Sports Column

Biggest year ever for Ducks? And Beavers aren't done yet, either

By kerry eggers

The Portland Tribune, Oct 26, 2009, Updated Oct 30, 2009 (6 Reader comments)

OTTO GREULE JR. / GETTY IMAGES

Tyrell Irvin celebrates his touchdown for Oregon on a fumble recovery in the end zone after the Ducks blocked a punt at Washington.

Oregon State didn’t cash in on its opportunity last Saturday night at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.

Now Oregon gets its chance to knock off Southern Cal Saturday.

Or is it the other way around?

The Ducks have the advantage of playing in the friendly confines of Autzen Stadium, the place to be in college football this weekend. ESPN College GameDay will produce its morning preview show in Eugene, meaning Duck students will have Lee Corso to taunt for at least a couple of hours.

Southern Cal is ranked fourth in both polls; Oregon 10th in one and 12th in the other. But I’m not sure the Trojans are the favorites Saturday.

Oregon trampled a Washington team that upset USC a month ago.

Pete Carroll’s Trojans are talented and will enter Autzen confident of victory, but the Ducks are the better team right now.

Southern Cal’s offense is potent, and Oregon State had little success stopping the Trojans in SC’s 42-36 win. But the Trojans couldn’t slow down the Beavers, either.

If Jeremiah Masoli is 100 percent — and he looked pretty close to it in the Ducks’ rout of the Huskies — SC’s defense could be in for a long Halloween evening.

Oregon’s defense looks pretty darn good, too, and will present a challenge for true freshman Matt Barkley in front of a raucous Autzen crowd.

This could be the biggest year ever for Oregon football – rivaled only by the 2001 team that went 11-1 and blew out Colorado in the Fiesta Bowl – assuming the Ducks take care of business the final five weeks of the regular season.

1 | 2 Next Page >>

Facebook	Digg	Del.icio.us
Newsvine	Stumbleupon	Reddit