DO NOT GIVE UP THE PLAYOFF SHIP!

[Jon Joseph]

There are teams that are nemesis for other teams. Yesterday for the 5th time since 2000 the Cardinal defeated the Ducks.

 

But this was a Ducks team without its OC. This was a Ducks team missing the 2nd most important guy on O, the starting center. Alex Forsyth who Mel Kiper has ranked as the 4th best center prospect in the nation.

 

And the officiating? Can we agree that a number of calls in the game were suspect?

 

Yet, how many good things have we seen in 2021? A W at now #7 Ohio State when Oregon was a 2 TD dog and playing without the best guy on the team. 

 

How about untested young guys stepping up on D? How about a resurgent kicker who worked his butt off to improve? How about a solid punter who has helped greatly in giving the Ducks good field position?

 

Oregon has 1L. Oregon is ranked behind a 1L team it defeated. And this Ohio State team has to play Penn St, Michigan and Michigan State. 

 

#4 Penn St plays at #3 Iowa this Saturday. The Ducks can move up in the AP while sitting at home and mending injuries.

 

Cincinnati was helped out by SMU being ranked. But was most definitely not helped out with Navy defeating UCF. And will the win at Notre Dame turn out to be all that? ND at Va Tech Saturday will not be a gimme. And ND is not a lock vs an up and down SC team. And not a lock at Stanford.

 

The Beavers is brewing up some secret sauce and the Beavers get ASU at home. Oregon could be facing a top 25 team at home in the final regular season game.

 

The ACC? How about NO.

 

Oklahoma? Will anyone be surprised if the Sooners are defeated by Texas on Saturday or in the Bedlam Game at OK ST.

 

I think a 2021 Playoff spot for these Ducks is still very much in play. The Ducks are better than the rest of the teams on the schedule and the voodoo that is Stanford has already happened.

 

Only 5 games into the season I am not ready to don a life jacket let alone abandon ship.

 

Clemson a few years back was upset at Syracuse. That Clemson team won a title. Clemson a few years back lost a home game to Pitt. That Clemson team played for a title.

 

How many of us believed this team would go 13-0? The Ducks used up the floating mulligan it captured in Columbus; something that was more likely to happen than not.

 

12-1 is more than doable and I believe it can and will be done.

[NJDuck]

I agree.  The bright side of this is Oregon is still sitting in the top 10.  We were without very important missing pieces in this game.

 

I do believe AB is not the answer at QB as was revealed not only in this game, but others as well.  His passing technique is weak.  We do need a QB who can pass with accurate precision which Ty Thompson will give us the dimension we sorely need.  He is Oregon's answer at QB for the Ducks.

 

Do you prepare Ty Thompson now since we have two weeks before we play California at home, but allow AB to be the backup just in case?  That next following game will be at UCLA.  If they were to make a change, it should be now.  But is it wise to change QBs part way in the season?  

Edited October 3, 2021 by NJDuck

[Charles Fischer]

Who IS this guy? Jon...we love the upbeat approach as yes--it can happen yet. I do not rate the probabilities as very high, but teams have changed through a season and this is a whacky year.  A number of us used Fresno State as a measuring stick and then they lose to Hawaii?

 

Who can figure any of this out? Ducks...focus on Cal and win the darn game!
 

[Jon Joseph]

Just Win Baby!

[nw777b]

If the CFP was a true playoff where playoff teams were determined by a predetermined criteria (conference champions), instead of votes  I would always have hope. Teams that started slow would have a fighting chance after losing all pre-conference games, for example.

 

The Ducks do have a chance, but if Verdell happens to be out for an extended period I think that's a huge problem as I can't see Dye carrying the load. 

[DUCKED]

On 10/3/2021 at 1:48 PM, Jon Joseph said:

There are teams that are nemesis for other teams. Yesterday for the 5th time since 2000 the Cardinal defeated the Ducks.

 

But this was a Ducks team without its OC. This was a Ducks team missing the 2nd most important guy on O, the starting center. Alex Forsyth who Mel Kiper has ranked as the 4th best center prospect in the nation.

 

And the officiating? Can we agree that a number of calls in the game were suspect?

 

Yet, how many good things have we seen in 2021? A W at now #7 Ohio State when Oregon was a 2 TD dog and playing without the best guy on the team. 

 

How about untested young guys stepping up on D? How about a resurgent kicker who worked his butt off to improve? How about a solid punter who has helped greatly in giving the Ducks good field position?

 

Oregon has 1L. Oregon is ranked behind a 1L team it defeated. And this Ohio State team has to play Penn St, Michigan and Michigan State. 

 

#4 Penn St plays at #3 Iowa this Saturday. The Ducks can move up in the AP while sitting at home and mending injuries.

 

Cincinnati was helped out by SMU being ranked. But was most definitely not helped out with Navy defeating UCF. And will the win at Notre Dame turn out to be all that? ND at Va Tech Saturday will not be a gimme. And ND is not a lock vs an up and down SC team. And not a lock at Stanford.

 

The Beavers is brewing up some secret sauce and the Beavers get ASU at home. Oregon could be facing a top 25 team at home in the final regular season game.

 

The ACC? How about NO.

 

Oklahoma? Will anyone be surprised if the Sooners are defeated by Texas on Saturday or in the Bedlam Game at OK ST.

 

I think a 2021 Playoff spot for these Ducks is still very much in play. The Ducks are better than the rest of the teams on the schedule and the voodoo that is Stanford has already happened.

 

Only 5 games into the season I am not ready to don a life jacket let alone abandon ship.

 

Clemson a few years back was upset at Syracuse. That Clemson team won a title. Clemson a few years back lost a home game to Pitt. That Clemson team played for a title.

 

How many of us believed this team would go 13-0? The Ducks used up the floating mulligan it captured in Columbus; something that was more likely to happen than not.

 

12-1 is more than doable and I believe it can and will be done.

Jon, you are clearly a half full guy.

 

This team has serious issues, especially on offense.

 

A change at quarterback is a must. The offense needs to open up, and with the loss of Verdell, that becomes even more critical to the Ducks’ future success. Oregon needs to get its young playmaking receivers involved. What good is a 5 star receiver, or veteran for that matter, if they are never targeted?

 

And why don’t we see more of Seven McGee? He was mentioned quite a bit by Cristobal in fall camp as being ready right now to contribute but he’s barely seen the field.

 

Defensively, the Ducks have been riddled with injuries, and that has been largely responsible for their inconsistent play. Hopefully they’ll heal up and will become solid once again. The loss of Flowe really hurt as did the injury to Swinson on the edge.

 

Fortunately the Ducks play a reeling Cal team next, and they have almost 2 weeks to prepare.

 

Hopefully they’ll use that time wisely.

[oregon112]

If they make a change at QB and TT is great, then the 'experts' will have to re-evaluate the Ducks. 

 

Change QB, blow out Cal - and Ducks are back in the picture. 

[Jon Joseph]

I'm staying positive. In all of life you play the hand you are dealt.

 

Mario is holding a very good hand. He has to play his cards right.

 

Hopefully, the next two weeks will be 'tell the truth time' between the players and the coaches. A chance to heal physically and psychologically. 

 

As frustrated as us fans have been since Ohio State I would think and hope, that the coaches and players are equally frustrated.

 

This bye comes at a perfect time. A chance to regroup, refocus  and get ready to play winning ball down the stretch.

 

 

[Annie]

On 10/3/2021 at 7:21 PM, DUCKED said:

...

 

And why don’t we see more of Seven McGee? He was mentioned quite a bit by Cristobal in fall camp as being ready right now to contribute but he’s barely seen the field.

 

...

I've been wondering about that too.

[Jon Joseph]

Reviewing last week's results, this week's AP Poll and the Ducks shot at the final 4.

 

The L at Stanford speaks for itself. But how many P5 conference champions in 2021 will run the table?

 

IMO, if the PO Committee had voted yesterday, taking into consideration no Joe Moorhead and Forsyth missing the game, the committee would have Oregon and not Ohio State ranked #7.

 

After Bama and UGA, with the A+M loss to MS ST, Arkansas being trucked by UGA and UF taking its 2nd loss at Kentucky, the SEC is doing a nice job of picking one another off.

 

If JT Daniels can't play Saturday, Auburn and what a great job 1st year coach Bryan Harsin is doing, will not be an easy win for old foe Georgia. UGA destroyed the Hogs but back up QB Stetson completed only 7 passes. And it is not easy to win On the Plains in front of War Eagle.

 

And of course, if UGA and Bama run the table, they will play in Atlanta. Will a 1L non-conference champ beat out a 1L conference champ that tested itself in Columbus? Ducks fans should be big Buckeyes fans.

 

Notre Dame was overrated. Cincinnati looked good but good enough not to lose an AAC game? The Bearcats W over Indiana is looking less and less impressive. Starting at Va Tech Saturday, this ND squad could lose 2 more games. And to date, the committee has not valued G5 schedules, even when UCF went undefeated.

 

#3 Iowa plays #4 PSU Saturday. PSU still has to play at Ohio State, and has to play both Michigan and Michigan State. 

 

Oklahoma? To date in 2021 OK is doing it with mirrors. I think Texas has a great chance to take down OK this Saturday? OK still has to play OK ST in Stillwater in what will be a HOSTILE environment. 

 

ASU's win at UCLA hurt the Ducks SOS in the short run. But in the long run may help Oregon out? The Sun Devils loss at #10 BYU was a 'good loss.' 

 

Don't look now but ASU at Oregon State on 11/20 could have major PO impact? If the Beavs and ASU run the table, Oregon's final regular season game and champ game, assuming the Ducks win the north, would come against 2 teams ranked 20 or higher?

 

As Yogi said: It ain't over till it's over. 

 

Still lots of football to be played in 2021.

[Just Ducky]

I would love to see a gigantic turn around but with all the injuries and inconsistent play do any of us want to see our mighty ducks in the ring with Alabama or Georgia? Probably not. Rose bowl would be a huge achievement from what we have seen so far. 

 

Go

[Jon Joseph]

On 10/5/2021 at 3:27 PM, Just Ducky said:

I would love to see a gigantic turn around but with all the injuries and inconsistent play do any of us want to see our mighty ducks in the ring with Alabama or Georgia? Probably not. Rose bowl would be a huge achievement from what we have seen so far. 

 

Go

 

Better the holy grail, the PO, even if the semi-final L is a tough L. And you never know? Oregon is 1-9 vs the Buckeyes but the 1 came this year.

 

PO appearances matter to recruits. Gives the 4 teams in the final 4 a month long recruiting informercial. And would help the Pac-12's national cred and help with upcoming media negotiations.

 

The Rose Bowl is the best consolation game. But in 2021/22 it is still a consolation game. A potential 1L or 2L B1G opponent would not be a piece of cake. 

 

How about a chance of playing UGA back to back? In the Cotton Bowl and then in Atlanta? 

 

Oregon has flaws no doubt. Oregon is having tough injury luck this season. But the Oregon roster is still a very talented roster and on any given day?

 

For now, Ducks fans need to cheer on Ohio State, ASU and the Beavers.