If Oregon is going into Boise St. mode, then so is the blog. I got my Countdown-to-Kickoff wallpaper freshly downloaded from the Idaho Statesman (TGIT) and am ready to rumble. First up…let’s talk about that home record.
Apparently, Duck fans are supposed to be afraid of this 30,000 seat stadium with turf picked out by Mr. Rodgers (he was color blind, ok? Ah, forget it.).
Much is made of the Broncos 44 game home winning streak that dates to 2001 when they lost to Washington State (surprise, one of two BCS schools to play there in the same time frame). Let me ask. How would your school do if your home schedule looked like Boise’s? Most of these games on a BCS-caliber schedule would be considered a bye in between bouts with, say, Michigan and Cal.
| The Superior Home Slate of a 44 Game Winning Streak | |||
| Team | Games | Team | Games |
| Idaho St. | 2 | San Jose St. | 3 |
| Bowling Green St. | 2 | Idaho | 4 |
| Louisiana Tech | 4 | Sacramento St. | 1 |
| Hawaii | 4 | Oregon St. | 2 |
| Utah St. | 3 | Portland St. | 1 |
| Fresno St. | 4 | BYU | 1 |
| Weber St. | 1 | SMU | 1 |
| Wyoming | 2 | Tulsa | 1 |
| S. Mississippi | 1 | UTEP | 1 |
| New Mexico St. | 2 | Rice | 1 |
| Nevada | 3 | Washington St. | 1 (loss, 2001) |
It’s not all Boise’s fault. They have played some good teams (cowards) on the road that didn’t reciprocate with a return trip and I’m guessing they’d love to welcome some higher-caliber foes onto “The Blue.” Just the same, this is what the home record is built on and it’s hard to get anything out of that other than the Broncos do a very good job of beating teams they are supposed to defeat.
Of course, this is the very reason it’s a dangerous game for Oregon. These fans have had about all they can take of Aggies, Vandals and Wolfpack. The team itself gets to play one of these games a year. Combine the fans starvation for quality football and the team’s desire to prove themselves and the game becomes pretty much the biggest thing to ever hit the City of Trees (yeah, even bigger than WinCo Foods).
Even so, the environment won’t be anything Oregon hasn’t seen before and if they struggle in this game, it’ll have less to do with the stadium and more to do with some cheap shot from a Boise defensive player (yep, said it again. Probably gonna’ keep doing that all week. Still kinda’ bitter. ).
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AMEN BROTHER!!!!
I am getting so tired of hearing about the great blue monster awaiting. I have a ton of respect for their team and coaching staff, but I can’t imagine that the smurf turf has ever rocked like Autzen in triple overtime against USC or for OU and UM!!!! I also can’t have this game come fast enough to prove once and for all that the win by BSU last year was a perfect storm. It took brilliant play calling by BSU and wonderful execution of their plan of attack, but it also took pre-season injuries, early season injuries, early game CHEAP SHOT injuries, and the desire to keep one QB’s redshirt if possible, too allow that win to even come close to happening. We all have seen the stat, but I’ll post it one more time.
Scoring when UO had a QB in that was actually allowed to throw: 28 – 0 DUCKS
Scoring when UO had a receiver in at QB to run 32 consecutive run plays and throw 2 of 3 passes to the opponent: 37 – 6 BSU
We bring in Daron Thomas 5 minutes earlier and the game is a different result. I keep hearing how the offense didn’t let all those play action passes go for TD’s….this is true, but the 2 turn overs led to 14 points in our territory that Chris Harper threw, and the 32 consecutive running plays produced field possession and time of possession nightmares that the Defense couldn’t over come.
But all that is the past. I LOVE the fact that we are underdogs in this game.
1) I will make a small fortune on the betting line to cover and more to win
2) It has to just piss off the Ducks and provide additional motivation to put on a show in Boise!
UO 51 BSU 34
Go Ducks!!!
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Ducks lost a ton of starters and Boise State has everyone back on the special teams unit. Boise State 52 Oregon 35 … this is Boise States ticket to a BCS Game .. expect a bunch of trick plays on both sides. Will Ducks and Coaching STaff has early confusion to Chip Kelly’s new leadership. Watch for Duck early game confusion to give Boise State a huge early game lead.
Boise State 52 Oregon 35
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Boise State is a “Machine”. Oregon is an in process rebuild with new Coach. Vegas likes Boise State by 5.5 points, I agree, but make it 21 points. This will be a blowout. Expect injuries on Oregon side of the ball because for some reason their strength coach simply does not get the job done, and Allioti has been a problem as D Coach for years. Lots of points for Oregon, but their D and Special teams will disappoint and give edge to the Boise State Blue Monster, the home town Boise crowd is going to be a BIG added factor
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I’m hoping for a good game but I don’t think Boise state will know what hit them. Yes, the Ducks lost a lot of experience on the O-Line but Boise lost a lot of experience on their D-Line. I’d say it makes it a wash. Oregon’s offense has too many weapons. Last year the best receiver was 5′-11″. That isn’t the case this year. The receiving corps for Oregon is amazing this year. Then, you have Blount and James in the backfield with Masoli at the helm. There are just too many weapons on offense for Boise to keep up. Last year they caught the Ducks in a bad spot with three quarterbacks who didn’t know the system. Oregon’s defense will also be better prepared for Boise St. The play action won’t work this time, I’ll guarantee it right now.
Oregon 55 Boise St. 20
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Bobby k, did ou really mean to say Boise State has eveyone back on special teams… thats funny. And Jimbo, you sa BSU is a machine. The big blue monster, hometown crowd, 27,000 BSU fans (3,000 ducks)
By halftime those BSU fans will be drunk on their butts. You will only hear the 3,000 Duck fans because this will ot even be close kids.. At least 65 Oregon, 21 BSU. I say at least 65 because Chip Kelly wll not take the foot off the gas as mike belotti would have. Ducks will keep right on scoring until te final buzzer sounds.
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Not going to be close. BSU is down two starting defensive linemen where they are already thin. Oregon must replace 3 starting O linemen, but they do so with players who have played meaningful minutes last year.
BSU will not be able to simply load up against the run like they did last year when Harper was unable to throw a single forward pass. With big, fast receivers and an NFL tight end stretching the field, the Ducks will simply pound BSU into submission on the ground.
49-24. Ducks coast to victory.
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Cupcake State will get frosted! 56-14.
Go Ducks!
BSu- schedule some tougher teams!
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Nick,
I think you missed the mark this time (unless you intended to get in yet another pissin’ contest with BS U.)
Cheesey emotional froth seldom accomplishes much.
Let’s get ready for a really good game. Hey, I’ve got a good idea…let’s everybody in the stadium, not just the players, shake hands before the game, going into the stadium, at the concession stands (might wait ’til you’re out of the bathroom) etc. Shake hands all around.
This could be a classy rivalry and series. Let’s not louse it up.
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Just havin’ a little fun, although I can see how anyone who isn’t used to this blog would misconstrue my intent. Thing is, I’m an obsessed fan who somehow doesn’t take this all that seriously and enjoys the passionate back and forth. Having Beavers for parents and a sibling probably mellowed me out in that regard. I live for cheesy emotional froth.
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You know, Cheesy emotional froth may not accomplish much…BUT it is still fun! GO DUCKS!!!!
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People seem to forget that last year Masoli was a transfer and due to a bad wrist didn’t get to scrimmage at all in August. We were also ahead 7-0 when the late hit took him out of the game! Oregon’s defense has one major correction to make, they need to have someone stay with the tight ends on third downs…. last year Boise’s tight ends were the lonliest people at Autzen Stadium.
Ducks 42-28
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This is the same kind of stuff more prominent programs used to say about Autzen stadium before they came in and got beat. Duck fans need to get rid of the pseudo-elitism regarding BSU, they are a good program and this team can easily beat the Ducks. We don’t need to put down other programs so we can feel superior, that’s bush league stuff.
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I’m not putting the Boise program down, just some light ribbing. It’s what I do. Every team has good and bad and it’s fun to kind of poke at that a little bit. You just have to have a sense of humor about it all.
What Boise has done is commendable. You don’t see other small school teams with that winning streak so it’s not like it’s easy, but the fact is, Boise has not been tested at home like this since 2001 when Washington State came to town and it’s not even close.
My biggest problem with Boise is elevating them to BCS contender with the schedule they play. They know who they are and what they have to work with and they should do better with their non-conference schedule. This will be the 4th straight year they play a D1-FCS school and that just shouldn’t happen. Other than Oregon, their non-conference schedule consists of Miami (OH), Bowling Green and Cal Poly. Oregon has to play a Pac-10 schedule and still adds Boise State, Utah and Purdue. In my mind, an undefeated Boise State team is not BCS-worthy with that schedule when they can control 4 of the 12 games they play. I’ll take 1 and some 2 loss teams from the Big 12, Big 10, SEC, Pac-10 and the ACC over an undefeated Bronco team this year.
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I do have respect for BSU, really…your last few years have been incredible. I fully expect you to play well and am ready to stand chagrined should my Ducks not prevail.
Here’s the part that kinda frosts my butt. NOBODY, from a BCS conference has been willing to schedule a home and home with you…partly because you’re good…but mostly because of the GATE! Given that, don’t you think it’s the least little bit cool that the Ducks have the stones to be willing to come into your house? Nobody else would. But we will.
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Nick,
Your 10:10 p. reply was better, but think, BS U has some pride, too. And btw, I appreciate your stat work in the original post, first time I’ve seen that list. Anyhow, BS U has a tiny stadium, a good record, good coaches and some guys that didn’t get picked up somewhere else. You take even small potshots at them, their fans get riled. That ain’t good. Think it thru. Let’s have a laff or two, just leave out laffing AT someone. Give them a chance to laff at themselves (ourselves.)
I like what Roger P wrote just above. Good words (stones.)
I think this series was started as a favor from Mike Bellotti to Chis Peterson. The connections are too obvious to be coincidental. Oregon is becoming an elite program, playing OOC teams from all over the nation (MIch, MSU, Purdue, Oklahoma, Tx, Okla St, Wake Forest, Utah) and some others in the works (Tenn, GA, KSU, Nev, Colo.) BS U has aspirations of their own, legitimate. And as you alluded to above, they’ve got to work on their OCC schedule to be able to be a serious BCS contender.
For the Boise fans to take that win at Autzen last year and call either it a ‘beatdown’ or to think that it constitutes an automatic victory in 2009 would be foolish on their part. If they wish to demonstrate for the world their foolishness, who are we to deprive them of that privilege? (That’s what I meant when I wrote of the ‘pissin’ contest’ above)
The game will be fierce. Both teams are fortunate to have two extra days to prepare for their next opponent and there, my friend, is the difference between the two programs. BS U has the Miami of Ohio Red Hawks and The Ducks play the Purdue Boilermakers.
Some doubt? Compare the rest of the schedules side-by-side.
GO DUCKS!
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I hear ya’ and thanks for hanging around. I always appreciate the feedback on my posts.
I don’t think I’ve really been all that inflammatory, but I have a light approach to it all. A couple digs at Boise’s small stature is like people making fun of Oregon’s uniforms or Nike connection. It’s there, might as well laugh about it. My constant references to the late hit last year are more to mock the amount of discussion on that in the last year (and just a smidgen of bitterness).
And maybe, just maybe, I can spark some Boise fans and have some fun discussion, but that doesn’t seem to be happening.
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