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Oregon Football: Ducks Inch Closer To Rankings After 2-0 Start

By Justin Phillips

EUGENE, OR - SEPTEMBER 09: Head coach Willie Taggart of the Oregon Ducks speaks to his team during the third quarter of the game against the Nebraska Cornhuskers at Autzen Stadium on September 9, 2017 in Eugene, Oregon. Oregon won the game 42-35. (Photo by Steve Dykes/Getty Images)
EUGENE, OR - SEPTEMBER 09: Head coach Willie Taggart of the Oregon Ducks speaks to his team during the third quarter of the game against the Nebraska Cornhuskers at Autzen Stadium on September 9, 2017 in Eugene, Oregon. Oregon won the game 42-35. (Photo by Steve Dykes/Getty Images) /
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Oregon Football has won two straight and the AP Poll and Coaches Poll came close to having the Ducks back in the Top 25.

Willie Taggart and Oregon Football have beaten Southern Utah and a Power 5 opponent in Nebraska. While the team is 2-0 both wins were against unranked teams, but Oregon is closer to the Top 25. Entering the season, the Ducks were in the ‘other getting votes’ spot sitting in roughly 40th place. With Week 3 upon us, Oregon is now on the cusp of the Top 25, ranked 28th.

The Pac-12 is well represented this week with UCLA entering at number 25. A big win over Texas A&M last week gave them top of mind awareness with Josh Rosen leading the way. Washington State(21), Stanford(19), Washington(6), and USC(4) round things out for the week. Both Colorado and Oregon are on the outside looking in.

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With Ohio State losing and dropping to 8th, the bowl game lineups just got more interesting. Of course, there is a long way to go, but if Oregon gets to six or eight wins and ends up in a bowl game with a marquee team like Ohio State, or possibly Florida State it would be a big building block for next season and get the program back into the National Spotlight under Willie Taggart.

Wins over unranked teams over the coming weeks won’t go very far in the polls. If Oregon stumbles against Wyoming they will need to rebound for a month or more. A win over the Cowboys and a 3-0 start may get them into the Top 25, but it will be hard to see the Oregon Ducks getting into the Top Ten this season. A win against Washington may get them there, but they would need to get USC in the Pac-12 Championship to make a run at the National Championship.

I don’t believe there is enough strength in their schedule this year to get them there.

Next: Oregon/Arizona State Set For Primetime

Oregon Football visits Laramie Wyoming on Saturday and the Wyoming Cowboys(4pm Pacific Time, CBS Sports Network)

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