Rose Bowl 2012: Oregon Ducks' Five Keys to Victory

With the Rose Bowl just days away, Oregon and Wisconsin both have an opportunity to avenge a Rose Bowl loss over the past two years. Two years ago, Oregon lost to Ohio State and last year, Wisconsin came up short against TCU.

In this year's game, Oregon will not only be wearing new uniforms, but a win can help build a new perception of the program.

To this point, Oregon has been known for flashy threads and a fast offense, but this could be a step towards proving they have the skill to be elite as well.

Here is a look at five things that the Ducks must accomplish to leave with a Rose Bowl victory. 

Score Early

In the big games that Oregon has played under Chip Kelly, the offense has struggled to get out to a fast start. 

During the regular season, Oregon regularly put a couple touchdowns on the board in the first quarter, but against teams like Ohio State, Auburn and LSU, Oregon failed to jump out to their usual big lead and force teams out of their game plan.

Against Wisconsin, Oregon needs those early points in an effort to take Montee Ball out of the equation. 

Get to the Edge

Oregon knows one thing coming into this game, Wisconsin will load the box and try to stuff anything that Oregon tries up the middle. 

As Michigan State showed in the Big Ten title game, if you're going to attack the Badger defense, you need to do so on the edges. Wisconsin is vulnerable on runs to the outside and that is where players like LaMichael James and De'Anthony Thomas can make a living. 

Take Advantage of Wisconsin Loading the Box

Going off of the idea of getting to the edge, Oregon has the understanding that Wisconsin is going to load up to stop the run.

While Oregon certainly has the speed to get outside, Wisconsin will certainly make their adjustments to limit their effectiveness. In response, Darron Thomas and the Ducks offense must be effective through the air and keep the Badgers defense honest. 

Make Getting to Russell Wilson Count

One thing that has haunted the Ducks in big games is big, strong quarterbacks that have found ways to create plays when the Ducks seem to have them dead to rights. 

Russell Wilson will be leading the Badgers in this game and he presents the same challenge. Wilson is strong and elusive and has the ability to make plays out of nothing.

What the Ducks must do in the Rose Bowl is not only apply pressure to Wilson, but bring him down for negative plays and not allow him to escape the pocket. 

Get off the Field on Third Down

Along with bringing down Wilson, the Ducks must get off the field on third down. Everyone knows by now that due to the speed at which Oregon plays offense, the defense comes under a lot of stress and plays a ton of time. 

If the Ducks can find ways to come up big on third down, they will get some much-needed rest and will be rested towards the end of the game.