Oregon-Oregon
St. Preview
By TAYLOR BECHTOLD
(STATS Writer) | The Associated Press – Wed, Nov 21, 2012 1:54 AM EST
After
losing their chance at a perfect season, fifth-ranked Oregon can't afford to
hang its head for very long.
The Ducks,
also fifth in the BCS standings, still have an outside chance at reaching the
BCS title game - with a whole lot of help.
Oregon
first has to secure bragging rights Saturday in Corvallis with a Civil War win
over 16th-ranked Oregon State.
With an
offense averaging an FBS-leading 54.8 points per game, Oregon (10-1, 7-1
Pac-12) spent just six days as the nation's top-ranked team before its
once-unstoppable offense sputtered in a stunning 17-14 overtime loss to
visiting Stanford.
That ended
Oregon's 13-game winning streak, which was the longest in the nation. It also
snapped the team's NCAA-record streak of 23 games with at least 30 points.
Now, the
Ducks need a few things to fall in their favor to play in their second national
championship game in three years. A USC win over No. 1 Notre Dame would be a
huge help, as would losses by Alabama, Georgia and Florida this weekend.
Additionally,
Oregon has to hope Stanford has a bit of a hangover. While UCLA has already
clinched the Pac-12 South, Oregon can still represent the North with a win and
a Bruins victory over the Cardinal on Saturday.
"It's
not going to be easy, but we understand that we have a couple of more games and
whatever plays out plays out,'' quarterback Marcus Mariota said. "We just
have to control what we can control.''
Mariota has
to find a way to get the offense back on track after Oregon was held to a
season-low 405 yards against Stanford and converted just 4 of 17 third downs.
Mariota led
the team with 89 rushing yards while completing 21 of 37 passes for 207 and a
touchdown with one interception. Tailback Kenjon Barner, who was averaging
136.0 yards per game, finished with just 66 against a Cardinal defense that
came in as the nation's best against the run.
The Ducks,
fifth in the nation on the ground (313.5 yards per game), face another stout
run defense in Oregon State, which ranks second in the Pac-12 at 108.7 yards
per game.
The Beavers
(8-2, 6-2) improved to 5-0 at home last Saturday with one of their best
performances of the season, outgaining California 559-322 in a 62-14 victory.
Sean
Mannion shined by completing 24 of 34 passes for 325 yards and matching a
career-high with four touchdowns while starting in place of Cody Vaz, who had
taken the job before getting hurt late in a Nov. 10 loss to Stanford.
Mannion,
who threw for 299 yards with three TDs and two interceptions in a 49-21 loss to
Oregon last year, will be under center again this week.
"Sean
obviously prepared very well,'' coach Mike Riley said. "And he had a look
in his eye this week.''
Terron
Ward, coming off a 128-yard, two-touchdown effort against Cal, will try to put
together another strong performance against a banged-up Oregon defense that
allowed 161 yards to Stanford's Stepfan Taylor.
Another big
day on the ground likely won't come easy, though. The Ducks have held Oregon
State to 2.6 yards per carry during their four-game series winning streak, and
allowed only 16 rushing yards while playing the final 38 minutes with the lead
in last season's rout.
That, of course,
came against a Beavers team that finished 3-9. Now, beating the Ducks for the
first time since a 38-31 double-overtime win at Autzen Stadium in 2007 could
put Oregon State in a high-profile bowl.
"It's
great to be where we are," Riley said. "We try not to be surprised by
success, we work for that hard. But I am proud of the turnaround in this team
and the work they did in the offseason and what they've accomplished to this
point.
"It's
much more fun and exciting to be going into the Civil War at 8-2 rather than
3-8."
The Beavers
have turned it over a Pac-12 low 14 times this season, but they've given it
away eight time in their last two home losses to the Ducks.
Prior to
that, Oregon State totaled only three turnovers during a five-game series
winning streak in Corvallis.
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