What wins are left on the schedule?

[duckfan96]

I think we lose to Stanford and that's it. My story and I'm sticking to it. Whoever said it doesn't matter if you are 9-3 or 3-9 is delusional. Jmo

[dthomas=ddixon]

Why does every defense of the CU loss leave out the fact that they were without their star QB? I know they're improved but let's at least be honest about the CU team that we were actually facing.

Maybe the fact that he made throws that 80% of starters in the country can't make? He actually played a great game, not saying he's going to be a star, just that he played out of his mind.

I'm curious why everyone thinks all these other teams are so great, and will beat UO easily? Like I said before, Arizona moved the ball with a backup qb, and a WR playing RB. Let's see how this plays out before saying the end is near.

He was facing what is one of the worst defenses in college football.

That's not really what I'm getting at though; there's no doubt that Motez had a great game but every argument I've seen for CU being a much improved team sites their game against Michigan. That's a dishonest argument: He went 0 for 7 against Michigan and CU couldn't do anything once Liufau went out. We shouldn't be using that for feeling OK about the loss.

I get people's desire to be positive but I don't understand the desire to delude ourselves about this past game.

[pezsez1]

That's not really what I'm getting at though; there's no doubt that Motez had a great game but every argument I've seen for CU being a much improved team sites their game against Michigan. That's a dishonest argument: He went 0 for 7 against Michigan and CU couldn't do anything once Liufau went out. We shouldn't be using that for feeling OK about the loss.

At the same time, we shouldn't be ignoring CU's improvement to make Oregon's loss seem worse than it was.

The Michigan game only affirmed what many of us already knew -- that Colorado is a much better team that it was in recent years. Same goes for the Huskies. Sure, they haven't played an elite team yet, and they may go this whole season without playing an elite team, because I don't see one in the Pac-12 this year. Regardless, it's hard to look at their results and conclude they haven't taken a step forward -- that goes for the Buffs and Huskies.

So while a home loss to Colorado is certainly worse than a road loss at Ohio State, let's be honest that losing to CO this year doesn't mean what it did two or three years ago.

[Alan]

With Stanford struggling at UCLA, I think Colorado will be in the mix for the Pac 12 north. as stated the Huskies have'nt played anyone yet, so for me they are still a wait and see...... And don't count out the Ducks yet...although at this point long odds.

[mdm0302]

Why does every defense of the CU loss leave out the fact that they were without their star QB? I know they're improved but let's at least be honest about the CU team that we were actually facing.

the guy started out 17/18! what more is their "star" going to give them!? Also, CU caught TWO tds that are worthy of catch of the year.

[Greenblood]

FYI, Alan, the Buffs are in the South Division, along with Utah, the L.A. schools and the Arizona schools.

[dthomas=ddixon]

Why does every defense of the CU loss leave out the fact that they were without their star QB? I know they're improved but let's at least be honest about the CU team that we were actually facing.

the guy started out 17/18! what more is their "star" going to give them!? Also, CU caught TWO tds that are worthy of catch of the year.

Well for one, we probably wouldn't have gotten the two picks that led to our come back. In other words, we likely wouldn't have a chance in the game, been blown out, and the panic among fans would be two-fold what it is now.

[mdm0302]

Why does every defense of the CU loss leave out the fact that they were without their star QB? I know they're improved but let's at least be honest about the CU team that we were actually facing.

the guy started out 17/18! what more is their "star" going to give them!? Also, CU caught TWO tds that are worthy of catch of the year.

Well for one, we probably wouldn't have gotten the two picks that led to our come back. In other words, we likely wouldn't have a chance in the game, been blown out, and the panic among fans would be two-fold what it is now.

agreed. However, things are still balanced out. That QB played the game of his life and those two catches represented talent that nobody expected from CU.

[dthomas=ddixon]

That's not really what I'm getting at though; there's no doubt that Motez had a great game but every argument I've seen for CU being a much improved team sites their game against Michigan. That's a dishonest argument: He went 0 for 7 against Michigan and CU couldn't do anything once Liufau went out. We shouldn't be using that for feeling OK about the loss.

At the same time, we shouldn't be ignoring CU's improvement to make Oregon's loss seem worse than it was.

The Michigan game only affirmed what many of us already knew -- that Colorado is a much better team that it was in recent years. Same goes for the Huskies. Sure, they haven't played an elite team yet, and they may go this whole season without playing an elite team, because I don't see one in the Pac-12 this year. Regardless, it's hard to look at their results and conclude they haven't taken a step forward -- that goes for the Buffs and Huskies.

So while a home loss to Colorado is certainly worse than a road loss at Ohio State, let's be honest that losing to CO this year doesn't mean what it did two or three years ago.

That's fair. I agree that this is a much improved CU team, I just don't think we can ignore the fact that they were missing the biggest piece of that improvement. Regardless of how well the backup played.

And it certainly doesn't make me feel better going forward; if anything the fact they lit us up DESPITE Liufau being out only concerns me more. I have a feeling we'll being seeing a lot of opposing QBs this year look like future stars.

[Greenblood]

I don't think there can be any question that it's pretty troubling how a freshman QB in his first career start was that effective against the Ducks. Probably the best face one can put on it is that, for the rare young QB who picks up things really quickly, his having a full week of preparation possibly makes him MORE difficult to defend than the usual starter because the opposing defense has so little knowledge of the replacement's tendencies/strengths/weaknesses, etc. But if anyone says that that's a bit of a "reach" in reasoning, I won't disagree with you.

The main thing I see is it appears that at least a few seem to be saying that it's essentially the same old Colorado team we've been torching the past five years or so, which I think is obvious nonsense. If someone feels embarrassed that they predicted a big Duck victory, mostly because they underestimated the Buffs, that's not the Ducks' problem.

[pezsez1]

Well for one, we probably wouldn't have gotten the two picks that led to our come back. In other words, we likely wouldn't have a chance in the game, been blown out, and the panic among fans would be two-fold what it is now.

Give us Royce Freeman, though, and our offense never gets so far behind that we're completely out of it.

While our defense gets killed on screens and 10-yard passes (with lots of yards after the catch), we've actually played the deep ball pretty well, and I wouldn't go so far to say a turnover wouldn't have happened. You just never know. We can only go with what actually happened.

[Alan]

FYI, Alan, the Buffs are in the South Division, along with Utah, the L.A. schools and the Arizona schools.

My mistake, my mind always associates them with the North simply because of their location, same as Cal seems it should be south. Maybe a few more years and I'll get it right.

[dthomas=ddixon]

Well for one, we probably wouldn't have gotten the two picks that led to our come back. In other words, we likely wouldn't have a chance in the game, been blown out, and the panic among fans would be two-fold what it is now.

Give us Royce Freeman, though, and our offense never gets so far behind that we're completely out of it.

While our defense gets killed on screens and 10-yard passes (with lots of yards after the catch), we've actually played the deep ball pretty well, and I wouldn't go so far to say a turnover wouldn't have happened. You just never know. We can only go with what actually happened.

Possibly. I don't think comparing their QB to our RB is completely fair, especially with how capable our backups are. As we've seen this years Duck team, a great QB makes all the difference.

You're right though, Schooler has been a real ball hawk so it may not have made a difference. And yes, there's not really any point in arguing hypotheticals ha.

[GoDucksIn09]

I hate to think what will happen here if Oregon loses a 3rd game in a row to and to be 2-3 after 5 games.. It will be the second year in a row WSU has beat us. 3 losses in a row... 2 years in a row against WSU... How hot is your seat now coach? Not sure when the last time either of those scenarios happened. Was before Chip Kelly.... my guess with the 3 losses probably 2007 after Dixon went down.

[QuackininBama]

While our defense gets killed on screens and 10-yard passes (with lots of yards after the catch), we've actually played the deep ball pretty well

I would hope so since our defenders play 10 yards off the receiver and at the snap immediately backpedal another 10 yards every single play. Yea, the offense will go up and down the field getting 1st downs and huge chunk yards at will but we won't get beat deep??