Sat. September 1: Arkansas State (10-3, 8-0 Sun Belt in 2011)
It’s certainly no showdown with LSU in Texas, but welcoming Arkansas State to Autzen Stadium in the season opener won’t be a picnic for Chip Kelly & Co. The Red Wolves posted a strong 10-3 overall record last year, including an impressive undefeated run through the Sun Belt conference. Adding another wrinkle to the matchup is the presence of former Auburn offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn, who accepted the Arkansas State head coaching position back in December. Like Kelly, Malzahn is a known proponent of the no-huddle offense, so if nothing else, this should certainly be a high-paced game. There’s little reason to believe the Ducks will stumble at home to open the season, and the most interesting part of the game will likely be evaluating whoever ends up starting at quarterback. @@http://www.goducks.com/SportSelect.dbml?&DB_OEM_ID=500&KEY=&SPID=233&SPSID=3377@@ @@http://www.astateredwolves.com/SportSelect.dbml?SPSID=35787&SPID=2798&DB_OEM_ID=7200&DB_LANG=C&Q_SEASON=2011@@ @@http://www.astateredwolves.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=35786&SPID=2798&DB_LANG=C&DB_OEM_ID=7200&ATCLID=205359542&Q_SEASON=2012@@
Did You Know? 
This is the first ever meeting between Oregon and Arkansas State.
Sat. September 8: Fresno State (4-9, 3-4 Mountain West in 2011)
The Bulldogs were fairly miserable in 2011, posting a 4-9 overall record and their first losing season since 2006. After what should be a decently competitive season-opener, Oregon should cruise through this matchup — especially within the confines of Autzen Stadium. Like the Missouri State and New Mexico games of years past, this will be a stat-padding blowout that might be over by the end of the first quarter. @@http://www.gobulldogs.com/sports/m-footbl/archive/fres-m-footbl-sched-2011.html@@
Did You Know?
The last time Oregon lost to Fresno State was in 1982 by a rather odd score of 10-4 @@http://football.stassen.com/cgi-bin/records/opp-opp.pl?start=1869&end=2011&team1=Oregon&team2=Fresno+State@@
Sat. September 15: Tennessee Tech (7-4 in 2011)
Many Oregon fans will likely look at this matchup and wonder if Tennessee Tech is a real school. It is, indeed, and one that competes in the FCS division of college football. The Ohio Valley Conference mainstay was actually successful with a winning 7-4 record last season but was destroyed by Iowa 34-7 in its only game against big-time competition. The Ducks, playing at home for a third straight week to start the season, won’t have any trouble dismantling the Golden Eagles, and the backups should be in by the second half. @@http://www.ttusports.com/sports/fball/2011-12/schedule@@
Did You Know?
According to Tennessee Tech’s athletic website, head coach Watson Brown operates under the notion of playing “The Fastest 60 Minutes in Football.” @@http://www.ttusports.com/sports/fball/coaches/index@@
Sat. September 22: Arizona (4-8, 2-7 Pac-12 in 2011)
Arizona’s fall from grace in 2011 was stunning, particularly because it came during quarterback Nick Foles’ senior year. Between Sept. 8 and Nov. 12, the Wildcats lost eight of nine games, including a 56-31 defeat at the hands of Oregon in Tucson. It was all enough to cost head coach Mike Stoops his job, and now Arizona looks to rebuild its program under former Michigan coach Rich Rodriguez. The Wildcats will already be battle-tested by the time they arrive in Eugene, having faced off with Oklahoma State in the second week of the season. Beyond adjusting to a new coaching regime, the Wildcats are also faced with replacing Foles, wide receiver Juron Criner and cornerback Trevin Wade — all of whom were drafted to the NFL. Rodriguez will look to deploy his spread-option offense against Oregon, but it doesn’t look like he has the pieces yet to overcome the Ducks. @@http://www.arizonawildcats.com/sports/m-footbl/archive/ariz-m-footbl-sched-2011.html@@ @@http://www.arizonawildcats.com/sports/m-footbl/archive/m-footbl-roster-2011.html@@ @@http://www.arizonawildcats.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/rodriguez_rich00.html@@ @@http://www.arizonawildcats.com/sports/m-footbl/sched/ariz-m-footbl-sched.html@@
Did You Know: 
Arizona has a player named Sir Thomas Jackson, a freshman linebacker, on its roster. @@http://www.arizonawildcats.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/ariz-m-footbl-mtt.html@@
Sat. September 29: At Washington State (4-8, 2-7 Pac-12 in 2011)
The first Chip Kelly-Mike Leach showdown takes place in Pullman, as Kenjon Barner also returns to the scene where he suffered a terrifying head injury back in 2010. Barner enters as the full-time starter this time around and will likely look to exorcise any lingering demons with a dominant outing. The Cougars typically play better at home, and Leach will certainly have them fired up for this game, but it’s still hard to imagine them possessing enough firepower to get passed the Ducks. @@http://www.pac-12.org/SPORTS/Football/Standings.aspx@@
Did You Know: 
This is only Leach’s second head coach job, after spending ten seasons at the helm of Texas Tech. @@http://www.wsucougars.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/leach_mike00.html@@
Sat. October 6: Washington (7-6, 5-4 Pac-12 in 2011)
The Ducks come right back home after the Pullman trip to face off with Washington, which should be a formidable opponent with Keith Price returning for a second year at the helm of an offense that averaged 33.4 points per game last year. Star running back Chris Polk may be gone, but Washington should have plenty of firepower to throw at Oregon regardless, and some new additions to the coaching staff could also pay dividends. After firing embattled defensive coordinator Nick Holt, head coach Steve Sarkisian brought in Oregon alumnus Justin Wilcox — most recently the defensive guru at Tennessee. Also added to the staff was former California defensive line coach Tosh Lupoi — known to be a recruiting wizard. Of course, it’s the players on the field that matter most, and in this case, Oregon remains the far superior team on paper. Expect that to be reflected on the field come October. @@http://www.pac-12.org/portals/7/images/Football/2011-Stats/HTML/confldrs.htm@@ @@http://www.gohuskies.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/wash-m-footbl-mtt.html@@ @@http://www.gohuskies.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/wilcox_justin00.html@@
Did You Know:
Oregon has now won eight straight games against Washington, dating back to 2003.
Thurs. October 18: At Arizona State (6-7, 4-5 Pac-12 in 2011)
Oregon’s first Thursday night game of the season comes off of a bye week and against an Arizona State team that, like its cross state counterpart, is in the middle of the rebuilding process. Head coach Dennis Erickson is gone, replaced by former Pittsburgh coach Todd Graham. Quarterback Brock Osweiler is gone, too, and will be replaced by one of three players currently battling for the spot: sophomore Mike Bercovici, redshirt freshman Michael Eubank and redshirt sophomore Taylor Kelly. Also departed is ever-controversial yet productive linebacker Vontaze Burfict, who surprisingly went undrafted back in April. Like many other Pac-12 teams, the Sun Devils are clearly in a reloading phase, and even home field advantage shouldn’t do much to stop Oregon. @@http://www.thesundevils.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/graham_todd00.html@@ @@http://www.thesundevils.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/asu-m-footbl-mtt.html@@ @@http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1165038-vontaze-burfict-bengals-reportedly-signing-troubled-asu-lb@@
Did You Know:
After spending just a single season at Pittsburgh before moving to Arizona State, Graham has now coached at four different schools since 2006.
Sat. October 27: Colorado (3-10, 2-7 Pac-12 in 2011)
It was a rude welcome to the Pac-12 for Colorado in 2011, but the Buffaloes did manage to snag a pair of four star ESPN recruits (cornerbacks Yuri Wright and Kenny Crawley) to round out their 2012 recruiting class and seem to expect better things in all for their second conference go-round. Game-breaking receiver Paul Richardson returns, as does second team All-Pac-12 offensive tackle David Bakhtiari. The expectation is for Texas transfer Connor Wood to replace departed senior Tyler Hansen at quarterback, and in all, the Buffaloes will likely look like an entirely different team than the one Oregon saw in 2011. Alas, those differences won’t likely amount to anything close to bridging the talent gap between the Ducks and the Buffaloes, and it’s not too much to expect another blowout — especially since the game is at Autzen Stadium this time around. @@http://espn.go.com/college-sports/football/recruiting/player/_/id/127762/yuri-wright@@ @@http://espn.go.com/college-sports/football/recruiting/player/_/id/126644/kenny-crawley@@ @@http://www.cubuffs.com/SportSelect.dbml?SPID=255&SPSID=3845&DB_OEM_ID=600@@ @@http://www.cubuffs.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=3845&SPID=255&DB_LANG=C&DB_OEM_ID=600&ATCLID=204770339&Q_SEASON=2012@@ @@http://espn.go.com/blog/pac12/post/_/id/36810/bakhtiari-sees-chemistry-urgency-with-buffs@@
Did You Know: 
Colorado welcomed eight defensive lineman to its 2012 recruiting class, and according to ESPN’s Ted Miller, the Buffaloes expect to play at least half of them this season.
Sat. November 3: At USC (10-2, 7-2 Pac-12 in 2011)
This is, of course, the game everyone has circled on their calendars — and with good reason. USC will likely be the only Pac-12 team ranked higher than Oregon in the preseason polls and returns a slew of star players including quarterback (and Heisman frontrunner) Matt Barkley, receivers Robert Woods and Marqise Lee and safety T.J. McDonald. After shocking Oregon in Eugene last year, ending any slim hope of a repeat national championship appearance, USC deservedly will come into this game as the favorite. Though Oregon’s offense should be expected to be as productive as ever, the defense will have to grasp at straws to contain Barkley — who shredded the Ducks to the tune of 323 yards and four touchdowns last year — and his dominant duo of receivers. Whoever wins Oregon’s quarterback battle, meanwhile, will find himself smack dab in the middle of one of the year’s most anticipated games. It’s impossible to know how Bryan Bennett or Marcus Mariota would react under the circumstances, but in the absence of that knowledge, USC should be expected to win going into the season. @@http://www.usctrojans.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/usc-m-footbl-mtt.html@@ @@http://www.goducks.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPID=233&DB_OEM_ID=500&ATCLID=205336357@@
Did You Know: 
Woods and Lee combined for 2,435 receiving yards and 26 touchdowns in 2011. @@http://www.pac-12.org/portals/7/images/Football/2011-Stats/HTML/usc.htm@@
Sat. November 10: At California (7-6, 4-5 Pac-12 in 2011)
Oregon continues its toughest road trip of the season here in Berkeley against Jeff Tedford and Cal. This will be a big game in what may turn into a make-or-break season for Tedford, whose teams have continued to underperform in recent years. Quarterback Zach Maynard will be back in action, and Tedford can only hope that the senior will improve upon an uneven 2011 campaign that saw him complete 57 percent of his passes for 17 touchdowns against 12 interceptions. The good news for Maynard and Cal is that wide receiver Keenan Allen returns for his junior season, looking to improve on a stellar 2011 campaign that included 1,343 yards and six touchdowns on 98 receptions. At the same time, Allen will shoulder even more of a load after the Golden Bears saw their No. 2, 3 and 4 receivers depart. Look for the Ducks to key in on Allen and force Cal’s other receivers to beat them. Barring a major upset, it’s hard to see Oregon losing this game. @@http://www.calbears.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/tedford_jeff00.html@@ @@http://www.calbears.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/cal-m-footbl-mtt.html@@ @@http://www.pac-12.org/portals/7/images/Football/2011-Stats/HTML/cal.htm@@ @@http://espn.go.com/blog/pac12/post/_/id/37143/most-important-player-california@@
Did You Know: 
Cal’s recruiting class has ranked in ESPN’s top 25 for three straight years.
Sat. November 17: Stanford (11-2, 8-1 Pac-12 in 2011)
This showdown lacks the luster of yesteryear with star Cardinal quarterback Andrew Luck now a member of the Indianapolis Colts, but Stanford looks set to rebound nicely on the heels of landing ESPN’s twelfth-ranked recruiting class in 2012. As far as this upcoming season is concerned, Luck will be replaced by either senior Josh Nunes or junior Brett Nottingham — neither of which is anywhere near his caliber. Stanford also lost two of its best offensive linemen — Jonathan Martin and and David DeCastro — as well as tight end Coby Fleener, who joined Luck in Indianapolis. For the time being, Stanford doesn’t appear to have the firepower to overcome Oregon — which won the last two against the Cardinal even when Luck was around — but David Shaw’s crew should be back in contention sooner rather than later. @@http://insider.espn.go.com/college-sports/football/recruiting/classrankings?&action=login&appRedirect=http%3a%2f%2finsider.espn.go.com%2fcollege-football%2frecruiting%2fclassrankings@@ @@http://www.gostanford.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/stan-m-footbl-mtt.html@@ @@http://dailyemerald.com/2012/04/30/pac-12-roundup-nfl-draft-edition/@@
Did You Know: 
In the last two seasons, Stanford has been outscored by Oregon 105-61 in head-to-head matchups. @@http://www.goducks.com/SportSelect.dbml?SPSID=3377&SPID=233&DB_OEM_ID=500&KEY=&Q_SEASON=2010@@ @@http://www.goducks.com/SportSelect.dbml?SPSID=3377&SPID=233&DB_OEM_ID=500&KEY=&Q_SEASON=2011@@
Sat. November 24: At Oregon State (3-9, 3-6 Pac-12 in 2011)
If nothing else, the Beavers come into 2012 with the advantage of continuity on offense. Quarterback Sean Mannion is back for his sophomore season, as is leading receiver Markus Wheaton. Promising sophomore receiver Brandin Cooks also returns, and together the three skill players could turn into a formidable trio. The specter of last year’s sleeper of a matchup remains, though, and even with the game taking place in Corvallis, it’s hard not to see Oregon winning its fifth straight Civil War. The Beavers ranked last in the Pac-12 in rushing defense last year, and barring a stunning turnaround, that could prove to be their downfall once again this year. @@http://www.osubeavers.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/orst-m-footbl-mtt.html@@ @@http://www.pac-12.org/portals/7/images/Football/2011-Stats/HTML/confldrs.htm@@
Did You Know: 
Wheaton’s time of 10.58 seconds narrowly edged Oregon’s De’Anthony Thomas (10.65)  in the 100-meter race at the Twilight track and field meet last Saturday. @@http://www.goducks.com/downloads2/452313.htm?ATCLID=205424215&SPSID=4367&SPID=243&DB_LANG=C&DB_OEM_ID=500@@