Ducks Attack Message Board Forum

Okay guys, let's get this prediction party started. Where do the Ducks end up? Final record?

My prediction: 11-1 regular season. Only loss is to Stanford.. Beat UCLA in the PAC 12 title game. Make the playoff as the #3 seed, play #2 FSU in the semifinal.

(Someone has to be the homer.)

11-1 with our only loss on the road at USC.

But we get revenge in the Pac-12 title game!

I just have a great feeling about this season. I've been saying it for months, but our schedule sets up very nicely. Biggest question mark (for me) is our defense. If our D is improved by any meaningful measure, then I think the Ducks will be tough to beat.

Also excited to see Prukop. I saw enough of Jonsen in the spring game to be confident in his abilities, and if Prukop is clearly separating himself then that just seems like a great sign.

Count me among the homers too. Double-digit wins.

I am confident in this team...11-1 only loss is to Utah....they just give the ducks fits....
we make the playoffs. I am not sold on Stanford. I believe with Hogan gone they will
struggle. And USC is not deep enough to withstand injurys...and UCLA is good but they are
coached by the under achieving Mora

I change my mind constantly on my predictions, but I think two to three losses is pretty likely.

Let's say losses @USC and @Utah and a home game that we really shouldn't lose. Alamo Bowl.

The way I think of it is, with VA healthy last year we never lost a game. And that was with a terrible defense. That's how good our offense was with VA. So it comes down to these questions: can our offense match the production of last years team and can our defense be any less atrocious? And can our QBs stay healthy?

With all of the talent at running back and receiver, I'm thinking the answer to the first question is yes. And even though we don't have a lot of returners on defense, I think with the schematic switch we are going to see a much improved (but still somewhat shaky defense.) And I expect Prukop to have the injury bug a couple of games with as much as he runs, meaning he will miss some time. But our backups will be vastly superior to Lockie. Translation: 9-4 last year turns into 10-2 or 11-1 this year. I hope.

I think there are 5 potential losses... but do not see us losing all 5 and am saying 10-2. Not really sure who the losses come against. Those 5 potential losses are Utah on the road... USC... on the road... Washington State on the road.. Stanford at home... and the Fuskies at home. If I picked 2... would probably be Utah and USC.

I'll say it, 12-0 and third NCG. Third time is a charm, right? Bonus points for me by predicting a victory over UCLA in Pac12 CG. Better defense and good quarterback play are the key to the season. @Nebraska and @Utah are the closest games.

9-3 at worst I think but I can easily see a better season than that

I think we go 10-2. I have a feeling that in at least one, if not both games that we are the more talented team though. Talent wise, I don't think we are top 5 but our schedule is favorable this year. From my standpoint we should be the favorite against the 12 teams we play this year.

I will be disappointed if we don't win the north at the very least.

It's tough to say without having seen Prukop play any meaningful snaps or how the defense has (hopefully) improved. We will learn a lot about this team in the games against UVA and Nebraska. Something about Prukop's first road game as a Duck being in Lincoln worries me.

If Prukop can take care of the ball, stay healthy and be a threat to both run and pass timely/accurately, the Ducks should be in good shape. He has enough talent around him where he shouldn't have to be Marcus to succeed and win a lot of games this year. If the D can be even middle of the road on top of Prukop being successful, they could easily win 10-11 games and be a borderline playoff threat.

Something tells me we drop an OOC game though and a couple of conference games and end up at 9-3 with a trip to the Holiday Bowl.

For my fellow game of thrones fans, King of the North!

Bud Lee wrote:9-3 at worst I think but I can easily see a better season than that

You're talking about LSU, right?

lawduck wrote:I'll say it, 12-0 and third NCG. Third time is a charm, right? Bonus points for me by predicting a victory over UCLA in Pac12 CG. Better defense and good quarterback play are the key to the season. @Nebraska and @Utah are the closest games.

I'll go out on a limb and say that we "should" have and would have done this last year if not for VA getting injured. That in spite of the defense.

If the defense can improve to average, ranked around #50, stop giving up so many explosion plays and stop killing themselves on 3rd down, AND Prukop can come in and be above average, I can see us going 11-1.

My only concern regarding the playoffs would be the timing of a loss. If we lose late in the season to Stanford, USC or Utah that could be a dagger at any playoff shot. Also, going unbeaten in conference play will be extremely difficult. We'd almost be better off dropping a game in the first half of the season at WSU or BLASPHEMY, UW at home.

Seriously, though. Our schedule isn't a cakewalk through the first half of the season but it "could be" loaded on the backend. I say "could be" because I have serious questions about just how good Stanford, Utah and even USC will be.

10-2 Alamo Bowl bound