Desert Duck

I had Oregon beating the Buffs by 26. With the possible exception of TT, I still say that we haven't faced a good team. However, if the Ducks continue to stay thirsty, hungry, keep injuries in check, and playing politely nasty like they did on Saturday, this team will do a lot of damage in the final year of the PAC 12 remnant.

I'd love to see OSU & WSU get picked up by the Big 12.

That's very nice. Hopefully, in 3 years, we'll see him out there in a Duck uniform making it happen.

- “I’ll beat the %@!* out of everyone of y’all and your coach.” - “Why y’all so little?” - "We fittin’ to run through y’all %*@.” It might just be me, but I'm fairly sure that Shilo Sanders pre-game on-field trash talk did not age very well.

After looking at the facts and data, and eliminating the media noise, I went out on what I thought was a bit of a limb and predicted Oregon would win by 26. By just looking at the data, I thought the Buffs were a very average team. But my predicted score was nowhere near close. I had Oregon winning 54-26. I never thought that we could hold CU to 6 points. Our defense was just nails. I thought we'd end up running them out of Autzen... but that their offense would chase after us at least a little bit, requiring us to keep most of our 1st & 2nd string offense in the game. But nope. I'm hoping that CU is a decent team, and that our guys are, in fact, way better than I expected them to be. A couple more weeks of play will provide the answer. But regardless, Saturday was a wonderful "OH WOW" moment.

Here-here! 100%. Thank to Charles & his team.

Sad to see this happen to Tyler. He's a good kid and a fine QB. He represented the Ducks well while at Oregon. Hopefully, he will be able to bounce back and ideally return next year.

LOL. We're both fortunate to have wives who help keep us grounded (at least that's what I tell myself on certain days ).

TCU, who I argue is rather average this year, still hung 42 points on CU, while committing slightly more than average penalty yards, giving up -1 TO, and managed to pile up 541 total yards on the Buffs -- while doing it with very balanced passing & rushing attack. CSU is what I would argue is an average-at-best team (WSU @ CSU the week before, hung 51 points on the Rams and won by 26). Nevertheless, CSU dropped 28 points on the Buffs in regulation, racked up 479 total yards in regulation, while giving up 178 yards in penalties, and committing 4 TOs (-2 total TOs). With these kind of numbers, frankly, I have no idea how CSU was remotely even in this game. So far for the season, 88% of the Buffs offense comes in the air, and this number has played out quite equally in all three of their games. So, obviously they have been/are rather one dimensional. If: 1) we don't get caught up in the insane hype of this game, 2) our defense can get some pressure on Shadeur... especially early in the game, 3) our secondary can provide some reasonable contain 4) we reduce the number of penalties by about 30% vs last week, for a game total of about 50 yards, 5) we don't give up a bunch of TOs (CU is averaging +2 TOs per game) 6) And the Autzen crowd does their Crazy-Rabid-Duck-Fan-Noise-Thing, thereby ideally rattling a few of the CU O-line guys just a bit... I've got the Ducks winning 54-28, while providing a very balanced pass and run game. And yet, I have to keep in mind that I've come up with these awesome and amazing observations and predictions (that's meant as humor), as I sit here in the comfort of my office, about 1,200 miles south of Eugene, and nowhere near the playing field on Saturday at Autzen Stadium. But, far away, Thursday at around 1:20 PM, and on paper anyway, I feel rather good about drinking my own kool-aid today .

On paper, 21 points is about right. "On paper."

I'm not suggesting it will be close at that point, just that I think their starting O-line will have no gas left in the tank by that time.

For sure. And I'll be rooting for them after Saturday.

Interesting observation, Charles. But I wonder if they have gelled as a unit. Looking at the number of sacks they've give up so far, tells me no. But that can quickly change. However, as so many have pointed out, where I think we will eat them up, is with our depth, and their lack of it. By the time late Q3, and definitely Q4, rolls around, I'm betting CUs O-line will be absolutey gassed, and our RBs will then likely have a field day.

Of course

I certainly get GameDay going with ND & OSU. But the better storyline is 2,000 miles west with the Buffs & Oregon. And I bet the ratings will be higher for our game too.

The wheels on the Prime Love Train begin to come flying off the rails this Saturday in Eugene, as reality comes calling... fast & furious. Followed by USC @ CU the next week. At the end of week 7, the Buffs will, however, be 5-2, just before the rest of reality, aka, the rest of the PAC 12 power, sends them down into a 7-5 or 6-6 regular season, and then onto a bowl game. Which, considering they were 1-11 last year, will still be an impressive turnaround season.

"Great cameo on ESPN College Football Live today where Deion told people to get off the back of the CSU who had the late hit on Hunter." I believe, if I am correct, that the player in question plays for CSU

And naturally, he's a fellow Axeman.

Like I've said, I'm a big Coach Prime fan. But reality has a wicked way of humbling all men. I'm not exactly big on making predictions but I'm going to say that the the Buffs end the regular season 6-6 or 7-5... and get into a bowl game (losing @ Oregon, USC, @ WSU, @ Utah, & OSU... and @ UCLA is a toss up). The wheels begin to come flying off the Prime Train this Saturday in Eugene.

Love how Coach Prime & Hunter have responded to the people who have been threatening Henry Blackburn.

At first, when I read the title of your comment, "Football Schedules for Big 10 and Big 12 Next Year," I first thought... Who cares? Then I suddenly remembered that the PAC essentially doesn't exist any more. Funny how with all of the dramatic changes that have happened so quickly, I find myself, on occasion, forgetting that. But at the same time, excited as well.

"You're not gonna make me cry, Roy." Thanks, Mike, for writing this. And thank you, Charles, for asking him to write it. I absolutely love the character, Rod Tidwell. My man, Rod, really is, "all heart... blankity blank." And I love the character Jerry Maguire just as much. Both have equally huge hearts and passion, but both display them in dramatically different ways. And, due to extreme circumstances, they are forced to come together and the result is spectacular. I have experienced this kind of relationship in my own life. And 35 years ago, had it not been for extreme circumstances in my own life, I would not have had the abject joy and privilege of meeting my best friend on this planet, who originally is from Egypt (well... second best friend behind my wife of 32 years). When I first met him, I truly thought he was full of balony because he was so seemingly over-the-top and kind of in your face. And, as time would prove out, I could not have been more wrong. As I am writing this, the great-great Jane Austen book, Pride and Prejudice, comes to mind. I would suggest if you have not read this book before, or if it's been a long time, please pick it up. I am convinced that we miss so many incredible opportunity because we close our minds due to our preconceived notions and worldview. What I love about Coach Prime is that he can be, and has chosen to be, exactly who he is -- with no compromise. This is risky, because he knows that if he isn't winning, his shtick will grow very thin, very fast, with a large percentage of fans, and he would likely be out of a job very quickly. Plus, when we look at how horrendous this Buff team has been for so long, for them to win their first three games is incredible... regardless of the competition they've had. Personally, I am rooting big time for Coach Prime and the Buffs --- with the one exception of this upcoming Saturday, of course. But outside of that, I hope he takes these kids on the joy ride of their lives.

"Our reward is that justice has been done." And that the Ducks won. Come to think of it, I'm pretty sure that justice, and the Ducks winning, are one and the same.

I know the feeling . I'll likely never come close to winning again. Last week was a dramatic anomaly for me. I'm thinking I should have bought a lottery ticket while I was at it.

Well done, Mr. DUCatti. With that many points scored, you don't get much closer than that.