It's setting up perfect for the Ducks to make a run in the playoff

After their Week 13 42-27 win over USC, the Ducks have proved something important.

They showed they can win any type of game. So far this year they've prevailed in dominating blowouts, tense, physical defensive battles, bad weather, perfect weather, run-dominated slugfests, overtime, two-and-a-half quarter surgical strikes and four-quarter nail-biters.

They've won through the air and they've won on the ground and matched up against every style of opponent. Saturday they get to test themselves against a revenge-minded foe in a rivalry game, facing dangerous mobile quarterback Demond Williams and Washington.

They've won shorthanded. Saturday they outscored the Trojans without three starters on the offensive line and four of their best receivers, yet they put up six touchdowns to knock Lincoln Riley and the Trojans out of the playoffs.

The Ducks got great relief work from redshirt freshman Fox Crader at tackle, Charlie Pickard at center and Kawika Rogers at guard. They kept Dante Moore clean. They moved tight end Kenyon Sadiq to wideout part of the time, and he proved nobody can guard him.

Moore has blossomed as one of the best quarterbacks in college football, but these video highlights also show Crader, Pickard, Rogers and the rest of the Oregon o-line providing a clean pocket and time to throw. In spite of missing three starters up front and several key skill players, Moore wasn't sacked. The Ducks gained 179 yards on the ground, 4.4 yards per carry.

In Noah Whittington, Jordon Davison and Dierre Hill, the Ducks have three ball carriers with the vision to use a small crease, the balance to step out of tackles and make the first guy miss, and the toughness to finish a run. They all have the capacity to be their own blocker at times, to get more out of a play and mask deficiencies and shortcomings in the blocking.

Oregon's running game doesn't require the blocking to be perfect or blow defenders off the ball. It's creative and tough-minded.

The Ducks could be peaking at just the right time for the playoffs

As a team the Ducks have proven to be resilient and resourceful, and if they can finish the job with a win in Seattle (never easy) it sets up very well in the College Football Playoff. They'll get a home game against a lesser seed with three precious weeks to get healthy before the first-round game in Autzen Stadium on December 20.

That could be enough time to get Gary Bryant Jr., Dakorien Moore and Evan Stewart back in the lineup, vital rehab time for Isaiah World, Alex Harkey and Iapani Laloulu. They could be whole, potent, fast and fierce for the playoffs. a team nobody wants to play.

They've been tested every way possible this season, a road that's given them tremendous unity and purpose.