Charles Fischer Administrator No. 1 Share Posted September 25, 2022 I was so impressed with how well WSU played and how well they were coached. We were very fortunate to survive, and it got me to pondering again... Those Cougars are going to be big trouble for everyone else, and could be a spoiler for a conference contender. Washington State plays USC, Utah, Oregon State and of course, Washington. All are the other major league contenders, and those Cougars will mess things up for somebody on their schedule! WSU plays Utah and Washington at home...I likey. Could they decide who wins the conference? 1 1 3 Mr. FishDuck Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Kamikaze Kid Moderator No. 2 Share Posted September 25, 2022 I was extremely impressed with WSU. They did not look like they thought of themselves as underdogs in this game and played that way. That is 100%on the coaching staff. WSU will not only factor in to the conference championship winner, they may even be in the conversation themselves. I still say they should be ranked! 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
lownslowav8r No. 3 Share Posted September 25, 2022 On 9/25/2022 at 9:45 AM, The Kamikaze Kid said: I still say they should be ranked! Should have been ranked going in, and after the loss. If I lived near Pullman I’d be a fan. They are a team easy to root for. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Marsh No. 4 Share Posted September 25, 2022 I think between Utah and WSU they keep the Trojans out of the conference championship game. USC has an awful offensive line and WSU is going to bring some major heat. USC only survived the Beavers because Nolan thee 4 interceptions and shot themselves in the foot with penalties on a successfully drive. The cougars are going to make USCs day miserable with their attack. USC, like Oregon, has receivers fast enough to get over the top of WSUs secondary. But unlike Oregon, USC doesn't have the offensive line to allow their QB to sit comfortably and make the throw with enough time. Utah's defense and offense should embarrass USC as USC is really lacking defensively everywhere but their secondary. As for WSU v Utah... I think it could go either way. WSU with a slight edge because it's their home game but both Utah and WSU are used to the high desert environment so maybe Utah won't be thrown off by the later fall weather in Pullman. 1 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave23 No. 5 Share Posted September 25, 2022 They should have a heyday with USC's offensive line. The Apple cup should be a high scoring affair that comes down to whoever scores last. I haven't watched any Utah games so not quite sure how the match up against them. They should be able to compete with everyone though. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Log Haulin No. 6 Share Posted September 25, 2022 On 9/25/2022 at 10:00 AM, David Marsh said: I think between Utah and WSU they keep the Trojans out of the conference championship game. USC has an awful offensive line and WSU is going to bring some major heat. USC only survived the Beavers because Nolan thee 4 interceptions and shot themselves in the foot with penalties on a successfully drive. The cougars are going to make USCs day miserable with their attack. USC, like Oregon, has receivers fast enough to get over the top of WSUs secondary. But unlike Oregon, USC doesn't have the offensive line to allow their QB to sit comfortably and make the throw with enough time. Utah's defense and offense should embarrass USC as USC is really lacking defensively everywhere but their secondary. As for WSU v Utah... I think it could go either way. WSU with a slight edge because it's their home game but both Utah and WSU are used to the high desert environment so maybe Utah won't be thrown off by the later fall weather in Pullman. Beavs are another team that might spoil a season. They are at Utah and Washington. They have OBD at home. Haven't been able to say this in a while but the Pac is a tough conference. 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave23 No. 7 Share Posted September 25, 2022 On 9/25/2022 at 11:10 AM, Log Haulin said: Haven't been able to say this in a while but the Pac is a tough conference. Great to see right when all the media rights and conference re-alignment is happening. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
shawnski No. 8 Share Posted September 25, 2022 Man, what I wouldn't give for tackling like that on our Ducks team. Just outstanding Still, we had over 600 yards offense? Very good team and the North is still King! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nevada Dawg No. 9 Share Posted September 26, 2022 I throughly enjoyed the Oregon-WSU game and thought as I watched that the Cougs had deserved to be ranked. The proposition that they may determine who wins this conference is perfectly reasonable to me. Having said that, the comeback win by the Ducks was an important accomplishment for getting them by a potential spoiler that other contenders may not so successfully navigate. Oh, and I smiled when I watched the experienced Bo Nix calmly direct the Oregon offense in crunch time. He is not going to be a Heisman candidate but he has the moxie to direct his team when the chips are down, as in the rapidly expiring 4th Quarter in Pullman. I suspect that this is one reason Lanning is apparently sold on Nix for the 2022 season. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike West No. 10 Share Posted September 26, 2022 (edited) I don't think WSU is that good. Countless mental errors gave them opportunities they didn't earn. The first time OBD drove inside the WSU's ten yard line , OBD committed a false start. That first and goal play call was a TD without that penalty. Play calling the next two series on offense kept WSU in a game they should have lost by at least 14. In fact, that 17-9 halftime score was a botched 28-10 Oregon lead. My opinion of course. Even DL said they didn't stop OBD offense. That's an understatement. Dilly spent half the game establishing control, when it was clear we could scorch them after Franklin was so wide open, an infant could catch Nix's pass ( that was on ODB's 2nd series on offense). Thorton had one catch. Why? Nobody can cover him ( and WSU certainly couldn't cover Franklin). We left food on the table. And gave them life they didn't deserve. We know we can run the ball. We handled Georgia's defense for crying out loud. We don't have to prove we can run the ball. Teams have to prove they can cover our WRs. WSU got lucky as far as I'm concerned, because I would have exposed to the conference they can't cover fast WRs ( they can't, and any decent OC is going to attack that secondary). Finally, Utah is better than everyone. We are more talented. And WSU isn't going to ruin teams Utah is simply going to smack, and we SHOULD dominate. This conference boils down to if Oregon can shed the Mario curse. Mario saps testosterone from a team. Lanning is putting it back. How fast determines the fate of the conference. WSU has nothing to do with deciding the fate of the conference. OBD do. Edited September 26, 2022 by Mike West 1 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mic No. 11 Share Posted September 26, 2022 On 9/26/2022 at 10:00 AM, Wrathis said: I respectfully disagree. I think WSU IS good and will absolutely play spoiler for someone. For what it's worth, so do I. I was both surprised and impressed by their speed at the edges, there hard hitting and their young QB who is going to get a lot better. Oregon is fortunate, imo, that Pullman/Spokane is a difficult place to lure top talent to as compared to LA, Seattle and Eugene. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
JDuck No. 12 Share Posted September 26, 2022 I think WSU is good and will give USuC and the Beevs problems. Utah? I hope they win in Pullman and we get a shot at 2 wins over the Utes in 13 days...payback. That 12-1 likely would make the playoff. The condoms will not even win the south. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
30Duck No. 13 Share Posted September 26, 2022 On 9/25/2022 at 9:38 AM, Charles Fischer said: WSU plays Utah and Washington at home...I likey. Not sure about Utah, but I'd go WSU -6 against USC. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DuckFan93 No. 14 Share Posted September 26, 2022 Here is one word to describe the WSU team I saw Saturday - Creative! I have never seen so many trick plays in a game before. It's a wonder that OBD D kept up with them throughout the game... Without that INT, we all know what the outcome could have been... Whew! 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Krsmqn No. 15 Share Posted September 26, 2022 (edited) On 9/26/2022 at 2:38 PM, DuckFan93 said: I have never seen so many trick plays in a game before. That play where they lined up, then acted like they are looking to the sideline for another call... Man... It sure burned us. Gonzalez was completely fooled, as were over half our guys. Hats off to their staff for putting a heck of a game plan together. They should have won that game. Sure glad they didn't. And I agree, WSU will play spoiler to someone this season. Edited September 26, 2022 by Krsmqn Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike West No. 16 Share Posted September 27, 2022 On 9/26/2022 at 10:00 AM, Wrathis said: I'm not afraid to admit that Wazzu's defense is what ours should look like. If Havoc rate is the goal, then they're the current standard-bearer I don't ever want to give up 600 yards on defense. You are supposed to lose when you give up six hundred yards. More aggressive play calling ends this game in the first quarter. That wasn't a fluke we gained six hundred yards. That was expected. At least I expected it. My only concern was playing on the road the first conference game under new leadership. I'll repeat it a hundred times if necessary. We don't have to prove to anyone we can run the ball. Teams have to prove they can stop our WRs. All that havoc didn't stop us. We did. Conference contending teams don't give up six hundred yards on defense. Conference decision makers certainly determine titles when they gain six hundred yards. I'll give WSU credit for being scrappy against a far superior team. That's it. They were supposed to lose. If we played them three times, we'd beat to them all three. We're simply better. We gave them mulligan after Mulligan, and they lost. If we get that many mistakes (take BYU for instance), we dominate. That is what makes a team a difference maker. They were lucky to be in the game as far as I'm concerned, and I'm ticked we didn't wipe them off the face of the earth like we should have. Time will tell. But I'm not impressed. I'm disappointed we played poorly after learning what it takes to dominate a team we're better than. I could go on forever. But let me be clear: the growth of OBD determines the fate of the conference. WSU has nothing to say about it as far as I'm concerned. 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MDuck No. 17 Share Posted September 27, 2022 I don’t think WSU was that good. We could move the ball on every drive and after the first quarter we figured out how to stop them on half of theirs. We just made too many mistakes. We had far more talent and should have won by 21. Yes, WSU played with attitude, but we made them look a lot better than they are. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeotechDuck No. 18 Share Posted September 27, 2022 On 9/26/2022 at 10:00 AM, Wrathis said: I expect Wazzu's defense to absolutely WRECK USC. If the Beavs held Heisman contender Caleb Williams to 16/36 (44%) for 180yrds and 1 TD with that patchwerk offensive line, the Cougs are going to feast on him ALL DAY! USC's OL play is just flat out tragic. They are going to take a few losses in conference if they can't clean that up. I can't remember watching a conference game and seeing an OL get abused like that in a long time. If OSU didn't turn the ball over 4 times, that is probably an easy win. I have a very hard time believing that USC could beat WSU, UW, Utah, Oregon or maybe even UCLA right now. 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike West No. 19 Share Posted September 28, 2022 On 9/27/2022 at 9:46 AM, Wrathis said: Then let me be clear: if the fate of the conference goes through OBD and Wazzu won't spoil it for anyone, then our defense better get their $hi* together b/c giving up 41 points to conference rivals isn't going to get it done. Absolutely. Talk about growth. The unit we thought would excel isn't. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
EastBayDuckDad Moderator No. 20 Share Posted September 28, 2022 On 9/27/2022 at 12:27 AM, Mike West said: Conference contending teams don't give up six hundred yards on defense Let's hope this is not entirely accurate when it comes to OBD. Georgia v Oregon: Georgia 439 yds passing 132 yds rushing 571 yds total offense Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
