After a series of bizarro non-conference games, the No. 6 Oregon Ducks opened their Big Ten schedule with a 34-13 road victory over the UCLA Bruins in a midnight clash at the Rose Bowl. The Ducks improved to 4-0 for the second-straight season, gaining some traction in the AP rankings after backsliding due to underwhelming victories. Since sleepwalking past Idaho …
Oregon Ducks Football: UCLA Takeaways
Alright, this game went about as expected — but there’s a lot to work on, too. Aside from a handful of plays, Oregon had the Bruins on their heels from the snap, and Dillon Gabriel led a nearly-unstoppable offensive attack. There also were avoidable mistakes and sloppy penalties that put the Ducks in some bad spots. Here are some observations …
Elite Recruiting Mountain Too High for Ducks’ Lanning?
I got jolted from some recent recruiting information, but it is not about the 2025 class that has an incredible Rivals 4.13 average per recruit thus far, with four Rivals 5-Star verbals. It is a rare class that is shaping up, although our national ranking is only No. 12 due to only 15 committed presently. While it is expected to be a …
Power Ranking the Old Pac-12
The old Pac-12 is dead and gone with its teams scattered across the country. But let’s pretend for a moment the old Pac-12 still exists and take the time to rank them. I pulled Mr. FishDuck from his fun at slot games online because he had some strong opinions about these rankings, so let’s take a look. 12. UCLA (1-2): …
UCLA Has Seen Better Days
In a way, it is sad to see how far UCLA football has fallen in the 2000s. The old Pac-8 and Pac-10 used to be comprised of USC, UCLA, sometimes Washington (I begrudgingly confess), and everyone else. UCLA is the poster child of the old school, classic stadium, traditionally solid program that utterly failed to adapt to the new order …
Oregon Ducks Football: 2024’s Leading Receiver?
Our Oregon Ducks football program took off offensively. Vertical passing, dominant rushing, and enough weapons to score in a hurry. Dillon Gabriel has firmly found his footing in this offense over the past couple of weeks, with Tez Johnson, Terrance Ferguson, and Traeshon Holden leading the way so far. As the season progresses, you can only expect this group to continue developing & dominating the conference. With …
Oregon Bye Week, USC Lays Egg at Big House, Wazzu Survives Shootout
The No. 9 Oregon Ducks have a bye this week after trouncing in-state rival Oregon State 49-14 last weekend in Corvallis. The Ducks (3-0) hit refresh after two weeks of weird, buggy nail-biters against less talented opponents that effectively deflated the preseason hype balloon. I pulled Mr. FishDuck from his fun at nové online casino to review the unusual position …
Oregon’s Roster Rotation: Have YOU Figured it Out?
I know, no Oregon game on today and it leaves us wanting for more of Our Beloved Ducks. Yet this is also a good time for pondering some of the curious substitution patterns we are seeing as well as players who are emerging and declining that even the die-hard Oregon fan would not have anticipated. I took some time from …
Is the Civil War Rivalry Dead?
A rivalry is a special thing in any sport. They are a mixture of love and hate: love for one’s team and loathing for the opponent. They take years to develop and true rivalries form when both teams win and lose in close to equal measure. For much of their history, Oregon and USC didn’t have a rivalry — or …
Puddles’ Playoff “Flight Plan” in Week Four
Thank you, Ducks, for not laying a road egg versus the Pac-6 before my first take on Puddles’s Playoff Flight Plan… Here’s a look back at the College Football (CFB) week that offered a look ahead to Oregon’s championship hopes, and the next games that impact the College Football Playoff Picture. I will not be dissecting the Ducks prior week’s …
The Pac is Back!
The Beavers might have gotten blown out by Our Beloved Ducks on Saturday, but they did gain a conference over the weekend, as it is all but assured that the Pac-12 will live on. The conference poached Colorado State, Boise State, Fresno State and San Diego State from the Mountain West Conference. Mr. FishDuck took a minute from his fun …
Oregon Ducks Football: 2024 Identity Found?
Every season, our Oregon Ducks football program has an identity. Whether it’s on the ground, through the air, or on defense, every team has one aspect of its game that goes above & beyond to really solidify them as a program, and not finding what that identity is virtually ends your season. In week three, Oregon found its identity—not a what, but …