This is going to be a battle.  I see a couple haymakers landed by both teams early as they try to wear each other down over the course of the game.  Think this is a low score at the half (13-7?).  My assumption is that Oregon has the better conditioned team that can pull away in the 4th, the only variable is the coaching.  Just hoping that Oregon avoids the unforced errors of penalties killing explosion plays and first downs and that Lanning trusts his players enough to do what they can do without the trickery or low percentage gambles.  

an actual good piece from the overworked James Crepea on O-Live this morning. quotes and reminiscences from Duck and Husky players and coaches over the years . . . 
https://www.oregonlive.com/ducks/2023/10/this-is-where-legends-are-made-oregon-washington-set-for-first-top-10-clash-looking-back-at-rivalrys-first-2-ranked-meetings-neither-of-which-was-televised-live.html

and then a few hours later on the 'prediction with opponent beat writer' piece, he writes that "Oregon has won eight of the nine meetings of the teams since Colorado joined the Pac-12." Nope. UW won in 2016, 2017, and 2022. oh well.

I was at the 1995 & 1997 games in Husky Stadium. sitting low in the end zone at the closed end of the field when Patrick Johnson ran the opening kickoff into a clump of three UW tacklers . . . and then bounced out sideways and took off for end zone. same Patrick Johnson who in 1997 laid out in the end zone at that end of the field and hauled in a 3rd-and-20 pass from Akili to smote the pups again.
so glad the rivalry will continue next year in the B1G.

I want to see UO establish the run game & control the clock as much as possible. limit the possessions, make the backers and the safeties respect the run to open up medium and deep opportunities for Bo. O-Line looks solid this year in pass protection; run blocking can be improved. and we need a EUG contri from the TEs; Ducks took over the game in Seattle in 2019 using the TEs in an H-back formation.
I think UO is the better team overall w the upgrades on D and a proved run game. special teams have looked better this year. UW has home-field and Michael Penix. he can run, move the pocket and extend plays, and gets the ball out fast. 

my Dawg friends w whom I'm tailgating tomorrow all think Oregon is going to win. that and $4 will get you a cup of coffee, but I hope they're right.

GO DUCKS!
 

I tend to think the team, win or lose, which responds best AFTER tomorrow will have the better season!

Tomorrow begins for both teams, 7 consecutive conference games with 4 common ranked opponents(at the moment)for both...USC, Utah, WSU and OSU). The ENTIRE second half of the season remains.

I saw Nick Saban earlier in the week talk about the situation at Alabama where earlier in the season everyone had them done for the year. Yet now they are in first place in the SEC West.

What he wants his players to do going forward is solid advice for Oregon(and UW) regardless of what happens tomorrow.

Go Ducks!

http://espn.com/video/clip?id=38643292

Hellhound On My Trail wrote:

"+Lanning doesn't give out "assists" to the opponents in critical situations with his game / clock management which simultaneously puts more pressure on Oregon. Don't lose the game for YOUR players."

You mean like Neon Deion did last night? Then he threw his players under the bus and slyly blamed the refs for the OT interception in his post-game presser. 

??? Typical anti-Deion rant...ignoring what he said that COMPLETELY contradicts your opinion.

I actually thought he stayed composed given the circumstances...did you hear his opening statement?

Below is a link to his full press conference.

Two quotes...

"If you are going to point fingers point them at me."

"First of all he should have never thrown the ball."(speaking of his son on the INT)

Now if you believe that press conference is an example of throwing your players under the bus and blaming officials for a call / no-call then this must be the first press conference you have ever watched with a football head coach after blowing a lead and losing the game.

Did he stomp out? Give only 2-3 word answers to every question? Raise his voice or yell? Use profanity?

Yet calling his team "complacent" and the DB's not having a good game is "throwing his team under the bus." 🙄

But I get it...haters give exceptions to any other head coach who does the same thing but Deion has a different standard he needs to operate by.

https://youtu.be/Lu_Qc6FRe1Y?si=2B7u-N335iWbPadq

Last edited by DucksReign (10/14/2023 9:44 am)