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5 Things To Know: Civil War
11/22/18 | Football, @GoDucksMoseley
Dillon Mitchell's attempt to become Oregon's all-time leader in single-season receiving yards is one of the storylines to watch in the Civil War on Friday (1 p.m., FS1).
CORVALLIS — There's a lot on the line when Oregon plays at Oregon State in Reser Stadium on Friday (1 p.m., FS1). The Ducks are looking to surpass last season's win total, post consecutive wins over their in-state rival and secure the best possible postseason destination with a win over the Beavers.
Oregon (7-4, 4-4 Pac-12) can secure a winning record in conference play this season, after winning its 2018 home finale last week over Arizona State. The Beavers, in their first year under head coach Jonathan Smith — the former OSU quarterback — are 2-9 and 1-7 overall, their only Pac-12 win on the road at Colorado.
The game will be televised by FS1, with Chris Myers handling play by play and Evan Moore providing analysis. Oregon's radio broadcast is available over the Oregon IMG Sports Network, and also via SiriusXM satellite radio through Sirius (138), XM (373) or online (373).
Here are five storylines to watch entering the game:
1. From the very first quarter of the first game this season, faster starts have been a focus for Oregon. The Ducks had several dropped passes and missed tackles in their season-opening win over Bowling Green, and slow starts have doomed the Ducks in their current three-game road-losing streak.
The Ducks are tired of that narrative. But they know it's deserved, and that there's only one way to end it — the Ducks want to go out Friday and start well in a hostile environment. Last week against ASU, the Ducks looked to their offense to set the tone, winning the opening coin toss, taking the ball and driving to a touchdown.
2. Of course, that hot start against Arizona State was nearly undone by Oregon's four turnovers. Justin Herbert was picked off twice, and the Ducks also fumbled twice, with ASU scoring 17 points off those four giveaways — in a 31-29 victory for Oregon.
Needless to say, the Ducks don't want to gift-wrap three scores for their rivals Friday, not on the road with so much at stake. As The Oregonian noted, it had been more than a decade since the Ducks were minus-three in turnover margin but still won a Pac-12 game. Best not to tempt fate again.
3. The sting of Oregon's loss two years ago in Corvallis still resonates. To review: the Ducks led 24-14 early in the fourth quarter, then succumbed to a combination of OSU's punishing ground game and also a driving rain storm. Afterward, the Beavers mocked the fact Oregon donned raincoats during the shower.
"They almost called us soft," junior offensive lineman Shane Lemieux told The Register-Guard this week. "That's the worst description you can call anybody, in my opinion, on a football team. … And that's how a lot of people still view the Oregon Ducks, as a soft team, as guys that are front-runners and guys that are just all about uniforms. Another game to prove that we're more than that is really vital in this Oregon State game."
About 24 hours prior to kickoff, the forecast was for a 45 percent chance of showers Friday in Corvallis. If it rains, the Ducks will have a chance to bury another narrative about their team that they don't appreciate.
4. It won't take much for Dillon Mitchell to make some history Friday. The junior receiver enters the Civil War just 36 yards shy of Josh Huff's UO single-season record for receiving yardage, of 1,140 set in 2013.
Mitchell already has six 100-yard games in conference play this season, which leads the entire nation. The weather may not provide for optimal conditions in the passing game, but Mitchell doesn't need to do much to pencil his name atop the Oregon record book.
5. With one game left in the regular season, Oregon's bowl picture remains hazy. But projections nationally are starting to align around a few common destinations.
Holiday Bowl officials were in Eugene to watch the Ducks beat ASU, and in the wake of that game, Stewart Mandel of The Athletic reported that, "The Holiday Bowl is very keen on Oregon." The Holiday Bowl can take a team that's lower in the standings than another, as long as it's only by one game, helping the Ducks' chances of returning to a bowl they haven't played in since 2008.
The next game in the Pac-12's postseason pecking order is the Redbox Bowl, played at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif. Both the Holiday and Redbox Bowl are played on New Year's Eve, in areas of California dense with Duck fans. Either would be a great bowl destination for Oregon.
Of course, that makes a win Friday all but certain to be necessary.
Oregon (7-4, 4-4 Pac-12) can secure a winning record in conference play this season, after winning its 2018 home finale last week over Arizona State. The Beavers, in their first year under head coach Jonathan Smith — the former OSU quarterback — are 2-9 and 1-7 overall, their only Pac-12 win on the road at Colorado.
The game will be televised by FS1, with Chris Myers handling play by play and Evan Moore providing analysis. Oregon's radio broadcast is available over the Oregon IMG Sports Network, and also via SiriusXM satellite radio through Sirius (138), XM (373) or online (373).
Here are five storylines to watch entering the game:
1. From the very first quarter of the first game this season, faster starts have been a focus for Oregon. The Ducks had several dropped passes and missed tackles in their season-opening win over Bowling Green, and slow starts have doomed the Ducks in their current three-game road-losing streak.
The Ducks are tired of that narrative. But they know it's deserved, and that there's only one way to end it — the Ducks want to go out Friday and start well in a hostile environment. Last week against ASU, the Ducks looked to their offense to set the tone, winning the opening coin toss, taking the ball and driving to a touchdown.
2. Of course, that hot start against Arizona State was nearly undone by Oregon's four turnovers. Justin Herbert was picked off twice, and the Ducks also fumbled twice, with ASU scoring 17 points off those four giveaways — in a 31-29 victory for Oregon.
Needless to say, the Ducks don't want to gift-wrap three scores for their rivals Friday, not on the road with so much at stake. As The Oregonian noted, it had been more than a decade since the Ducks were minus-three in turnover margin but still won a Pac-12 game. Best not to tempt fate again.
3. The sting of Oregon's loss two years ago in Corvallis still resonates. To review: the Ducks led 24-14 early in the fourth quarter, then succumbed to a combination of OSU's punishing ground game and also a driving rain storm. Afterward, the Beavers mocked the fact Oregon donned raincoats during the shower.
"They almost called us soft," junior offensive lineman Shane Lemieux told The Register-Guard this week. "That's the worst description you can call anybody, in my opinion, on a football team. … And that's how a lot of people still view the Oregon Ducks, as a soft team, as guys that are front-runners and guys that are just all about uniforms. Another game to prove that we're more than that is really vital in this Oregon State game."
About 24 hours prior to kickoff, the forecast was for a 45 percent chance of showers Friday in Corvallis. If it rains, the Ducks will have a chance to bury another narrative about their team that they don't appreciate.
4. It won't take much for Dillon Mitchell to make some history Friday. The junior receiver enters the Civil War just 36 yards shy of Josh Huff's UO single-season record for receiving yardage, of 1,140 set in 2013.
Mitchell already has six 100-yard games in conference play this season, which leads the entire nation. The weather may not provide for optimal conditions in the passing game, but Mitchell doesn't need to do much to pencil his name atop the Oregon record book.
5. With one game left in the regular season, Oregon's bowl picture remains hazy. But projections nationally are starting to align around a few common destinations.
Holiday Bowl officials were in Eugene to watch the Ducks beat ASU, and in the wake of that game, Stewart Mandel of The Athletic reported that, "The Holiday Bowl is very keen on Oregon." The Holiday Bowl can take a team that's lower in the standings than another, as long as it's only by one game, helping the Ducks' chances of returning to a bowl they haven't played in since 2008.
The next game in the Pac-12's postseason pecking order is the Redbox Bowl, played at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif. Both the Holiday and Redbox Bowl are played on New Year's Eve, in areas of California dense with Duck fans. Either would be a great bowl destination for Oregon.
Of course, that makes a win Friday all but certain to be necessary.
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