Editor’s Note: This is the third of our series of articles looking at the Power Conferences in College Football. Each day one of our college football writers will pick a conference winner, and make a case as to why that team has what it takes to win the new College Football Playoff and become 2014 National Champions.
Mark Helfrich and the Oregon Ducks should be ready to bounce back from a disappointing 2013 season.
The Ducks did not even make the Pac-12 Conference Championship last season, but the talent that they possess this year is enough for them to focus on winning the whole CFB Playoff. They make a big case. (Don’t hate on me too much, Stanford fans).
In 2013, the Ducks started out as expected. In their first eight games, they demolished teams by a whopping combined score of 445 to 135, even beating the twelfth-ranked UCLA Bruins 42-14 along the way. It seemed like no one could stop the high paced spread offense of the Ducks.
Then came the Stanford Cardinal.
For most of the game, Stanford dominated Oregon. A few wrinkles at the end changed the score and the Ducks ended up losing to the Cardinal 26-20. After the match they had identical records, but the win gave Stanford the tiebreaker.
Stanford then lost to USC the week after, which gave Oregon a golden opportunity. If the Ducks could win their last game, they would secure a spot for the conference championship. Then came the embarrassment of losing 42-16 to the unranked Arizona Wildcats. It was arguably the biggest upset of the season.
Last year is over, however and it is a now a new season for the Oregon Ducks. Led by one of the best quarterbacks in college football in Marcus Mariota, the Ducks will come into the 2014 season confident and ready for revenge.
Expectations couldn’t be any higher. ESPN’s Mark Schlabach ranked Oregon third in the nation for the upcoming season. Here is his reasoning.
“Sure, the Ducks suffered disappointing losses to Stanford and Arizona that knocked them out of the national championship race. But Oregon still finished 11-2 under first-year coach Mark Helfrich, and the Ducks looked like one of the country’s best teams when quarterback Marcus Mariota was healthy. Oregon might bring back nine starters on offense in 2014, including Mariota, who figures to be one of the leading Heisman Trophy candidates.”
Paul Myerberg from USA Today picks Oregon second, behind the Seminoles.
“(The) Ducks could have gone undefeated this season had quarterback Marcus Mariota not been slowed by a knee injury in November. After Mariota hurt his knee against UCLA on Oct. 26, the Ducks went 3-2 and averaged only 29.2 points per game — down from 55.6 points per game during the team’s 8-0 start.”
Paul makes a serious point. If not for Mariota’s injury, the Ducks definitely could have gone undefeated.
Even with the talent that the Ducks bring, it will not be easy to simply walk past the Cardinal to the Pac-12 Championship.
With Kevin Hogan and Ty Montgomery returning for the red and white, there is plenty of reason to “Fear the Tree.” But Stanford’s tough schedule and lack of physical toughness on the offensive side of the ball will likely allow the Ducks to squeeze past them.
If the Ducks do reach the big show, who will they play? In the south division last season, Arizona State University won the right to face Stanford in the conference championship, but the favorite to make it this season has to be UCLA. The Bruins should be a serious contender to win the Pac-12 South for the third time in four years. The offense will be lead by Heisman hopeful Brett Hundley while the defense looks to last season’s leading tackler, senior Eric Kendricks, and Pac-12 Offensive and Defensive Freshman of the Year Myles Jack. Despite the talent that UCLA brings to the table, the Ducks should be able to win the game. Mariota is back for one more year, and the Ducks return five starters on the line. There’s also no shortage of skill players at Mariota’s disposal. Thomas Tyner and Byron Marshall brings a strong running game. New defensive coordinator Don Pellum won’t have to make too many tweaks to a defense that led the Pac-12 in fewest yards per play with 4.6.
The Ducks are ready. They are focused on winning the CFB Playoff, and they certainly make a case.
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