Darren Perkins

Nice memories. In high school my friends and I would play tackle football (no pads) on the front lawn at Spring Creek Elementary School in the north eugene area.

A "payout game" is generally against a lower division opponent who takes the game because they need the money, and they always play at the superior programs stadium. So, next week's game against EW is a "payout game." The Ducks playing the likes of Portland State and Stoney Brook are good examples. The superior program pays the fee for an almost automatic W and they get another home game in which to make money. Usually best to have these as the first game of the year to workout the kinks. A win wasn't expected against Georgia but the hope was that the Ducks would compete, but unfortunately, it didn't happen.

Thanks, Desert Duck. Correct, this 100% was NOT a "payout game," but the end result felt like one and took me back to the "dark ages" for sure. This post was just a subjective personal journey back in time.

Thanks, Jester. Yeah, it was totally about the "feel" of being dominated as opposed to the stats. We got crushed. I don't like having to admit that, but it's the damn truth.

That would be great to see Georgia at Autzen. Especially if we have an established QB if it ever happens. I was at that Notre Dame game, I was too young to understand the significance of it all, but I remember all the excitement. Good memories.

Yeah, I agree, would be really nice if the SEC would travel out west more. I guess they're afraid of pulling an LSU at UCLA last year. Florida is at Utah next year. Ugh, I had a bad feeling Utah would choke that game on Saturday.

It was not a "payout game." Ohio State was a home and home series but the Eugene game was cancelled in 2020 due to Covid. Why would I forget that game? It was a great victory!

You bring up good stats, yes, the Ducks were able to move the ball and put a nice yards per run average. But, this was more about "feel" than data. I personally, have not felt Ducks I have been so thoroughly dominated since that Nebraska game. It is subjective. Others obviously feel differently and that's totally cool. And the struggle has been worth it, as I wrote" "As the struggle has been worth it over the years as an Oregon fan." I was just pointing out. in jest really, during that brief 3-hour or so window on Saturday it didn't seem like it as we were getting dominated.

Thank you. Thankfully I had to delve into a distant memory to make a comparison and nothing recent. Though those Utah games were ugly last year, this was on a whole other level.

What some Duck fans may not know, and this is not for the faint of heart, is that the man who gave Saban his first coaching job as a GA in 1973 at KEnt State was none other than DON JAMES. Yup, Saban is a Don James descendent.

Their previous was in '92 under Gene Stallings then did very little until Saban.

Good points. I would add that in a loss, they at least need to lose in a way that keeps them in the playoff conversation. So, basically a close, hard-fought game.

Yeah, we gotta show some fight and competence.

Yup, the predictability of the Mario offense.

Good points. And hopefully Flowe stays healthy!

The Utah games may have just come down to the predictibility of the Mario offense. His 3 yards and a cloud of dust play calling. The Sooners game could have been due to apathy.

George would take USC back in a split second, but since they are a private school there is zero chance of that. Ucla was brought up because they are getting backlash from the state.

Yeah, it'll take a year or two to get things really going for SC. And of course they wont new playing all the top Big 10 teams every year, maybe half. But, the Big 10 has a deep "middle" of the conference, more so than the Pac, imho, which can make it a grind, gotta show up every week. Will be interesting to see if he is lured by the NFL. Good point!

nah, he was an oregon fan, he just hated Notre Dame and hated USC for not beating them that year. We always backed the PAc-12 team.

It's more competitive league for sure, but this can be offset by top recriits wanting to play in the Big Ten and not the Pac, it'll be fun to see how it goes.

Thanks for reading! I've never really bought into the kids can't stay focused in LA. Kids are kids, if they're gonna screw off they're gonna screw off no matter what, whether they're living it up in a fancy club or raising hell in a cornfield. I can remember some Bon fires back in the day in the middle of nowhere. Good times! I think the kids thinking they are the greatest argument in LA could apply to all the top programs as all the top recruits have been told how great they are for a long time. I think it'll just come down the basics of coaching and recruiting.

A nice walk down memory lane, I remember my dad screaming at the tv when Tollner choked away a game against Notre Dame, good times! But, with their new coach and AD, they've entered the modern age of college football, the past Trojan administrations never kept up with the top programs in the country, even during the Pete Era, they are now...

Yeah, it won't happen right away, they'll need some time to recover from the Helton tenure. But, keep in mind, Pete Carroll went 6-6 in his first year, then in year 2 they went 11-2, won the Orange Bowl, and finished #4. So, it doesn't take long to get things turned around, especially now with the portal.

Yeah, it'll take a couple years to recover from the Helton years, but they'll get there, unfortunately.

Winning cures all that ails!