Oregon football is at a unique spot. It’s ranked inside the top 10 of the AP Top 25 with a lot of football to play, but with no other Pac-12 teams ranked, it needs to find momentum on its own.
How does a team like Oregon find momentum? They had it before their loss to Stanford. It starts with an identity. The Ducks have some big names on offense and defense who have shown they can get the job done and help the team to a win. Kayvon Thibodeaux has been a big focal point on defense this season despite an injury that has kept him out of a few games.
Offensively, it’s clear that it all runs through one man: Anthony Brown. If he has a good day, Oregon wins. If he has a bad day, Oregon can still win, but the margin for error is a lot thinner. So moving forward, the Ducks need to make a statement. A statement win or two will go a long way in determining where this team will land toward the end of the year.
At the moment, Oregon State looks like a legitimate contender for the Pac-12 North. Say what you want, but a comeback win over Utah, a team expected to win the Pac-12 South, was impressive last week. The Ducks and Beavers could be playing for a lot more than just a win next month in Eugene.
While Colorado is not a powerhouse in the conference this season, Oregon football needs to avoid playing down to them and show they are the better team for 60 minutes on Saturday. It should get out of hand to the point that Ty Thompson finds himself in the game for at least a quarter.
If you look at the Associated Press Top 25, there is one ranked Pac-12 team this week. Oregon. That’s it. Not facing a ranked opponent is not helping your cause, but winning convincingly can more than make up for it. Everything is still in front of the Ducks considering that four of the teams in the top six will likely face each other before the end of the year. Georgia is on pace to meet Alabama for the SEC title. The Big Ten is on pace to beat itself into submission.
Ohio State hosts Penn State this week and will play Michigan State and Michigan to close out the season.
Oregon hosts the Colorado Buffaloes on Oct. 30. Kickoff is set for 12:30 p.m. PT on FOX.