Cards on Cards: Good Luck Ducks: The Pac-12 Championship

Friday, December 6, 2019

Good Luck Ducks: The Pac-12 Championship

Oregon returns to the Pac-12 Championship game, this time in a spoiler role.

The Ducks did little to shake off the offensive malaise or inspire a lot of confidence last week, just keeping their rival Beavers within arm's reach of an upset victory, even with a first time starting QB pressed into emergency duty. With Pac-12 South champ Utah sitting at #5 in the playoff rankings, it's easy to look at them as the team Oregon could have been had they beaten the Sun Devils two weeks ago. Utah is certainly the best team the Ducks have faced this season... unless Oregon wins tonight, which is why sports and especially college football are kind of silly.

Utah has been good on both sides of the ball this season. That balance is something the Ducks could use a lot of tonight. Injuries have taken their toll as they always do, and Justin Herbert again looks like he's trying to be an ace quarterback with no ace targets. Still, the great players always seem to find a way to make the most out of the least. After a dud of a game in his final home appearance, we may see tonight what Herbert can do in the toughest of circumstances. With nearly a month to go before the bowl game (and the chance to get healthier), this is likely to be the season defining game. In the postseason. Semantics, I know.

It's not all doom and gloom for the green and yellow, however. There's been clear season-to-season improvement under Mario Cristobal, and should he stick around awhile, that could bring even brighter things in the future.

The Last Game: The Ducks continued their Civil War dominance of late with their 11th win in the last 12 tries, lackluster as it was.
Know Your Opponent: The Utes fanbase actually seems impressed by the Ducks offense, which maybe means I've been a bit too harsh.
The Unis!: Nothing but nightmare green. That means a nightmare for their opponents, right?
Mario Cristobal's "Crystal Ball" prediction: "We feel that we have a really good plan. It’ll be round-the-clock work, like it needs to be." Outlook not so good.