| 06 November 2010
Early on, the Oregon Ducks had a difficult time moving the ball against an aggressive Washington Huskies defense.
The top-ranked Ducks failed to score until Rob Beard’s field goal in the second quarter.
The expected rout wasn't happening, the Autzen stadium crowd was nervous, and the Huskies were motivated. Number one ranked teams have gone down multiple times this season. Would Oregon be the next?
No.
Two touchdowns in that second quarter steered the Ducks on the right track, and though Washington hung around into the third period, the top team in the land played as they are accustomed, turning on the afterburners to transform a scare into a 53-16 blowout.
James, Thomas not as explosive, but get the job done
The Huskies held down running back LaMichael James and quarterback Darron Thomas for a quarter and a half — stuffing James and hurrying Thomas — but they couldn’t keep the duo in check for the long haul. Enough holes opened for James to accumulate 131 hard-earned yards and three touchdowns on 28 carries to pad his Heisman resume. Thomas was as effective, throwing for 243 yards, rushing for 89 more, and totaling three touchdowns as well.
The way Oregon won was impressive, especially considering the Huskies stuck with them longer than most opponents this season. Though two turnovers were committed, they managed to surpass 500 total yards, compile 31 first downs, and average 12 yards per play. And what makes this team so dangerous is that they can put the pedal to the metal when need be. It’s the sign of a terrific offense, the best college football has to offer.
Grade: A
Huskies offense mistake-free, but Oregon’s defense stifles in second half
Washington’s offense was very surprising. It didn’t put up eye-opening numbers against one of the top defenses in the country, but it didn’t hurt itself. Freshman quarterback Keith Price wasn’t very efficient passing the ball, completing just 14 of 28 passes, but he was very elusive, didn’t try to do too much, and threw the ball away when he needed. He showed great poise, and his mobility countered Oregon’s speed. He didn’t throw an interception, he didn’t fumble, and he was only sacked twice.
Price impressed, but they didn’t have the playmakers to move the ball down the field with any consistency. Additionally, dropped balls at key times killed the Huskies early on. Still, Washington played far better than many people expected. The may have been ecstatic at halftime to be down only 13 points. Head coach Steve Sarkisian, after saying the team had “hit rock-bottom” in losing 41-0 to Stanford last weekend, was no doubt enthused to be in contention. They just didn’t have enough weapons to ultimately keep pace, as the Ducks' solid defense coincided with the Ducks' explosive offense.
Grade: B-
Individual notes:
Ducks running back Kenjon Barner, making his return after missing a month recovering from a concussion, rushed for 60 yards on nine carries and a touchdown.
Backup quarterback Nate Costa injured his knee scrambling after botching a snap on a field goal attempt in the second half. It was the latest injury in a college career full of them. He has had three surgeries to his left knee throughout his time at Oregon. After crumpling to the ground on Washington's side-line, he hobbled off the field with assistance and was carted to the locker-room for further evaluation. Early reports are that he may have suffered a torn ACL.
From the second quarter on, Cliff Harris and Josh Huff combined to return six Washington kicks for 273 yards, repeatedly giving Oregon’s offense a short field with which to work. The most important of the six was Huff’s 80-yard kickoff return that set up Thomas’s touchdown pass to Jeff Maehl, which gave the Ducks a 25-13 lead and opened the floodgates.
photo: daylife
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