Oregon Strategy Session: Ducks and Stanford Cardinal Now Pac-10 Favorites?

After the 42-3 demolition of then-No. 6 California, Duck fans expectations are once again where they were before the season. But after Saturday’s performance, are the Ducks the new favorites to win the Pac-10?

Most Oregon fans expected a close game against Cal and believed their Oregon team could pull it out with defense. But the offensive explosion through the air brought Duck fans back to great memories from 2007 and 2008.

Quarterback Jeremiah Masoli’s performance exceeded everyone’s expectations as he went 21-of-25 for 253 yards and 3 touchdowns, all to Preseason All-American tight end Ed Dickson. 

If Oregon’s offense plays the way it has throughout the first four games and Oregon’s defense continues to dominate like the great “Gang Green” defense of 1994, the sky is the limit.

Masoli got the Oregon offense going by getting in a rhythm early against Cal, and the Ducks tore apart a supposedly Bear defense. The speed of Oregon really showed from the first snap on. Cal seemed overwhelmed and could never keep up with Oregon.

The main problem with Oregon now is itself. 

The Ducks had three turnovers on Saturday. It easily could have been five. If Oregon hadn’t shot themselves in the foot, the game might have been even worse.

The offensive line manhandled Cal from start to finish and the defensive line was able to get pressure despite rushing only three—pretty good for a team with only seven seniors in their entire two-deep roster.

After watching Washington coming back to reality in a loss at Stanford, and USC’s mediocre performance against a sub-par Washington State team, Oregon looks to be right in the thick of it. 

USC has to travel to Eugene, but the Ducks will have three tough road games at Washington, at Arizona and at Stanford.

At this point of the season, the best competition seems to be Stanford, though they lost to a mediocre Wake Forest team. 

There is no doubt that Oregon won’t play as efficient as they did last Saturday every minute for the rest of the season, but this was a giant step in the right direction for an offense that just two weeks ago looked like they could do nothing except hand the ball off (barely).

Oregon plays Stanford on The Farm Nov. 7 and we should know much more about both teams by then. 

Stanford is 2-0 in conference, but wins against Washington and Washington State don’t prove much for a team that was selected as many pundits' dark horse. 

Head coach Jim Harbaugh has breathed life into this program for the first time since Tyrone Willingham led them to a Rose Bowl after the 1999 season. 

It is not outside the realm of possibility that when the Ducks and Cardinal play, the Cardinal could be undefeated in the Pac-10. They do not play USC or California until after Oregon. 

What we do know is that the Ducks are contenders in what will surely be a muddled Pac-10 conference race. Cal has better athletes then the majority of the conference, making Oregon’s win that much more impressive. 

Look for the Ducks to have a shot at winning the Pac-10 title outright for the first time since 2001.