In football, perspective is everything. A team should never get too high after a victory or too low after a loss.
So, hold on. You’re likely reading this column in the wake of Oregon’s overwhelmingly dominant performance at Arizona State and thinking, “There’s nothing to complain about when your team beats a typically powerful conference opponent on the road 48-13.”
And, I’d say, you’re right.
Except this is one game Oregon needs to keep in perspective.
Let’s be honest – the Sun Devils are not the best team Oregon will face this season. They’re not even second.
As it stands right now, Saturday’s game may not even be a quality victory despite raising a few eyebrows across the country.
Not that an Oregon victory at Sun Devil stadium seemed so improbable, but holding an Arizona State offense to just nine first downs and 33 yards passing certainly did.
Again, perspective is everything and this
victory has many Oregon fans’ imaginations running wild.
Except this isn’t the same type of Arizona State team as in years’ past. It’s not even the same type of team that started the season.
Somewhere in Nebraska, Sam Keller is
loving what has transpired in Tempe.
See, Keller should be the starting quarterback for the Sun Devils. Instead he was passed over for the man who’s there now, Rudy Carpenter. Keller is a Cornhusker and Carpenter probably would like to be anywhere else in the country than at Arizona State right now.
He was horrid against Oregon. He missed wide open receivers, made easy throws appear difficult and looked far removed from his days as the freshman quarterback who led the nation in passing efficiency.
Oregon played a great game, no doubt.
But there were enough silly, drive-killing penalties and mental mistakes that a quality opponent would have taken advantage of.
A quality opponent, say, for instance, like the California Golden Bears, Oregon’s opponent Saturday.
So while it’s easy to overlook the few mistakes the Ducks made when compared to the result against Arizona State, they are some that may hurt the Ducks down the road.
For example, after Oregon took an early 14-0 lead and had, for all intents and purposes, its foot on the throat of a barely breathing Sun Devil team, the Ducks went three-and-out on their next possession and fumbled on the ensuing one with Arizona State cashing in only three points.
Likewise, Oregon opened the third quarter with a three-and-out, punted the ball nine yards and still the Sun Devils could not capitalize.
Then, in a special teams breakdown, Arizona State returned a kickoff 100 yards. The following drive included two penalties that put Oregon in a deep hole at third and 22 and forced another punt. But Arizona State never posed a legitimate threat.
The Ducks may not be so lucky against a talented Cal team if those same mistakes are made.
So go ahead and celebrate this victory, but keep it in perspective because we’ll find out Oregon’s true character next weekend.
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