Well the good news is the PAC10 is still in Oregon's grasp.

Chip Kelly warned his team that the college football season was like a heavy weight fight and that if you’re not careful you can get knocked out in the 9^th round ala Mike Tyson against Buster Douglas.

Chip’s warning went unheard. Is this a case of Oregon buying into its own hype for the second time this season, or are they just a bad road team?

 

Chip is not without blame for the loss having challenged a spot late in the game that would not have changed Stanford’s plan of attack, they were going to go for it regardless. That failed challenge meant Oregon could not stop the clock again and Stanford would be able to run them into submission.

 

Secondly, and likely more debatable, was his decision to attempt the onside kick with over 2 minutes left to play. Oregon could have kicked it deep and kept Stanford out of field goal range, and had a shot to win the game with some time remaining from about mid field. Instead a failed onside kick turned into three points and a game that was out of reach.

 

Lastly, and purely philosophically, I don’t understand deferring to half time on the road with an offense that is so potent and a defense that is great with a lead. Oregon State was able to dismantle Stanford by jumping out to an early lead and forcing them to become a pass first team, effectively taking the bulldozing Toby Gerhart out of the game.

 

All of these coaching mistakes pale in comparison to the ineptitude of the Oregon defense on Saturday. Stanford scored on every possession in the first half.

 

Gerhart had a career day as he rushed for 223 yards and 3 scores. Setting a Stanford single game record against a once vaunted oregon run defense.

 

QB Andrew Luck looked like more like Tom Brady than the freshman signal caller he is, as he threw for 251 yards and 2 TD’s in only 20 attempts.

 

And Chris Owusu, a WR who was criticized immensely for not being able to make the down field catch, made them all. His 4 catches wentfor 111 yards and a trip to the endzone.

 

End result was Stanford having an offensive output that ended in over 500 yards and 51 points.

 

But the day was not a total loss, Oregon made it through healthy and the offense was fantastic.

 

Jeremiah Masoli was incredible in the loss. He was 21/37 for 334 yards and 3 passing TD’s. He also rushed for 55 yards on 10 carries and went untouched into the enzone. Jeremiah had arguably his best throwing day in this loss when you consider that the at least 6 of the 16 incomplete passes were dropped.

 

LaMichael James showed again that the Duck’s running game is in great hands for the foreseeable future having yet another 100+ yard performance and breaking the thousand yard mark for the season. Oh by the way, no other RB in Oregon history has done that as a freshman. James finished with 125 yards on 18 carries with 1 TD. He added another 89 yards on 4 catches.

 

The good news for the Chip Kelly is that he was wrong, his team didn’t get knocked out in the 9^th round, sure they hit the canvas but after a standing 8 count, they are still ahead on points heading into the 10^th.

 

Speaking of heavy weight bouts the Oregon announced today that they have reinstated LeGarrett Blount after he was suspended for throwing a knock out sucker punch and having to be physically removed from the field following the loss at Boise State.

 

- Kurt Valentine