Track City USA, with its history and state-of-the-art track and field facilities, is well versed in the term “home stretch.”
The Ducks are 11-0 and have not yet peaked, as they can play much better football. Which, begs the question, “Will they peak?”
Oregon slowly improved during the first half of the season. They had improved just enough that by the time Ohio State came to town on October 12th, they were able to nudge out a one-point victory. But, as we approach the last game of the regular season, it is valid to question whether the Ducks have improved since that mid-season heavyweight bout.
The goal is to win the National Title, and for the Ducks to do that, they have five games (out of 16 total) remaining, or just under a third of the season left. The defense remains stellar against less-than-stellar offenses, but, moving forward, the Ducks will play much better offensive teams.
Will the defense rise to the occasion?
Offensively, it is safe to say that the Ducks have not peaked as they generally have two or so quarters of solid offensive output per game. The Ducks’ defense, even if continuing to play very well, is going to give up more points, which means the Oregon offense is going to have to play complete games and put up more points.
So, these two big questions remain:
1) How will the Oregon defense handle better offenses?
2) Can Oregon’s offense play a full game? And, if so, several games in a row?
As we hit the home stretch, we are about to find out if, indeed, the Ducks will peak at the right time.
The Ducks defense has played great, but tougher competition is on the way. (Photo by Isaac Wasserman)
How would Oregon do in the SEC?
Assuming the Ducks dispatch Washington at Autzen on November 30th, the Ducks will be the first conference newcomer to run the table on a power conference schedule since Florida State ran the ACC in 1992.
At that time, Florida State had the choice to join the ACC or the SEC. They chose the ACC because it was a much easier conference and they would have a better chance of going undefeated and being voted in as the National Champion.
Oh, how times have changed.
Of course, nowadays, a team would choose to join the stronger conference for more money and a chance to finish in the Top 4 of that conference with two losses and still have an opportunity at the Natty. I mean, just look at FSU today; they would love to join the SEC. (At the moment though, I am sure they would settle for a second win.)
Which makes one wonder, would the Ducks be undefeated this year in the SEC? I hate to be a Debbie Downer, but I doubt it. While the SEC has no dominant team this year, it does have a collection of some very dangerous teams.
To be clear, I have great disdain for the SEC and certainly am no SEC apologist. I am just keeping it real here, folks.
After Ohio State proves Indiana to be a fraud on Saturday, the B1G has Oregon, Ohio State and Penn State as top-tier teams, Indiana (and maybe Illinois) as second-tier, and everyone else is mediocre to bad.
On the other hand, the SEC has Texas, Alabama, Georgia, Ole Miss and Tennessee as top-tier, with South Carolina and Texas A&M (maybe LSU) as second-tier. That is five Top 10 teams and seven Top 25 teams total. Which, is almost half the conference.
Oregon has only played one truly dangerous conference team (tOSU). In the SEC, they would have most likely, depending on scheduling, played at least three.
What do you think?
Darren Perkins
Spokane, WA
Top photo credit: Isaac Wasserman
Natalie Liebhaber, the FishDuck.com Volunteer Editor for this article, works in technology in SLC, Utah
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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.