Good Luck Ducks, Week 7: The Streak is on the Line

The Ducks hit the road to try to respond after Couging it against the Cougs.

In a down season, it can be a dicey thing to declare that you've hit rock bottom. Had I only known what horrors would await this Ducks team, I would have had a better sense of humor about the Utah beatdown. I was already nervous that this could easily be the year the hated rivals to the north at the University of Washington would finally win a game against the Ducks, but did I see the loss to the Cougars coming? Well, I knew they were an able-bodied team with a penchant for throwing the ball. I knew it was possible. I just had no idea that the Ducks were capable of losing a game like that.

That game, last week, was one of the most unpleasant experiences of my Duck fandom. I was already reeling from the ugly loss-in-progress by the Cardinals at the hands of the dreaded Cubs, but it looked like Oregon was in full win-ugly mode. But then, they managed to do what so many feeble college teams have done before them: snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. It was a horrendous loss. Not just because it was the Cougars or because it was at home, but because it was just the football version of listening to someone let the air out of a wounded balloon. When WSU was knocking on the door of the end zone with time left to run one play to put the game into overtime, it was obvious that the Ducks were doomed. A team with no passing game to speak of is doomed in college overtime.

This week, the Ducks head up to Seattle for some #Pac12AfterDark at Husky Stadium. Washington doesn't appear to have much of an offense this year, but they've been in some close games this year and haven't always come out with an L. They have years and years of quack-based oppression to deal with, so this could get out of hand. It could also be a surprisingly close game. Really, I have no idea what will happen and I'm just rooting for bowl eligibility at this point. Quarterback help is probably still a couple of weeks away with the bye week coming next after this, and by now every coach in the conference knows that Oregon can only reliably move the ball forward by using their backs and screens. Remember the forward pass? We miss that.

What we should be talking about this week is Kenny Wheaton, and how's gonna score. Because he's always gonna score.

"Work hard. Believe. Dream big."

Game time is 7:30 PDT with national coverage on ESPN2. Go Ducks!