EastBayDuckDad

I agree with Alex that beating Iowa is critical but I disagree that it would need to be emphatic to matter. A win on the road at Iowa will count regardless of the score. Indiana escaped with a victory in part because Gronowski got hurt and the Hawkeye offense imploded down the stretch. Hoosier could have and maybe should have lost that game. If Oregon wins out, they are in, likely with a #6 ceiling. But they need to win to be a guarantee. 10-2 won't cut it unless the team that beats the Ducks finishes with 3 losses and beats other ranked teams along the way. A 10-2 B1G team that beats Oregon is likely in and OBD out barring some chaos in the SEC with a crap ton of 9-3 teams Indiana and tOSU will play in the B1G CG. Given a close game, Bucknutt wins and IU drops no lower than #4. Indiana wins and ditto for tOSU. The best Oregon can be is 11-1 and a 3rd place at large B1G bid. It is a narrow path to the CFP and one OBD can navigate, but they almost certainly need to win out.

If the PAC had survived it would have turned into the ACC and played second fiddle to the B1G and SEC. One, or at the most two, teams would have made the CFP each year. One loss would perenially put OBD on the edge of elimination. Now they at least get consideration for the playoffs even with two losses in the B1G. It certainly happens for the SEC and the ESPN/Finebaum honks that carry their water. Maybe the evolution of NIL and player reimbursement would level the field amongst the 'haves', of which Oregon is a card carrying member. But witness that a two loss Miami is on CFP life support, and this year it looks like only the ACC champ is guaranteed a spot. Is there any reason to believe a reincarnated PAC would be any different?

Mariø presser post SMOO: "We weren't physical enough. We needed to be more physical. We simply needed more physicality. We also needed more physicists (both quantum and classical), physicians, physiotherapists and physiologists. And a simpler play clock. One that one of our new quantum physicists could simply make relativistic or stop whenever I told them to. Oh yeah, and a quarterback that wouldn't take $4M and then throw a pick in OT."

Nothing cute. RTDB! (*run the damn ball) Feed Davison early and often and set the pass up so that Iowa will be hesitant to bring the house.

All the above is true. However, the run D has had issues. D-line play has largely been good to great, but the LBs have found themselves guessing the wrong gap, allowing some gash plays. D. Jackson may be a stellar athlete but he overruns himself right out of plays. Boettcher does occasionally as well. When that happens and Alexander or Washington get jammed up in a double team, unless Theinemen has come up in the delta set, the opposing RBs get to the second level. It has happened multiple times on third and 3 to 7 yds with a resulting conversion. It seems that OCs have exploited that trend and I imagine Iowa will as well. The DBs and safeties have been solid, except against Indiana where the edges rarely got pressure on Mendoza. When they did, he threw a pick-6 to Finney. You can only cover good WRs for so long. Matayo will need to get some mojo back against U$C and EweDub to re-establish a one-two punch with Tuioti. Although the opponent's trips to the red zone have been scant, when they get there they tend to score. This is not to denigrate the defense, which has the capacity to be one of the most elite units that OBD has ever fielded. They need help from the other side of the ball. If the offense can hold up their end, the defense will hold up their's.

Not really a trend but a tendency: Oregon playing better on the road than at home. Against Iowa that may become a trend. Offense needs to get established early with the ground game behind Davison so the RPO and passing opens later on. Defense needs to shore up run D by bringing Theinemen or Flowers/Johnson down into the box to help with spotty play by the LBs. The current Oregon by -2 sounds about right.

Oregon 45-9 3 TO 4 Sacks 240 yds passing Don Essig's exhortation notwithstanding, it will be wet and windy at Autzen, putting a crimp in passing for both teams. But Whisky will be using it in desperation playing catch-up, resulting in several sacks, a couple picks and at least two scores resulting from TOs

Stein to Louisville is one HC move that would make sense. It is "home" to him and his family. A program he could build and recruit to in an ACC where FSU and GeoTech are intermittently good, Clemson is fading and Mariø's U always loses one head scratcher a season. He could build a perennial CFP candidate there. Could he take a QB with him? It wouldn't be surprising. Novosad bears more than a passing (no pun intended, unless you think it was) resemblance to Shough and would have two years of eligibility left. If Louisville comes calling, I think WS is gone.

The visit to the Doctor seems to have resulted in a discharge from the hospital and a healthy dose of go kick some butt. Yes, Rutgers is not a top 25 team. But they have had their moments with good teams and a more than competent passing attack. Oregon came out with a fire lit up under their heinies and even with a crappy first series, they opened up a three quarter long can of whoopa**. Three time zones away in Piscataway. DL doesn't spare the rod when correction is needed, nor does he excuse himself and his staff when they fail to put the team in a position to succeed. I keep going back to the humiliating defeat that tOSU took at the hands of Michigan last year. At home. To a team that had no business beating the ultimate national champion. To lose to Wolverine is the worst thing that can happen to Bucknutt. The long knives were out for Day. Something turned them into the juggernaut that buzz sawed through the CFP. Something had to happen in the locker room to flip that switch. A boat ton of talent is not a guarantee that you end up on top. You need humility and an understanding that talent may get you in the door but it's drive, heart, desire and accountability to the person standing next to you that leave you the ones standing at the end. This may not have been the most entertaining and inspirational Ducks vs Them ever, but it displayed the process of overcoming adversity and righting the ship.

Five observations from this game Oregon is a top 5 team. Ohio State and Indiana are better right now Cignetti and his staff outcoached DL and his last weekend. Oregon needed that fire lit under their butts and they responded This is still a team that could win a championship

Oh my goodness. Davison is both thunder AND lightning. Serious wheels on that long run then big burst to the endzone. I'm starting to feel bad for Rutgers.

Heckuva first half. Sadiq and you will find. Hopefully he's ok after that TD grab. Johnson and Saleapaga seem to be doing ok in his absence.

ASU just knocked off #7 Texas Tech. Go Dilly! #2, #5 and #7 all fall.

That's more like it. Noah for 68 yd TD

Finney shows why he'll be a freshman All American. Rutgers gets a FG. Offense needs to get it together