Fresno State @ #11 Oregon (Sept. 4 Sat 11 AM Pac-12 Network)

[UOducksTK1]

SEP 4 (SAT) 11:00 AM PT PAC-12 NETWORKS

Can’t believe it’s almost football season again!

[DuckzRule]

I'm sure this will be an easy game for the Ducks, unlike the canceled NDSU game from last year that came before the Ohio State game.

Since Fresno State is not a very formidable opponent, we'll probably have better time to focus in Ohio State while not having to worry about another difficult opponent the week prior.

[OregonFan4Life]

I’ll be at the game, I’m so excited to see the new video board!

[SuperDuck]

I just hope they stay focused on one game at a time and don't overlook anyone. Upsets happen because of that. Losing to Ohio State would suck bad enough already, but losing 2 games out of the gate really changes the complexion of the entire season.

Focus on the Bulldogs first!!!

[StevensTechU]

If Fresno State was in the Pac-12 this year, they'd compete to be in the top half of the conference. Last year, they had the top offense in the MWC, and they've added pieces that should make them even more formidable.

Oregon fans might be familiar with Fresno's QB Jake Haener. In 2019, Haener felt like he outplayed Jacob Eason in fall camp, and when he wasn't named starter, he bolted. A bit of a boom-or-bust player, Haener would probably start for a handful of Pac-12 schools. His receiving corps reminds me of the talent level you might generally associate with Wazzu. Jalen Cropper is the main guy; he was a fringe 4-star player who passed up offers from a few Pac-12 schools to stay local. He's your small-but-fast receiver who has good hands. After him, 6'2 Keric Wheatfall would play for most Pac-12 schools and makes it so you can't focus solely on Cropper. And speaking of Pac-12 schools, 6'4 Ty Jones transferred in from washington where he was woefully underutilized, with his best season coming in 2018 when he caught 491 yards worth of passes.

And oh yea, the running backs catch passes, too. Ronnie Rivers will be a super senior this year after being named 1st team MWC in 2020. The running back room is so stacked that Utah transfer Jordan Wilmore, who started early last season at Utah, is battling two other guys for the 3rd spot in the RB rotation.

So how did this team average 34 points per game last season? They have a lot of offensive talent. Fortunately for the Ducks, the offensive line is nowhere near that talented, and is a place we can take advantage to cut them off before they even start going. They rotated a bunch of guys last year so they will have some experience, but physically, they shouldn't match up with Oregon.

Defensively, they stunk. Their DL was bad, the linebackers were bad, and the DBs were bad. They got a DT transfer from Oregon State this offseason as well as two cornerback transfers -- Elijah Gates from UCLA, who Oregon recruited out of high school and played quite a few snaps for the Bruins, and an all-Big Sky player from Cal Poly (one of those California schools, at least) -- so you would think they'll improve defensively, but I'm guessing they're still going to struggle to keep up with us.

This is going to be a good early season test. If Oregon holds them to 7, that bodes extremely well going into Columbus. If Oregon gives up 34, that's very concerning for the tOSU game and the rest of the year. If Oregon gives up 24, it's not what you want but the sky isn't falling given how much talent Fresno State has on the offensive side of the football.

[DuckzRule]

I know this won't be nothing like the 2019 Nevada game but I hope we curbstomp the Bulldogs similar to the Wolfpack, that way we'll prove we are no joke, even tho this year we'll most likely only reach the Rose Bowl.

[SuperDuck]

If Fresno State was in the Pac-12 this year, they'd compete to be in the top half of the conference. Last year, they had the top offense in the MWC, and they've added pieces that should make them even more formidable.

Oregon fans might be familiar with Fresno's QB Jake Haener. In 2019, Haener felt like he outplayed Jacob Eason in fall camp, and when he wasn't named starter, he bolted. A bit of a boom-or-bust player, Haener would probably start for a handful of Pac-12 schools. His receiving corps reminds me of the talent level you might generally associate with Wazzu. Jalen Cropper is the main guy; he was a fringe 4-star player who passed up offers from a few Pac-12 schools to stay local. He's your small-but-fast receiver who has good hands. After him, 6'2 Keric Wheatfall would play for most Pac-12 schools and makes it so you can't focus solely on Cropper. And speaking of Pac-12 schools, 6'4 Ty Jones transferred in from washington where he was woefully underutilized, with his best season coming in 2018 when he caught 491 yards worth of passes.

And oh yea, the running backs catch passes, too. Ronnie Rivers will be a super senior this year after being named 1st team MWC in 2020. The running back room is so stacked that Utah transfer Jordan Wilmore, who started early last season at Utah, is battling two other guys for the 3rd spot in the RB rotation.

So how did this team average 34 points per game last season? They have a lot of offensive talent. Fortunately for the Ducks, the offensive line is nowhere near that talented, and is a place we can take advantage to cut them off before they even start going. They rotated a bunch of guys last year so they will have some experience, but physically, they shouldn't match up with Oregon.

Defensively, they stunk. Their DL was bad, the linebackers were bad, and the DBs were bad. They got a DT transfer from Oregon State this offseason as well as two cornerback transfers -- Elijah Gates from UCLA, who Oregon recruited out of high school and played quite a few snaps for the Bruins, and an all-Big Sky player from Cal Poly (one of those California schools, at least) -- so you would think they'll improve defensively, but I'm guessing they're still going to struggle to keep up with us.

This is going to be a good early season test. If Oregon holds them to 7, that bodes extremely well going into Columbus. If Oregon gives up 34, that's very concerning for the tOSU game and the rest of the year. If Oregon gives up 24, it's not what you want but the sky isn't falling given how much talent Fresno State has on the offensive side of the football.

That's good news to me. I'd much rather open with a decent team than a cupcake. If they manage to expose us in some areas, then we'll have a week to make adjustments and clean things up before playing OSU.

[DuckzRule]

This will be pretty unrelated but Jerry Palm decided to make his bowl projections again and guess where he projects us to land...

The ducking Rose Bowl against Wisconsin! NOOOO!

I'll believe we'll face Iowa instead, maybe even a rematch against Ohio State, but not Wisconsin again.

[karlhungis]

That's good news to me. I'd much rather open with a decent team than a cupcake. If they manage to expose us in some areas, then we'll have a week to make adjustments and clean things up before playing OSU.

Seems like Ohio State will have a pretty decent tune up game as well in week 1 against Minnesota.

[StevensTechU]

Facing a formidable opponent is a blessing and a curse. It could show you where your weaknesses are so you can try to address them, but it also shows your opponents where your weaknesses are. I love the part of the season where we know that an opponent simply can't stop the run or what-have-you, and going in you know you're going to be able to run it down their throats.

[UOducksTK1]

Nearly 3 weeks away!

[GoDucksTroll]

Jake Haener > Dylan Morris. And most likely he wouldn’t have been much of a step down, if at all, from Jacob Eason. Pete bet on the wrong QB pony.

But I think it’s hyperbole to say Fresno St would be competing in the upper half of the conference. They’d be lucky to beat more than just Arizona. 2019, the last season before Tedford left, they were 4-8. 2020 isn’t very good to use as a barometer for west coast teams, but they went 3-3 with their only wins coming against teams with a combined 2-14 record. They had a mini resurgence with Tedford at the helm but these aren’t Pat Hill Fresno teams. I do remember the last time they were here, with DeRuyter, the QB was Derek Carr and Devantae Adams (love the guy, he won my fantasy league for me last year) and I don’t think they have that quality of player on this roster.

I’m not saying it will be a blowout, these G-5 teams have all the motivation in the world, but if it’s too close of a game then it’s time to worry. They will test the secondary. Oregon’s run game should have a field day.

[StevensTechU]

Oregon enters the year ranked #11 in the AP poll.

The only two teams of the last two decades to win a national championship when ranked outside the top 7 in preseason are Florida State and Auburn.

[buckmarkduck]

Oregon enters the year ranked #11 in the AP poll.

The only two teams of the last two decades to win a national championship when ranked outside the top 7 in preseason are Florida State and Auburn.

UCF has what I call a UW championship. They just crowned themselves champs.

[DuckzRule]

I was thinking of doing an bowl projections thread that is updated as each week goes on until bowl selection day.

I've been gathering all of the bowl projections I can find so far, and one of the most interesting comes from a site called "thegamehaus.com" that projects us getting to the Rose Bowl against the Iowa Hawkeyes, which would be pretty epic and better than a third game against Wisconsin, there's a CBS analyst that also projected an Oregon/Ohio State Rose Bowl.