Oregon-Arizona State: Ducks Fly South to Face the Sun Devils

Looking at the records for Oregon and Arizona State, you would think the Ducks would be more than four-point favorites this Saturday. But once you take a look at Oregon’s wins, you start to wonder if they should be favored at all. Consider the teams the Ducks have beaten: Washington, Utah State, Purdue, Washington State, and UCLA. Not one of these teams has a winning record. The Huskies, Aggies, and Cougars are three of the worst teams in the country, and it is to be hoped that a team with as much talent as the Ducks would beat them as handily as they did. But it took a couple missed field goals by a Purdue team that will finish near the bottom of the Big Ten to down the Boilermakers and a recovery of an onside kick to put the Bruins to bed. Oregon has been stout against the run, but despite having three players in the secondary on the preseason Thorpe Award watch list, the Ducks have been carved up by opposing passers. Part of it is lingering injuries in the secondary, but the bigger ... (link)