Mario Cristobal: Oregon Taking 'Massive Steps' After Upset over No. 3 Ohio State

Fresh off his program's first-ever victory against No. 3 Ohio State,  No. 12 Oregon coach Mario Cristobal isn't ready to declare his school is back yet. However, he did acknowledge the Ducks are closing in on becoming a national powerhouse again.

Defeating the Buckeyes 35-28 on the road only helped to prove as much.

"We've been building toward this for a while now, but we're not there yet," Cristobal said. "I don't want to in any way shape or form give that impression. We're not, and our guys know that too, but we've taken massive steps, and I think even more importantly, we've taken massive psychological steps, understanding how important that is going to be on Saturdays. ... All those things, they just come into play and they just further strengthen the culture and the direction of the program."

Now 2-0 on the year, Oregon is likely to find itself ranked in the top 10 next week ahead of a home matchup against Stony Brook. 

The coach had to rebuild a bit following a Rose Bowl victory over Wisconsin to cap the 2019 season. The Ducks went 4-3 in 2020 and are looking to become bowl eligible for the fifth consecutive year under Cristobal this season. 

It's off to a solid start thanks in large part to the duo of quarterback Anthony Brown and tailback CJ Verdell. Brown recorded 301 yards of total offense and threw for two touchdowns, while Verdell scored three times and added 195 yards from scrimmage. That offensive outburst was necessary with elite defensive end Kayvon Thibodeaux—the anchor of the Ducks' defense—out with an ankle injury. 

"I think identity showed up," Cristobal said. "I think resilience showed up. All the things that you hammer home—why we practice like we practice—it's validated when you come out here and you do something like this. That locker room right now is spent, they're exhausted, but they're also realizing that we can be a really good football team, and we've just got to continue along the lines of that practice-preparation to make it a real thing on game day."

With an early, season-defining victory now on their resume, the Ducks will spend the next few weeks proving they can live up to their ranking. 

As of Saturday, Oregon won't play another ranked opponent until Oct. 23 when they visit No. 16 UCLA and head coach Chip Kelly—the former Ducks' boss who last brought the program to national prominence.