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Well Duck fans, I hope you're still breathing after the first close game of the year. The Ducks went into the LA Coliseum and (according to Jason Kirk) dropped over 60 on USC for the first time in their history.
The main story of the game was that the Oregon offense could not be stopped. Kenjon Barner could not be stopped. He rushed for school-record 321 yards and 5 TDs on 38 carries. Marcus Mariota was nearly flawless, completing 20 of 23 passes and significantly outplaying Matt Barkley. Josh Huff emerged at the pertect time, setting a career high of 124 yards receiving. The Oregon offensive line controlled the game. Though they gave up a few sacks, they gave Kenjon and the rushing game an easy day, allowing them to pick up first downs at will.
It really can't be overstated just how dominant the Oregon offense was. They racked up yards at will, converted 3rd and longs, and basically did what they wanted against USC. The Trojans had two (what I would call) legitimate stops on Oregon the entire game.
And it's a good thing the Oregon offense was so good, because the Oregon defense did not have their best game. On the night, they gave up 620 yards. They got some key stops early, but in the 2nd and 3rd quarters, USC's offense could not be stopped.
While it's easy to blame Oregon's defense, we need to give credit to USC. Their receivers are simply some of the best I've ever seen. Marquise Lee was the best player on the field tonight, and with how well Kenjon and Marcus played, that's saying something.
While some will decry the lack of defense, this was a great college football game. We saw two great offenses playing as well as they've ever played, and go back and forth for the entire game. We saw that the Ducks can easily go four quarters and come through when there is pressure. And it's a Pac-12 game, so we saw just terrible reffing.
It's a great night to be a Duck. Celebrate! The Ducks are 9-0, and I think we have a great idea just what this team is made of. GO DUCKS!