Instant Reaction: Oregon Throttles Arizona State 43-21

Oct. 18, 2012; Tempe, AZ, USA; Oregon Ducks running back (24) Kenjon Barner celebrates a touchdown in the second quarter against the Arizona State Sun Devils at Sun Devil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-US PRESSWIRE

Before people were able to sit down, Marcus Mariota fumbled the ball thanks to Will Sutton, a cautionary matchup as we predicted earlier. It cost Oregon a quick touchdown to go down 7-0 early, but it cost Arizona State their best defensive tackle.

The Ducks went on a 43-0 run after that early score. In the next 18 minutes of game time.

Just think of every explosion as one of the quick touchdowns the Ducks nailed. Win the day indeed.

Kenjon Barner started off the madness with a quick 71-yard touchdown scamper within the first 90 seconds of the game. He finished with 16 carries, 143 yards and three touchdowns. Then the standard two-point conversion after opening touchdown with the punter hitting the place kicker, nothing out of the ordinary.

Arizona State had a solid second possession, holding onto the ball for seven plays and over 2:30. They would push a field goal to the right. Oregon then mixed things up by putting in Bryan Bennett for a couple plays on the next drive. Eventually Marcus Mariota, or the Hawaiian Hurler as the kids like to call him, threw up a six-yard lob to Bralon Addison for a touchdown to make it 15-7. That’s Addison’s second of the season.

This is when the wheels started falling off for the Sun Devils. Their next possessions to end the first half: punt, punt, interception, punt, punt, end of half. Two three-and-outs, and only two first downs.

In the big picture, everything in the second half was largely irrelevant. Oregon did hold them stiff in the red zone with some flashbacks to Arizona State, but Bryan Bennett did have a pick-six with just under 10 minutes to go in the game.

Outside of De’Anthony Thomas’ low stat line and the status of Colt Lyeria, the Ducks had nearly a perfect night.

Oregon passes the road test with flying colors. Were the Sun Devils overrated at 5-1 with a weaker schedule? Perhaps, but they just become another victim getting pummeled by an Oregon Ducks team that every SEC fan is just more jealous of now than think they’re legit. It’s quite obvious from their running attack to their defense that they can compete with anybody in the nation anywhere.

Brian Spaen is the lead editor for Autzen Zoo. See his banter with other FanSided writers and love for his favorite west coast professional teams by following him on Twitter.

Read his other work on the Iowa State blog, Clones Confidential, and Lacrosse the Web.