Good Luck Ducks, Week 8: Rival Schools

It's time for the annual clash between the Ducks and the Huskies. 

Woof. Well, this seems like the least hyped Oregon team in a long while to also control their own destiny in terms of winning not only the conference, but also potentially earning a playoff spot. The latter assumes, of course, that the SEC is feeling generous about giving up one of their four spots. Honestly, this is an extremely weird position for me to be in as a fan, because I'm very well conditioned to be hyped about the Ducks and then eventually let down. This year, it feels like hardly anyone cares about them, and yet they have a clear path to a conference title and (maybe with a little luck) a shot at a playoff spot.

The Ducks also have a legitimate Heisman candidate, although it would seem very unlikely that Justin Herbert will get serious consideration. He could and probably will get drafted very highly, but with Oregon's focus on defense, it doesn't leave a ton of room for the quarterback to put up the video game numbers that are seemingly necessary to win such an award.

This is the rivalry week, and few others are hated at UO as frequently or deeply as the Washington Huskies. This is the kind of rivalry you're born into. After a long twelve game winning streak in the series was ended by Washington in 2016, the Ducks have been on the defensive. After two straight humilating Husky wins, the Ducks won out in overtime last season and are hoping to start another streak here. This will be the 112th meeting between the two rivals overall, and it should be fun.

• The Last Game: Oregon roasted Colorado 45-3, although they suffered another significant injury with Jacob Breeland being lost for the season.
• Know Your Opponent: The Huskies seem to be excited about their kicker.
• The Unis!: White jersey and pants, with a silver helmet. White walkers, I guess?
• Mario Cristobal's "Crystal Ball" prediction: "If the elements have it so it’s impossible to see five feet in front of you, then obviously you’ve got to change some of the things that you do." Reply hazy, try again.

• Luke Skyywalker's Crystal Balls say: Well, we're at the rough point in the season where we need to acknowledge our flaws and also mention that Luke, the hype man, was maybe not on the good side of things. Seven and Seven, we went to heaven

Game time is 12:30 PDT on ABC. Sean McDonough, Todd Blackledge and Holly Rowe are on the call. Go Ducks!