Ducks moving on up to a deluxe apartment in the Top 5

Oregon's win over Rutgers was about as decisive and total as a football game can be. The Ducks erupted for 11 explosive plays on offense and rolled up 750 yards. On defense, the only Rutgers points came on two short fields.

They're certain to move up in the AP Poll today as No. 2 Miami, No. 5 Ole Miss, No. 7 Texas Tech, No. 10 LSU and No. 11 Tennessee all lost. USC and Washington both lost, to Notre Dame and Michigan.

In the new era of college football beating even an overmatched opponent is no small thing. With just one loss to soon-to-be No. 2 Indiana, the Ducks control their destiny to the playoff.

Dan Lanning said after the game, "I was expecting our players to play with an edge. I was expecting them to execute and do their job to a really high level. I thought the things we were asking our guys to do, they were able to do."

The defensive edge stood out even in the offensive explosion. Rutgers came into the game with a potent offense that had put up 35 points a game in their 3-3 start, but Tosh Lupoi's group limited them to 8-27 passing for 79 yards, 42 rushes for 123 yards, 2.9 yards a carry, a long play from scrimmage of 19 yards.

The Ducks combined for three sacks and eight pass breakups. Blake Purchase turned in a sack, two TFLs and an interception. A'Mauri Washington swatted down two passes. Against the Scarlet Knights' tall receivers, Brandon Finney, Jadon Canaday, Theran Johnson, Ify Obidegwu, Aaron Flowers, Peyton Woodyard and the rest played lights out.

The team played with purpose and played with joy, runs of 68, 67, 35 and 35 yards, passes of 56, 35 34, and 30 yards. Lanning said about Dante Moore, "He was out there playing with joy. You could see the smile on his face."

The Ducks threw downfield. They converted 8-11 on third down and did not punt.

Joy is infectious. Moore completed 15-20 for 290 yards and four touchdowns, one interception in the third quarter after the score had reached 49-3.

To travel across the country and win like that on the road after a disappointing loss, it was about as decisive an answer as a team could make. The Ducks are in the process of discovering how good they can be.

Next Saturday they play Wisconsin in the Grateful Dead tribute game. The Badgers are 0-4 in the Big Ten and haven't scored in their last two games, losses to Iowa 37-0 and Ohio State 34-0.

They've scored 34 points all season and head coach Luke Fickell is about to be fired. Starting quarterback Billy Edwards Jr. has been out since September 20 with a sprained knee.

Against a team in such dire straits, the game could be a long, strange trip. The challenge for the Ducks will be to carry their momentum forward into November and continue to play with joy.

It's been a season of upsets in college football. The only way to avoid them is to remain grateful, and focused.