georgia with a loss to Vanderbilt. The Ducks travel to Purdue, and while Purdue is 1-5, the Ducks will be battling the long travel and the possibility of a letdown.
The Ducks should be favored in every game left on the schedule, but the grind of travel and heightened competition in the new B1G conference is something that Oregon has not dealt with before. With the likes of a good Illinois team, a down Michigan, Wisconsin, and, of course, the Huskies, the Ducks will need their A-game every week.
And, with the win over Ohio State, they will have a new target on their back as the conference front-runner.
Darren Perkins
Spokane, WA
Top photo credit: Eric Becker
Andrew Mueller, the FishDuck.com Volunteer Editor for this article, works in higher education in Chicago, Illinois.
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Darren Perkins is a sales professional and 1997 Oregon graduate. After finishing school, he escaped the rain and moved to sunny Southern California where he studied screenwriting for two years at UCLA. Darren grew up in Eugene and in 1980, at the tender age of five, he attended his first Oregon football game. His lasting memory from that experience was an enthusiastic Don Essig announcing to the crowd: “Reggie Ogburn, completes a pass to… Reggie Ogburn.” Captivated by such a thrilling play, Darren’s been hooked on Oregon football ever since. Currently living in Spokane, Darren enjoys flaunting his yellow and green superiority complex over friends and family in Cougar country.