Oregon Ducks Football: 5 Things That'll Need to Happen for Oregon to Beat LSU

This Saturday, in what many members of the media are calling the game of the year, the Oregon Ducks will face off against the LSU Tigers at Cowboys Stadium, in an opening week showdown.

The game features two Top 5 teams with Oregon standing ranked third behind Alabama and Oklahoma, while LSU sits one behind Oregon, at fourth.

That hardly means that LSU enters the game as the underdog. If anything Oregon enters in that position.

The Ducks are much farther from home then the Tigers, and have lost the past four times when they faced a ranked opponent that had more than a week to prepare for the game.

In order for Oregon to notch a win over the Tigers, they will need to have these five things happen.

1. Let Lamichael James Get into a Rhythm

It's no secret that James is the face of the offense.

Facing up against a stout SEC defense isn't going to be an easy task for James but Oregon needs to keep giving the ball to James until he can find his rhythm.

In last year's contest against Tennessee, James has 13 carries for 52 yards before he was able to break off his 72 yard touchdown run.

If the Ducks can keep pounding the ball with James eventually he will be able to get into a rhythm and break off a big run that will crush the LSU defense.

2. Lavasier Tuine and Josh Huff Need to Contribute in the Passing Game

Fortunately for the Ducks, Patrick Peterson left for the NFL and won't be in an LSU jersey for this game.

Unfortunately for the Ducks, their top two receivers from last year's team are gone. Jeff Maehl and DJ Davis combined for 119 receptions, good for 1546 yards and 15 touchdowns.

Tuinei, at 6'6", gives the Ducks a big receiver to make the important grabs up the middle.

Huff, primarily a running back last year, switches to majority wide receiver and can't make many mental mistakes. With LSU returning much of their front seven from last years team, which ranked 11th in points against, the passing game is going to have to contribute in the game.

3. Linebackers Have to Make Big Plays

Gone are Casey Matthews and Spencer Paysinger, the Ducks top two linebackers for the last several years. With those two gone, Oregon definitely took a big hit at the linebacker position.

Junior Kiko Alonso, who was predicted to be one of Oregon's top defensive players this year, is not expected to play after he was arrested on a burglary charge in May.

Senior Josh Kaddu and junior MIchael Clay become the heirs to Matthews and Paysinger and will have to step up their game and make big plays to keep the LSU offense from making their own big plays.

Kaddu and Clay both combined for 74 tackles and 2.5 sacks in limited playing time. Both however played in all 13 games for the Ducks.

4. Young Corners Need to Contain Wide Receivers

In the wake of Cliff Harris' indefinite suspension, and the graduation of Talmadge Jackson, the Ducks will be starting two inexperienced corners against the LSU offense.

Currently Anthony Gildon and Terrence Mitchell have been pegged as the starters for the game with freshman Ifo Ekpre-Olomu and red-shirt freshmen Troy Hill.

Red-shirt freshmen Dior Mathis, a 4-star recruit in 2009, could also enter that rotation if the Ducks don't move him to wide receiver.

LSU wide receiver Russell Shepard has also been suspended for the Oregon game, but Jarvis Landry remains and quarterback Jarrett Lee, a better passer, is now the starter after Jordan Jefferson was also suspended.

If Gildon and Mitchell can keep Landry and the rest of the Tigers receivers from making big plays, Oregon's odds of winning the game go up.

Fortunately for the inexperienced corners, they have two elite safeties in Eddie Pleasant and John Boyett.

5. Offensive Line Can't Make Any Mistakes

With only Mark Asper and Carson York returning from last year's squad, Oregon has holes on the offensive line, the one area that can make or break the Ducks chances of winning.

With Ramsen Golpashin,  Darrion Weems, and red-shirt freshman Hroniss Grasu starting at center, Oregon might be in trouble.

If those three can avoid making mental mistakes on blocking assignments and keep the holding penalties to a minimum, James and Darron Thomas can get on a roll and it'll be up to the Ducks defense.