I wanted to write this post prior to the Indiana game this past Saturday, but I didn't want to jinx the game. Due to a family function, I only caught the opening series for each team but the game had an eerie feeling from Indiana's first sack on the first play. Even prior to the Ducks running out from the tunnel. The low energy, the grey clouds, the lack of fire, the poor prep from the first snap - everything seemed off.

This weekend was the two year anniversary of our last regular season loss - by far the longest streak in college football and longest streak in Duck history(?). Our Ducks now have one regular season loss in the past two calendar years. In this day and age, bad football games happen to even the best teams. What Oregon has accomplished over the past 24 months in the regular season is close to impossible.

Let's take a look at what the very best in college football have accomplished in the last two calendar years since the Ducks last lost a regular season game on October 14, 2023 (all regular season losses):

1. Oregon - 1 loss (#3 Indiana 20-30)

2. Ohio St. - 3 losses

3. Texas - 3 losses

4. Georgia - 3 losses

5. SMU - 3 losses

6. Memphis - 3 losses

7. Alabama - 4 losses

8. Mississippi - 4 losses

9. Notre Dame - 4 losses

10. Boise State - 4 losses

11. Miami - 5 losses

12. Missouri - 5 losses

13. Penn State - 6 losses

14. Indiana - 6 losses

15. Tennessee - 6 losses

16. LSU - 6 losses

17. Texas A&M - 6 losses

18. Michigan - 7 losses

19. Washington - 7 losses

20. BYU - 7 losses

21. Clemson - 8 losses

22. Arizona State - 8 losses

23. Illinois - 8 losses

24. Oklahoma - 9 losses

25. South Carolina - 9 losses

This loss to Indiana stings! Coaches and players have a lot to learn from it. Maybe we do, too, as fans. However, there has never been a better, more prosperous time to be an Oregon Duck fan. Let's fight like crazy to finish 11-1 and start another long streak!

I love how "fans" have praised Stein's offense for wins but now are posting/perpetuating his offense after a loss!

If you're going to be critical, be that, but don't two-face your criticism after a loss! The team is good. The O line has been an issue for two previous games, Northwestern and PSU, but the win made it better! With a loss we have people saying the OC is to blame??

If you believe in your own hype, another team will knock you down a peg, which is poison. As a fan, if you don't pull the rose-colored glasses off, you will be swallowed by the hype.

We have a very good team but injuries and the hype poison will affect every team. Learn from the loss and become greater!!

23 minutes ago, mikethehiker said:

I wanted to write this post prior to the Indiana game this past Saturday, but I didn't want to jinx the game. Due to a family function, I only caught the opening series for each team but the game had an eerie feeling from Indiana's first sack on the first play. Even prior to the Ducks running out from the tunnel. The low energy, the grey clouds, the lack of fire, the poor prep from the first snap - everything seemed off.

I had the same feeling which is why I predicted an Indiana victory in the prediction contest. Too much talk about the winning streak at Autzen and Indiana’s losing against top ten teams. This is a team with very few returning starters who just came off an emotionally taxing win in Pennsylvania. The difficulty they experienced on Saturday didn’t surprise me.

It somewhat reminded me of Oregon’s response to beating a highly ranked Michigan State team in 2014. They barely beat a bad WSU team the next week in Pullman and lost to Arizona at home two weeks later after a bye. That team responded and never lost again until the national championship game. I think we have the coaching staff to help keep these players pointed in the right direction.

I mean I could feel a bad game coming. I just wasn't looking forward to a game like I usually do... Nothing scientific about it... Just felt it in my gut.

Also... Last week I couldn't really walk as I had a foot wound and then I got COVID... And now I'm sick again. Wound is healing well so at least I can walk.

But something about it all just didn't have me feeling it was going to be a good Saturday.

Also my 3 and 1 year old daughters were just melting down all day before, during and after the game..

27 minutes ago, David Marsh said:

Also... Last week I couldn't really walk as I had a foot wound and then I got COVID... And now I'm sick again. Wound is healing well so at least I can walk.

But something about it all just didn't have me feeling it was going to be a good Saturday.

Also my 3 and 1 year old daughters were just melting down all day before, during and after the game..

Sorry to hear about the rough week David. Hope you’re feeling better now.

I knew right after the Penn State win that I was VERY glad OBD had an extra week to gather their emotions. Evidently, it wasn’t enough.

46 minutes ago, mikethehiker said:

I knew right after the Penn State win that I was VERY glad OBD had an extra week to gather their emotions. Evidently, it wasn’t enough.

I think we might have been fine if we didn't have a bye.

Teams that have lots of experienced players and leadership tend to do better because they can be more disciplined through the bye than teams that are younger. Bye weeks are physical rest weeks but should be double mental weeks.