IMHO, Ducks have a high-powered offense, can score quickly, then allows our defense to force the opposing team grind out a score, burning time. Then the offense comes out, scores quickly. Forcing the opposing team to try and grind out a long clock burning drive to (ideally) kick a stalled drive FG. Opposing team staff realizes Oregon can score quickly, but they cannot, mild panic starts to creep in. CDL uses the 8-minute method, starts to cause more panic for opposing team.
Opposing team starts airing it out, causing turn overs and punts. Oregon gets the ball, begins its own clock grinding, long TD drive. Realization hits the other team staff and players that FGs and long-time consuming drives will not help. Now Oregon is performing 8-minute drives, burning clock, not trying to score explosively, and the other team realizes...there's no time for us left. I believe there was an article on here explaining it somewhat, but I feel that CDL and Tosh are doing what they can with what they have.
Sure, give up 3rd downs, give the other team a little bit of hope...and then snatch it away when they realize they are trading FGs for TDs...which never goes well.
I could also be way off in my assessment, which I welcome being corrected.